I do not know about where you are, but it is getting nice and toasty and summer is showing her full shining face where we are. I find myself constantly reminding my children to drink plenty of water when the weather gets hot. Even though I know they are quite old enough to manage their own hydration issues, I still can’t let go of the habit of trying to make water easy, accessible and likely to be a first choice for my kids.
Popsicles are nice, and a soda can be intoxicatingly refreshing when the weather gets up in the red zone, but it is important that children consume enough water and it is up to us parents to make sure that happens. I keep water bottles full in the refrigerator; I do not buy bottled water but I admit I re-use plastic containers (I’ve read the recent reports that this is potentially harmful but I still feel it is the best alternative) and clean them and refill them. My kids are so used to having the water in the fridge—I put it right on the top shelf in the front of all the other beverages—that they often reach for these portable cold bottles first. They are not likely to get themselves a glass of tap water, but they will drink it cold from the fridge.
Another way to encourage water drinking is to serve it with meals. This seems to have gone out of fashion a bit in homes, but I think serving a pitcher of ice cold water as the main beverage and then a smaller glass of milk or juice (depending on the meal) can be a great way of encouraging water drinking as a pleasant choice. I think that often kids choose other beverages out of habit and if they get used to drinking water they will.
You can also keep plenty of water on you when you go out and about to summer activities. Instead of reaching for the soda or juice, pack water instead. If children are heading out to play sports or some other vigorous activity, make sure they have plenty of cold water with them. I have found that if they have it with them, they will drink it, but if they have to go hunting for a water fountain, they may just blow it off.