NOW CLOSED: Share your child's favourite drink or tip for keeping thirst at bay for the summer months and you could win a £100 Tesco voucher

[AnnMumsnet]

Britvic are working with Tesco.com to provide 4 downloadable guides that offer Mums top tips for keeping the family active and hydrated during summer.

You can download the guides here.

On this thread they want MNers to share their own top tips for keeping children cool this summer (home or abroad) - and to share your thoughts on keeping children hydrated.

For example:
What drinks do your children like to have? Do they like ice in their juice?
Does your child complain of being thirsty or do you have to remind them to drink?
What kind of drinks do you pack for days out? What would be a treat for your children, drinks-wise?

Add your thoughts and comments to this thread and you'll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £100 voucher to spend on summer provisions at Tesco.

Some T&Cs: The prize draw is open to GB residents (England, Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland) aged 18+. Normal exclusions apply. One entry per person. Entries can be made at Mumsnet.com. Closing date for all entries is midnight 10th August 2012 .

Thanks,
MNHQ

[camdancer]

I take a sports bottle of water around with me all the time and refill it every time we see somewhere suitable. DD2 is 14mo and hates baby sippy cups as they just don't flow quickly enough. So we all use a sports bottle. A treat drinks-wise would probably be an ice lolly or a carton of juice.

At home, I have some of the reusable ice cube things which my children love - but they actually don't like water too cold, so they tend to just play with the ice cubes and then drink the water. DS and DD1 have to be reminded to drink - especially DS. But DD2 is constantly thirsty so reminds me!

[theotherboleyngirl]

My younger two much prefer flavoured drinks over water - but tough luck, water is the main drink. Plus milk at breakfast. If we have guests (and are therefore drinking wine/soft drinks) they will be offered juice/squash (full sugar version not low sugar). DS, eldest, happily glugs water. All three have water bottles on the go throughout the day - very rarely need reminding. On days out they always ask for their drink, rarely have to remind them. If we are taking a picnic we will often take Capri Sun pouches (as they are often on offer at Tesco!) and they have one each with lunch then water the rest of the day. If we are in a restaurant they go for the most 'different' they can choose - normally a milkshake, or some blue concotion...

[Luckystar96]

At mealtimes I put a jug of water or squash with lots of ice on the table and they just seem to love pouring it themselves and seeing how much ice they can get.They drink so much more than if I put a drink in a glass for them. Less work for me too as no getting up, refilling drinks.

[TheTempest]

Mine would sell her soul for milk. Only milk really but I do force water down her when we are out having had 2 mobiles ruining by leaking milk (sob).

She thinks ice cubes in her milk are the height of treatdom (she's 2).

[1stWinsGoldforMrsF]

I have to remind mine to drink. Making a big jug of squash and leaving it on the table so it's not a big job to get them more helps -every time I see it I check their cups and ask if anyone wants a drink. They always drink more from a straw too. I also freeze my own juice lollies and offer them things like watermelon for snacks.

[RedKites]

2yo DS only drinks water or milk. In the recent hot spell he's discovered ice (pronounced rice ) which I guess is helping keep him hydrated, but other than that, it's just having a drink about for him most of the time.

[HairyButtMonkey]

I give my DS no added sugar juice diluted with sparkling water. Add a straw and it's a 'healthy' fizzy juice drink!

[colditz]

In order to keep my children hydrated during the summer, I make sure that they can access the kitchen tap.

[LineRunnerSpartanNaked]

Yes. As above.

Refillable bottles of tap water.

[LeandarBear]

Mine like water. From the tap mostly but bottles for convenience when we go out. If its a long trip in the car then we partially freeze the bottles first.
They can have a fizzy drink when we go out, with plenty of ice.

[mumah]

We always have a beaker of water lurking about, thankfully my 15mth old loves it and happily guzzles his water throughout the day. With my older nephews home made ice lollies were a great way of keeping them cool and hydrated.

[Boggler]

My ds who's 8, only likes water and and milk. So if we are out for the the day I freeze a bottle of water, even on the hottest days it's still nice and cool hours later.

[hOLYMolyPICSofteamGBwinning]

Mine all love peppermint tea. In the summer I make up a big jug full, put lots of ice and sliced fruit in it then leave it in the fridge. The kids help themselves throughout the day and shout when it's getting low so I can do the next one. Not only do they get lots of fluids this way they also eat at least their five a day with all the fruit!

[MerryCosIWonaGold]

What drinks do your children like to have? Do they like ice in their juice?
They don't have ice at home, but they do like ice in Macdonalds or at friends' houses. They call them 'lollies'. I think it's novelty value and can't be bothered.

Does your child complain of being thirsty or do you have to remind them to drink?
Mostly remind them. Unless it is exceptionally hot.

What kind of drinks do you pack for days out?
Bottles of water/ diluted fruit shoot, cartons of juice, fruitshoots occasionally

What would be a treat for your children, drinks-wise?
Fruitshoots, Ribena cartons, or 'fizzy' (at Macdonalds or family parties, which is part of the whole 'treat').

[SizzleSazz]

Usually drink flat water, fizzy water or milk

Ice cubes are great fun.

No problem getting them to drink.

They have tasted lemonade, orangina but never really ask for it. At a restaurant they will ask for milk/fizzy water

[elastamum]

Water from the tap works well and is by far the most healthy and environmentally sound choice.

On our recent day out cliff climbing me and the DC each carried 2L in our rucksacks. It was a really hot tiring day in full sun with no shelter. You need to carry that much to stay properly hydrated when it is really hot, but I wouldnt dream of taking anything else but tap water.

For a treat it is more water and maybe a piece of chocolate to keep their blood sugar up after a tough pitch

[AbsolutelyNotHoneyDragon]

I treat ice cubes like diamonds. , means I have some cheap magic at my disposal for non drinking days.

[YouBrokeMySmoulder]

Water. From the tap. All this rubbish about hydration. It's not like my children are running marathons. They need constant access to a tap and then they get water from food as well.

A treat drinks wise would be a hot chocolate or a coke. Coke they would only have on holiday.

If we go out all day then I take tap water in a bottle. or ask for tap water in a restaurant.

We don't buy squash or any other type of children's drink.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Mr Tesco won't like me either, its water for us too. What drink do I pack for a day out, well that will be bottles of water too and from a tap not Tesco.

They also drink milk and if they are really lucky I will buy some fruit juice.

[Taffletics]

I keep a few small bottles of water ( tap, natch ) in the fridge all summer. The DC only really go for water as first choice if its really cold, like, straight away, not for the time it takes an ice cube to cool down a drink

Fruit juice or squash with meals, ice cold milk at bedtime. Treat is pink milk in the holidays, with a meal.

Days out we take water only.

[MrsPnut]

I have a jug of dilute squash in the fridge so they can help themselves all day. My kids mostly drink full sugar squash during the day, milk or orange juice at breakfast time and smoothies as a treat.
On school days it is water only and also on days out. I tend to buy individual bottles of water with a sports cap that they can pick up in the way out of the door but we have a number of metal drinks bottles too.
I always have ice and frozen lemon and lime slices to add to drinks. I like the extras as well as the kids.

[catonlap]

My 8 yr old will drink water if we are out and about but if we are home or in cafe he will drink milk or hot chocolate. He gets through milk by the bucket and I am thinking of just buying a cow for the garden

[FreakoidOrganisoid]

Mine usually have juice or milk with breakfast then water all day. Sometimes squash. They like ice but i only give it to them if theyspecifically ask for it. THEY udually help themselves to water allday and only ask me if thet want anything different.

On hot days t hey like me to make a jug of 'cocktail' (water, ice, mint and cucumber)

In restaurants they usually choose lemonade or squash. In s cafe they like a smoothie.

On a day out I usually take a selection, so a sports bottle of tap water, a juice or smoothie carton, a milkshake and maybe a ribena or capri sun type thing. They sip at he water all day and we hace little drink breaks for the rest through the day
(Stopping for breaks helps me predict when dd is going to need a wee too- she cant hold it)

[FreakoidOrganisoid]

Sorry for terrible typing,keyboard too small!