What Should Kids Drink at School? A Parent's Guide to Water, Juice and Soft Drinks

It is 7:15 am. The tiffin is packed, the school bus is honking, and one question is left: what goes into the water bottle?

What should kids drink at school? Plain, safe water should be the default. ICMR-NIN's Dietary Guidelines for Indians say synthetic soft drinks are not a substitute for water or fresh fruit, and they list buttermilk, lemon water and coconut water as better choices. With Children's Day on 14 November, here is a simple guide to what belongs in the bottle, what does not, and what to do when a child is unwell.

What should go in your child's school bottle?

This table is based on the ICMR-NIN guideline on water and beverages (pages 106 to 109 of the PDF).

Drink	What ICMR-NIN says	For the bottle
Safe plain water	Drink adequate safe water to meet daily fluid needs. Boil it when its safety is in doubt.	Best everyday choice
Buttermilk, lemon water, coconut water	Called "excellent alternatives" to synthetic drinks.	Good for some days
Whole fruit or fresh juice	Whole fruit is preferred over juice. Juice should have no added sugar.	Fruit in the tiffin beats juice
Packaged fruit juice	May contain fruit pulp "as low as 7%". It raises sugar and salt intake and "must be avoided".	Skip
Soft drinks and colas	Not substitutes for water or fresh fruit. Carbonated drinks may damage tooth enamel and, in excess, affect appetite.	Skip
"Sugar-free" and diet drinks	Children should avoid sugar substitutes.	Skip

How much water does a child need in a day?

There is no single number you can trust for every child. The ICMR-NIN guidelines say a normal healthy person needs about eight glasses (approximately two litres) of water, including beverages, per day, and that the need rises in very hot weather and during vigorous activity. That figure is not broken down by age, so it does not tell you what a 6-year-old needs. Ask your child's doctor what suits their age and weight, and treat any "kids' water chart" without a named source with caution.

Is your child's water safe to drink?

A bottle is only as good as what goes in it. ICMR-NIN says the simplest way to make water safe is to strain it and keep it boiling for 10-15 minutes. Boiling kills disease-causing organisms, but it will not remove chemical impurities. For packaged water, the guidelines point to the ISI mark on bottled drinking water, and our post on whether the ISI mark is mandatory on bottled water explains what to check.

Clean hands count too. WHO lists safe drinking-water, improved sanitation and hand washing with soap among the ways to reduce the risk of diarrhoea. A quick wash before tiffin is a good habit to build.

What are the signs that a child is dehydrated?

These signs come from WHO's guidance for children with diarrhoea, so they apply when a child is ill, not on an ordinary school day. WHO groups them like this:

• Some dehydration: restlessness or irritability, sunken eyes, and drinking eagerly because of thirst.
• Severe dehydration: lethargy or unconsciousness, sunken eyes, being unable to drink or drinking poorly, and skin that goes back very slowly when pinched.

WHO advises consulting a health professional when a child shows signs of dehydration, has persistent diarrhoea or has blood in the stool.

What should you give a child with loose motions?

Oral rehydration solution, or ORS. WHO describes ORS as a solution of clean water, sugar and salt, and says a 10-14 day course of dispersible zinc tablets shortens diarrhoea. ICMR-NIN also says a child with diarrhoea needs prompt correction of fluid and electrolyte loss using ORS, along with adequate feeding. Your doctor will guide you on dose and duration.

Electrolyte water, juice and soft drinks are not substitutes for ORS.

How can you get a child to drink more water?

You cannot force thirst, but you can make water easy and normal.

1. Let your child pick their own bottle, so it feels like theirs.
2. Fill it fresh every morning, and rinse it out every evening.
3. Add a slice of lemon on some days, without sugar.
4. Give water at fixed points: when they get home, and with meals.
5. Skip the "treat" drink at the end of the school day, so water stays the default.

If your child loves sweet drinks, read how much hidden sugar sits in packaged juices and what WHO and ICMR-NIN say about sugar-free drinks before you swap one for the other.

Frequently asked questions

Is packaged fruit juice good for kids?

ICMR-NIN advises against commercially available fruit juices, which can have as little as 7% fruit pulp and add to sugar and salt intake. Whole fruit is the better option.

Is coconut water okay for children?

ICMR-NIN lists coconut water among the better drink choices. It adds that tender coconut water should be avoided by people prone to hyperkalemia, as in kidney and heart disease, so check with your doctor if your child has such a condition.

Can my child have sugar-free or diet drinks?

ICMR-NIN says children should avoid sugar substitutes. WHO also advises against using non-sugar sweeteners for weight control.

Can I give my child an electrolyte drink instead of ORS during diarrhoea?

No. WHO recommends ORS for diarrhoea, and electrolyte water is not a substitute for ORS. Talk to your child's doctor about dose and duration.

Reading labels is a habit the whole family can share. Amaayu lists what goes into each of its functional waters on the Ingredients page.

This article is general information, not medical advice.