With the weather warming up and the sports seasons in full swing, it is important to remind kids to stay hydrated. Check out these 11 ways to keep kids hydrated so they can stay healthy and happy, no matter how hard they’re playing!

I crowd-sourced my friends and came up with a few tricks of my own to help out.  These tips are especially helpful for the mom who has that kid that complains about drinking plain old water.  No worries!  There are other ways to keep everyone happy, even when it is hot outside or your child has been super active.

*Thanks to BODYARMOR sports drink for sponsoring today’s important message about keeping kids hydrated.

• Use refillable cups with sports lids and tell them how many times they need to drink and refill them a day.  Kids 3 and up need at least 48 oz of water a day, especially when they’re out in the hot sun and playing hard.  If you get them a 12 oz refillable container and tell them to drink 4 of those a day, it gives them a goal and something they can physically see (and count) to take responsibility for their water consumption each day.
• Fill their cups with ice cubes.  It’s way more exciting to drink something that is iced!
• Add fruit, herbs, or even veggies to their water.  Try new combinations.  Strawberry mint?  Cucumber, lemon, and blueberries?  The sky is the limit.
• Make freezer pops.  Freeze theirr favorite beverage (we like BODYARMOR sports drink) in some freezer pop molds for a cooling, hydrating treat.  I like to throw in a few berries to add a little texture to the final product.
• Serve coconut water.  It is certainly a taste that some people love and some people hate.  If they happen to love it, great!  It is very hydrating and replaces what they’re burning up by playing outside in the hot sun.
• Let them drink from silly straws.  There are a ton of pretty, colorful straws and some wild and crazy silly straws out there.  If it’s fun to stay hydrated, kids are more likely to do it.
• Keep water-filled foods available.  Sometimes, they just won’t want to drink anything.  That’s just fine!  Keep cucumbers, celery, watermelon, grapes, strawberries, grapefruits, peaches, tomatoes, and other foods with high water content available to munch on during the day.
• Fill a large dispenser container with water so they’ll want to refill their cups.  Keep it interesting!  Add some fruits or veggies to the dispenser to make it even more colorful and appealing to them.
• Teach your kids why staying hydrated is so important.  Once they understand how their body works and how important water, vitamins, electrolytes, and minerals are to their body, they’ll be more likely to take care of themselves.
• Set a good example. Make sure that you are staying hydrated, too!  They watch you more than you realize, so be sure that you’re practicing what you’re preaching.
• Offer a natural sports drink without any artificial ingredients.  BODYARMOR sports drink fits the bill quite nicely.

BODYARMOR sports drink comes in 7 great flavors and has no artificial colors or preservatives.  It uses natural flavors and sweeteners to deliver a powerful punch to the tastebuds.

Not only does a bottle of BODYARMOR have 600mg of Potassium, but it also has 100% of the RDI of Vitamins A, C, and E.  It also has 200% RDI of those energy boosting B Vitamins: B3, B5, B6, B9, and B12.

I love that it’s made with a splash of coconut water for a unique, refreshing taste.  Our favorite flavor was Strawberry Banana, but Tropical Punch was a very close second.  My kids couldn’t get enough of our sample bottles and have already told me which flavors they want me to get for them when I grab some more.

If you have a little (or big!) athlete in your home, or your kids just play hard and work up a sweat, be sure to pick up a few bottles of BODYARMOR and give them a try.  Make staying hydrated delicious and enjoyable.

How do you keep your kids hydrated?