Tips to Stay Hydrated While Practicing Yoga with Kids

Updated: July 26, 2022

By Sarah Scribner, content intern

​Summer is in full swing.

From hitting the beach to gathering around the fire with family and friends, there are numerous ways to enjoy the sunny season. But, before you get too lost in the summertime fun, Pretzel Kids yoga is here to remind you that taking care of your body and staying safe in the sun is just as important as planning enriching kids activities outside.

To this end, it’s important that you – and your kids – stay hydrated. This will help keep your energy flowing and enhance your overall well-being.

Whether you’re sipping lemonade from the local stand or grabbing a glass of refreshing water, be sure to make a routine out of drinking healthy beverages. While you’re at it – remind your friends, both old and young, about the many benefits of hydration!

Check out these top hydration tips when doing yoga outside:

Hydrate for health

According to Harvard University, staying hydrated helps maintain several systems in the body, including the heart, brain and muscles. Fluids play crucial roles in carrying nutrients to these systems and flushing out unwanted, harmful bacteria.

Generally speaking, you should be more mindful of staying hydrated throughout the summer, as the intense heat aggressively wears on your the body and causes excess sweating. This, in turn, results in a greater loss of fluids.

To maintain a healthy amount of fluid in the body, Dr. Julian Seifter, a kidney specialist and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School suggests drinking 30 to 50 ounces of water each day – although not all at once.

He says, “It’s important to stay hydrated gradually, throughout the day.”

Dr. Seifer goes onto explain that people can extract fluids from various water-rich foods, including salads, fruit, and applesauce.

According to Pretzel Kids yoga, you can stay hydrated while also eating healthy this summer. In fact, check out our healthy summer snacks and see for yourself which recipes and food choices require the most water-rich ingredients!

stay Hydrated while exercising

Talking about hydration, you should be especially mindful of drinking enough while you are exercising. When practicing yoga outside or teaching Pretzel Kids yoga under the summer sun, you may be more apt to become dehydrated than if you were inside and consistently sipping from your water bottle.

Here are some tell-tale signs that you or the kids you teach may be experiencing dehydration: weakness, dizziness, confusion, or dark urine. Make sure you listen to your body and stay alert to symptoms of dehydration. Also, as the signs may be subtle, dehydration can pose a serious health concern if not addressed with fluids right away. To combat dehydration, we recommend drinking before and after yoga practice, in addition to taking several water-breaks during a yoga class – outside or inside.

Pre-hydration, for example, plays an important role in avoiding stiffness and cramping, while re-hydration replaces up to twenty ounces of lost fluids. 

Hydrating ideas for Kids

Want some other tips on how to keep your kids hydrated – especially those reluctant to drink plain water?

Consider flavoring water to make drinks more appealing. To turn flavored water into a game, try different flavors each day of the week. For example, you could make strawberry water on Monday, lemon water on Tuesday and so on. You can even mix flavors to create fun tastes and colors! The healthiest way to infuse fruit flavors into water is to drop real fruit pieces into cups of water. If you’re on the go, you can also pick up some powdered, natural fruit-flavored packets at your local supermarket.

And here’s another pro tip: As stated above, we encourage you and your kids to eat your fluids, especially after exercising. Watermelon is one of our all-time yoga favorites!

Final words

Staying hydrated this summer doesn’t need to be a hassle. Just see our above tips for inspiration and remember that your health is the most important part of a jam-packed summer season!