The importance of keeping kids hydrated especially in the hot summer months

Linda Mathieson

October 29, 2014

It is hard to keep kids hydrated when they are playing outdoors on warm days and it is only when thirst hits that they will look for something to drink.

“Lack of water is always the most severe privation that men can be condemned to endure,” wrote Ernest Shackleton

Water is life and crucial to our everyday existence and during the hot Australian Summer months it is essential that adults and children have easy access to fresh drinking water.

Children are at greater risk of dehydration than adults as they generate more heat but sweat less which can lead to heat exhaustion and even heat stroke on a warm day.

It is imperative that children have access to fresh drinking water throughout the day, especially when playing in the playground in hot weather. Dehydration causes thickening of the blood making the heart work harder risking bad circulation which can then stop the body from cooling itself down efficiently.

By the time a child feels thirsty they are roughly 3% dehydrated so it  is important to encourage them to drink water at regular intervals throughout the day.

A child playing in a hot playground should drink between 250ml to 300ml every 15 to 20 minutes. Having access to clean fresh water at school is essential for every student to ensure they remain healthy, active and mentally alert.