Refreshing Water Ideas

I'm that mom that rarely lets her kids have pop.  Usually it's a treat when we go out to eat somewhere and I try not to let them have a pop with caffeine.  Growing up, pop was always a treat and we had to ask for it.  Nowadays it seems more people reach for a pop than a glass of ice water.  So when I got this great information sheet sent home from Vayle's preschool I had an idea for a post!!  Sometimes it's hard to get your kids to just have a plain old uninteresting glass of water when they are thirsty; since summer is nearing and the heat that will be coming with it, here are some great ideas to keep your kids hydrated with out the sugary drinks.

Create your own flavored pitcher of water.
Fill a water pitcher full of water and let your kids add any of the following ingredients.
*a whole cucumber scrubbed clean and sliced
*a whole peach or pear, washed clean and cut into pieces
*a fresh pineapple cut into rings
*a cup or two of sliced strawberries
*an orange, cleaned and sliced
*lemon or lime, cleaned and sliced
*grapes cleaned and sliced in half
*cherries, cleaned, pitted and sliced in half
*kiwis, peeled and sliced

You could also put in herbs like fresh mint or basil.  Combine one of them with something listed above for a great flavor combination.

Make your own 'fruit cubes'.  Use an ice cube tray and fill about 1/4 of the way with water.  Freeze the water then let your kids put in a mint leaf, basil leaf, strawberry slice or two, raspberries, blueberries, halved grapes, cantaloupe pieces, honeydew pieces, watermelon pieces or any other items listed above or other ideas you can come up with!  Then let your kids add these fruit cubes to their already flavored water for a fun combination.

There are so many flavor ideas - make it a fun thing to try with your kids!  Summer in a glass ideas are endless!!