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A survey of 1,000 UK parents found that 93% struggle to get their child, aged six months to three years, to drink enough water. Although 81% said they felt confident about daily fluid needs, only one in six correctly identified the recommended amount; the survey did not specify that amount in the report.
A survey commissioned by baby lifestyle brand Munchkin found that 93% of 1,000 UK parents of children aged six months to three years struggle to get their child to drink enough water, highlighting a gap between parents’ confidence and their knowledge of recommended intake. While 81% said they felt confident they knew how much their child should drink each day, only one in six correctly identified the recommended amount, according to the survey, conducted by Censuswide.
The survey found that 70% of parents had difficulty getting their child to drink plain water. More than a third said they add squash or cordial to encourage drinking. Separately, 45% said they found it difficult to get their child to drink water during playtime, when children may be absorbed in activities.
The report also identified difficulties with moving from bottles to cups. Among parents who struggle with their child’s hydration, three-quarters said the bottle-to-cup change was challenging. In the survey, 51% said they felt their child should have moved on from a bottle sooner, and the same proportion wished they had received more advice about the change. These are respondents’ views, not an assessment of when any individual child should stop using a bottle.
MadeForMums reported that the survey was conducted by Censuswide among 1,000 UK parents of children aged six months to three years, from Aug. 24 to Sept. 1, 2026. The report does not give the exact recommended daily fluid amount that respondents were asked to identify, nor does it publish a breakdown of results by a child’s age.
Why Parents’ Hydration Concerns Matter
The findings point to a practical challenge for families: parents may feel confident about fluid needs without knowing the recommended amount, while young children may not reliably notice or communicate thirst. The survey does not establish that children in the sample were dehydrated, or measure their actual water intake. It records parents’ reported difficulties and knowledge.
Paediatric dietitian Lucy Upton, whose advice appears in the report, said hydration can be overlooked when caregivers are focused on food during weaning and early childhood. She said low fluid intake can contribute to symptoms such as constipation, headaches, tiredness and poor concentration, though such symptoms have many possible causes and the report did not assess children’s health. The practical relevance is that parents may want clear, age-appropriate guidance rather than relying on a child to ask for a drink.
The report says the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition recommended in 2025 that children under five avoid drinks containing sugar or non-sugar sweeteners, including sugar-free squash. That guidance is relevant given the survey finding that more than a third of parents use squash or cordial to encourage drinking. The survey itself does not show how often those drinks are used or what effect they have on children.
children's water bottles with straw
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Cup Practice Begins Alongside Weaning
The report frames cup use as a developmental skill, not just a replacement for a bottle. Upton said learning to sip from a cup helps babies develop drinking skills and can support oral development. She also said moving toward cups may help protect teeth and reduce the chance that toddlers fill up on milk as they enter their second year.
Her advice, as reported by MadeForMums, is to offer small sips from a cup with meals from around six months, model drinking and allow practice without pressure. The report notes that children may need time to learn. The amount of fluid needed varies with age, activity and weather, so the article advises offering drinks regularly, particularly during warm conditions and active play. Individual questions about a child’s fluid needs should be discussed with a paediatrician or other qualified health professional.
Munchkin’s commissioned survey was presented alongside information about its Grow with the Flow cup range, which includes products with different designs and flow rates. That commercial context matters: the survey is not an independent public-health study, and the report’s product information is promotional. The survey results do not show that any particular cup increases water intake or resolves parents’ difficulties.
“Hydration is often the forgotten friend of weaning and early childhood feeding.”
— Lucy Upton, paediatric dietitian, as quoted by MadeForMums
What the Survey Cannot Establish
The report provides parent-reported survey findings, not measurements of children’s fluid intake, hydration status or health outcomes. It does not publish the precise recommended daily amount used in the knowledge question, explain how that answer was defined across the full age range, or provide a detailed account of the survey methodology, such as respondent recruitment and weighting.
The findings also do not establish why parents struggle, whether the reported difficulties differ substantially between six-month-olds and three-year-olds, or whether cup choice changes how much a child drinks. The survey was commissioned by a baby-products company whose cup range is featured in the report, so its results should be understood in that commercial context. No independent assessment of the survey or product claims is included in the supplied material.
Where Parents Can Find Guidance
The report gives no indication that further survey results or a separate study are planned. It directs attention to regular drink opportunities, calm cup practice and modelling water drinking, while noting that children’s needs vary with age, activity and weather. Parents seeking a specific daily amount for their child can ask a paediatrician or health visitor for guidance suited to the child’s age and circumstances.
Any broader conclusions will depend on more detail than this survey provides, including how recommended amounts were defined and whether reported struggles correspond to lower fluid intake. For now, the findings describe what surveyed parents said, rather than a measured estimate of how many young children are drinking too little.
Key Questions
What did the survey find about parents and children’s water intake?
In a survey of 1,000 UK parents of children aged six months to three years, 93% said they struggle to get their child to drink enough water. The survey was commissioned by Munchkin and conducted by Censuswide.
How many parents knew the recommended daily amount?
Although 81% said they felt confident they knew how much their child should drink each day, one in six correctly identified the recommended amount, according to the report. It does not state the amount used in the survey question.
What did parents say made it difficult to get children to drink?
Seventy per cent said getting their child to drink plain water was difficult, and 45% said encouraging water during playtime was a challenge. More than a third said they used squash or cordial to encourage drinking.
What did the report say about moving from a bottle to a cup?
Among parents who struggle with their child’s hydration, three-quarters said the change was challenging. Dietitian Lucy Upton advised offering cup sips with meals from around six months and allowing time to practise. Parents should seek individual guidance from a paediatrician or health visitor if they have questions about their child’s needs.
Does the survey prove that young children are dehydrated?
No. It records parents’ reported difficulties and knowledge; it did not measure children’s fluid intake or assess dehydration. Its findings should not be treated as a diagnosis or as proof that the children surveyed were drinking too little.
Source: rss
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