Any tips for getting toddler to drink water?

[gbailey]

DD could care less about water. She'll sip a bit from her sippy cup and then tries to pour the rest out. Any tips for getting her to drink it consistently? Thanks.

[YayJennie]

Do you drink a lot of water? I've found my son doesn't have much interest in his sippy cups, but I carry around a bottle of water EVERYWHERE. So whenever I take a sip, I give him a sip, too. Plus I don't give him any other liquids (except breast milk and coconut milk sometimes now that my milk is drying up). So his only choice at meals is water. Good luck!

[laughymama]

This might not be the most popular answer but when our DS did this we just add a small amount of juiced fruits or veggies to it. So 95% water, 5% juice. Sweetens it up, he drinks it all happily.

[healthy momma]

1. Big Boy water bottle just like Mom and Dad.

2. Lightly flavored water using herbal teas or things like cucumber or lemon.

[Honey693]

Originally Posted by laughymama

This might not be the most popular answer but when our DS did this we just add a small amount of juiced fruits or veggies to it. So 95% water, 5% juice. Sweetens it up, he drinks it all happily.

We do this sometimes. Some days DD will happily drink tons of water and other days she won't touch it unless it's almost half juice or decaf iced tea and lemon water.

[Luke's mama]

Getting a straw sippy cup (munchkin brand I think) made drinking more fun for DS and so he drinks more water now.

[MountainMamaGC]

Originally Posted by laughymama

This might not be the most popular answer but when our DS did this we just add a small amount of juiced fruits or veggies to it. So 95% water, 5% juice. Sweetens it up, he drinks it all happily.

We do this. Its the only way to get dd to drink enough fluids. She gets constipated easily so I cant risk her not drinking enough fluids. A straw cup helps too.

[Italiamom]

DS is totally uninterested in water, unless I'm drinking it. He wants to drink out of a big person cup. So I'll put him on my lap and let him take gulps of my water. He sputters a bit sometimes, and he gets water all over his front usually... But it's just water, and he always gets so happy. Have you tried just giving sips out of a real glass or mug?

[gbailey]

Thanks for the responses everybody. I drink a ton of water usually out of the bottle. She pretends she's sipping laughs and hands it back. I'll try squeezing in some lemon to see if that helps and if it doesn't in a week or so I'll juice some fruit and mix some in.

She has a straw sippy but is totally uninterested in it...for now. LOL

[NorthernPixie]

I stopped using the sippy lids and started using the straw ones or sport bottle tops - made a big difference. I also add a small bit of juice sometimes, ice water popsicles are fun, and adding ice to the bottle (especially if she does it, and can see it) seems to help. Sometimes giving her odd drinking receptacles does the trick too -- she can pick whatever she wants out of the drawer and take it to the bathroom sink and drink: measuring cups, teaspoons, egg cups, muffin cups, ladle, etc.

[fruitfulmomma]

How old is your toddler? Is she still breastfeeding a lot?

My 17mo will drink at meals and out in the heat but she prefers the boob if she is thirsty and she will play with water if she isn't interested it. This seems to have been pretty normal with all five of the children.

[spmamma]

Originally Posted by fruitfulmomma

How old is your toddler? Is she still breastfeeding a lot?

My 17mo will drink at meals and out in the heat but she prefers the boob if she is thirsty and she will play with water if she isn't interested it. This seems to have been pretty normal with all five of the children.

This is very similar to what we did. I didn't worry about how much DD drank as long as she was breast feeding. And I only offered water to drink. Once she weaned at 25 months, she was used to drinking water and it wasn't a problem.

[gbailey]

Originally Posted by fruitfulmomma

How old is your toddler? Is she still breastfeeding a lot?
My 17mo will drink at meals and out in the heat but she prefers the boob if she is thirsty and she will play with water if she isn't interested it. This seems to have been pretty normal with all five of the children.

She recently turned two and I unfortunately wasn't able to be breastfeed

I like the idea of the poster who said to make water popsicles.

[honey-lilac]

When water isn't cutting it for my kids I will ask them if they'd like rain juice or ocean juice instead. They happily choose one or the other. It's all water anyway, but they're happier about it if they think it's something cooler. I think they're in on the joke though cos they see me getting it from the same tap as "regular" water. Still... it works for us!

[SparklingGemini]

Maybe she isn't thirsty?

Or try an open cup?

Is she filling up on other things? Breastmilk? Formula? Cow's milk? Soft, liquidy foods?

[Teenytoona]

Let her drink from your cup, or a neat bottle/jug/some other container. Or maybe get cute little containers to play water splash in and she can drink from that. DD will drink water from her cup, but she went through a spell where big people's glasses or the big water jug we take along with us in the car is wayyyy more appealing than her own cups to drink from.