How to Encourage Students to Stay Hydrated During School
Students need to stay hydrated even when the weather starts to cool down.
Published July 26 2024, 3:09 p.m. ET
Drinking eight 8-ounce cups of water every day has long been touted as the key to staying healthy and hydrated. And while that number does change depending on a few factors — including but certainly not limited to the temperature and your activity level — that figure is a great jumping off point for the average person. But, when it comes to children and young adults, getting them to stay on top of their water intake can be a bit tricky, especially if they're captivated by something else.
It doesn't matter whether you're a teacher trying to help your students stay hydrated through a heatwave, or just someone who wants to ensure that the kids you know are getting enough water, this list of easy ideas for encouraging students to stay hydrated is sure to help!
Make sure students have refillable water bottles.
If you're in a school that has plenty of access to water fountains, remind your students to bring reusable, refillable water bottles from home. This will allow them to keep refilling them throughout the day without fear of running out!
Teach students why it's important to stay hydrated.
Sometimes all you need to do is explain the benefits of staying hydrated to ensure that your students will keep on top of their water intake. Some of the reasons why upping your water intake are important, include:
- Helping to protect organs
- Moving nutrients and oxygen to cells
- Keeping joints lubricated and cushioned
- Promoting digestive regularity
- Keeping body temperature in check.
Create colorful graphics as a reminder to stay hydrated.
We get it, kids get busy! Between learning, studying, and recess, there can be a lot to do and little time to do it in. That can sometimes cause kids to forget about drinking water. If you're worried about distractions keeping your students from drinking enough, you can create some fun signs to keep around the classroom to remind kids to drink their water.
Make a hydration station in your classroom.
My daughter's teacher created a hydration station in her classroom, which was a table where everyone put their water bottle at the start of each day. Because they were all out on display and not tucked into backpacks or lunch boxes, the kids had a constant reminder that their water was just a few feet away. This stopped them from having an "out of sight, out of mind" approach to their cups, which they were allowed to visit at any time they needed to throughout the day.
Model the behavior you want to see.
Hands down, the best way to get the kids in your classroom to do something is to show them how to do it. So, if you want to ensure that your students are staying hydrated every day, you'll need to show them how you make keeping yourself a priority by stopping to take sips out of your reusable water bottle as well. Not only does it highlight the importance of drinking water, but it serves as a reminder that it's probably time for them to get a drink as well.
