SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jan. 22, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The New Year brings big goals, and for families with kids, the habits that stick tend to be the smallest ones. This January, many parents are quietly resetting one daily routine that doesn’t always get much attention: hydration.
For most families, water is the default drink at home. Parents consistently say they offer water regularly, saving juice for an occasional treat and, for older kids, sometimes a lightly sparkling option. The challenge is getting kids excited to choose water, especially in social settings like playdates, sports practice, and birthday parties.
“At Wave Kids™, we hear this from parents all the time,” said Shelly Garg, mom of two and founder of Wave Kids. “They know water is important but getting kids excited about it is another story. We created Wave Kids to make hydration feel fun, empowering, and something kids want to drink.”
Wave Kids was designed for everyday moments where sugary drinks often take center stage — birthday parties, playdates, and post-sports snacks — offering families a water-first option that kids enjoy and parents trust.
As families settle into 2026, here are five ways parents are helping kids drink more water.
1) Make water feel achievable
Try this: Offer water in kid-sized portions that feel manageable.
Kids are more likely to finish something that feels “just right.” Wave Kids’ 8.4-ounce cans are sized for kids’ hands and meant to be finished in one sitting.
2) Tie water to existing routines
Try this: Pair hydration with moments that already happen.
Have a can of water after sports practice or a sip while doing homework.
3) Simplify the drink decision
Try this: Make water the default – at home and beyond.
When water is the easy, obvious option, there’s less need for negotiation or label-reading.
4) Add an element of play
Try this: Make hydration interactive.
Wave Kids cans, for example, use color-changing inks that reveal surprises when chilled or in sunlight.
5) Let kids feel independent
Try this: Give kids ownership over their hydration.
Small expressions of independence, like popping their own can, make healthy habits feel empowering.
With a little creativity, drinking water can become a habit kids enjoy — and one parents feel good about all year long.
Learn more at Wave-Kids.com.
Lisa Lazarczyk
617.838.7327/ [email protected]
Photo available: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8095ecdb-936c-4d52-b913-d491b9118201
