The We Love Water project, which is being led by Maidstone 2 LocalChildren's Services Partnership and Water Wellpoint, a water supplier,aims to help settings that are based in community centres or villagehalls, where equipment needs to be packed away by the end of thesession.
Every setting participating is given a Coolcask, a lightweight, portablewater unit, and individual water bottles for each child.
Participants also receive a pack containing guidance on how to makedrinking water an integral part of daily routine, along with We LoveWater stickers, activity sheets and an Eddie the Elephant mascot.
Thirty-nine out of the 41 private and voluntary settings approached byMaidstone 2 are participating in the project.
Hilary Macdonald, partnership manager of Maidstone 2 Local Children'sServices Partnership, said, 'Children are vulnerable to dehydrationbecause their thirst mechanism is immature. Teaching them to learn todrink water as a life skill is therefore crucial.'
Some studies have suggested that proper hydration in young childrenreduces the risk of obesity and enhances concentration.
Wendy Markwick of Weavering pre-school, a Maidstone voluntary settingthat is taking part, said, 'We are in a village hall and have to packeverything away at the end of the night, so it is very useful to havethe portable water cooler. The children are definitely drinking more.They all have their own bottle with their photo and name on it.
'We always made water available to children in a jug, but now they cango to the water cooler and help themselves. It's cooler and fresher,which makes it taste better.'
Further information
E-mail welovewater@waterforwork.co.uk
