Water at daycare?

virginiagirl11 · June 2012

What is your daycare center's policy on giving water to the kids? DS had his first day at daycare today. I asked about it in our toddler room this morning at our very reputable daycare and it sounds like they really only offer water to the kids after they drink their milk at meals or after they've had a hot day on the playground. There didn't really seem to be more to it.

I left a labeled sippy cup of water with DS and asked the teachers to offer it to him during the day. They agreed to.

When DH picked DS up seven hours later, he said the cup was still completely full and DS was absolutely parched. He exclaimed loudly when DH offered it to him as if he hadn't seen it all day. DH said he drank it for like the first three minutes straight of their walk back to DH's office. Later, when I fed him dinner and even afterward with the sippy cup we keep in his room, he sucked water down. Poor kid was incredibly thirsty.

I was just curious as to what your DCP's policies are and what the norm is at daycare these days given an increased awareness of the importance of drinking water. Hopefully this was just a first day fluke and the teachers will get into the routine of offering water to DS (and hopefully all of the other kids as well).

pitterpatter129 · June 2012

Our daycare only offers drinks at lunch, snack, and after recess. I wish they offered it more, but they can't have kids just carrying around sippy cups all day. I can see how getting 12 toddlers to sit at table for a water break a few extra times a day might not be a priority to them. Maybe you can ask them to offer it to him with diaper changes? It might be easier for them to remember and they can have him sit at the table with it while they change diapers.

mrambo3 · June 2012

Our DCP offers water at each snack time and when they come back from being outside. As soon as I get home, I offer DS his sippy of water and he drinks over half of it. I just make sure he gets it as soon as we get home.

MrsSR · June 2012

DD goes to an in home center. She has water at her disposal all day. She only gets milk with breakfast, dinner, and before teeth brushing at night.

LoCarb · June 2012

Teach him the baby sign for water and more. He can learn to ask for it on his own. At 13 mo they can be taught sign language and H20 is an easy one.

To answer your question-my DC offers it after snacks, milk and recess. My LO (same age) is not shy to sign what she needs.

skyejo · June 2012

At our daycare each parent brings in a sippy cup of water for their child. I honestly don't know when she drinks it during the day but all 10oz are gone when I come to pick her up. Sometimes they have to refill it for DD at the end of the day if she asks for more.

I definitely wouldn't be okay with DD going all day without water. I would stress to them that this is really important to you. Who knows...maybe they did offer to it your LO yesterday and he didn't want it.

shouldbworkin · June 2012

Ours had a basket by the door for water bottles. Parents brought them in and dropped them off there, kids drank from theirs all day.

jlaOK · June 2012

I've never really asked, but I think they do milk at lunch and snacks and water after recess. I give DS water when he gets home but mostly because it'll hold him off for a bit while I finish dinner.

Cooper81 · June 2012

Our DC only gives cups at breakfast, snacks and lunch, but they also bring cups and a jug of water outside when it gets warm and I've seen the kids randomly go up and get a cup while outside. However they do have water fountains at toddler level that the kids can go and get drinks when they are inside. Maybe it would be possible for you to ask the director what they do when they are outside. Personally I would offer to donate a bunch of little paper cups for the teachers to keep outside with them if it were an issue. I also know that sometimes before we leave DS will take a dramatic long drink at the water fountain, but I think sometimes he is so into playing that he doesn't realize he's thirsty until I get there and interupt the play.

Abinormal · June 2012

My daughter's daycare offers water with meals, snacks and then while they are playing outside.

jellyjellybean · June 2012

My DS comes home parched also but it's more b/c he doesn't want to stop playing and get a drink. He has a water bottle that he takes outside and 2 water fountains outside his room that are available anytime plus lunch and snack time.

KathrynMD · June 2012

Is it bad that I don't even know?

I know they do water or juice @ snack times (am & pm) and milk w/ lunch.

There's a water fountain they have access too, but I'm not sure if they offer/remind the kids about it.

SilliRy · June 2012

DD is also always thirsty when I pick her up. The offer during meals/snacks, but as PP said, they don't want kids wandering around with sippys all day long so they only offer during meal time. I leave a sippy in my car and give it to her as soon as she gets in her car seat.

lujain · June 2012

Our daycare has water available all day. They have a measuring cup filled with water that they use as a pitcher. The kids pour the water themselves into little plastic cups. My daughter is proud of the fact that she can pour her own water. It gets messy, and sometimes her clothes get changed because she gets wet, but the kids can get water on their own when they want.

Jena503 · June 2012

Inside they just get water at snack and meals unless they ask for it. But the sippies go outside with them as well and they can have it whenever they want outside. I send a sippy of juice and they refill it with water. He is usually on his 2-3 sippy full at pick-up.

Once they get to a room with a water fountain (2yo room), the sippies mostly get ignored because the kids love the water fountain.

Nakmama · June 2012

When DD was in the toddler room, they had the parents bring sippy cups for the week and the teacher filled them with water and kept in their cubbies. Now that she's moved up classes, they have a water fountain in the classroom.

Aloe0l · June 2012

Our DC has admitted that they'll push water on the kids, especially if they've gone outside a lot (some days they'll go out twice, for a total of an hour or more of play time) or if it's especially hot out. I know they give milk at designated meal/snack times, but I'm pretty sure they let the kids have water all day, whenever they want it.

brewcitybride · June 2012

Ours offers water at various times throughout the day, and they have a large water thingy with cups outside and the kids can drink that whenever they want outside. Then they get milk at snack time and lunchtime.

AquaFlowers · June 2012

When DS was in daycare they offered water at snacks, meals, and after playing.

Angela814 · June 2012

KathrynMD:
Is it bad that I don't even know?

I know they do water or juice @ snack times (am & pm) and milk w/ lunch.

There's a water fountain they have access too, but I'm not sure if they offer/remind the kids about it.

Same here. Water or juice for snacks and milk with lunch. Whenever I pick DD2 up and they're outside, there's a jug of water with paper cups for the kids. Today she was carrying around a sippy of water outside.

groovygrl · June 2012

with snack (2 a day) and lunch and after the afternoon recess so 4 times total, which seems appropriate to me.

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