Healthy drinks for your child

The short version

• Water and plain milk are the drinks kids need.
• Babies under 6 months need only breast milk or formula. No water.
• Toddlers: 1 to 4 cups of water a day, plus 2 to 3 cups of whole milk (age 1) or up to 2 cups of skim or 1% milk (age 2 and up).
• 100% juice: none before 12 months. Then 4 oz a day or less. Whole fruit is better.
• Skip: soda, juice drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, flavored milk, and drinks with sweeteners (stevia, sucralose and others) before age 5.

Sugar in teaspoons

Every 4 grams of sugar is about 1 teaspoon. The American Heart Association's limit for kids ages 2 to 18 is less than 6 teaspoons (25 g) of added sugar a day. A 12 oz can of soda has about 10.

Call us if your child

• won't drink for more than a few hours,
• vomits more than a few times in 24 hours,
• is very sleepy, has sunken eyes, or has barely peed all day.

Questions to ask at the visit

• How much milk should my child drink?
• Does my child need anything besides water and milk?
• What should I give when my child is sick?

More at healthyhydrationforkids.com. Based on the 2019 consensus (AAP, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Heart Association, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry), the 2025 to 2030 Dietary Guidelines and Nemours KidsHealth. Not produced or endorsed by those organizations. General education, not medical advice. Sponsored by ShineWater.