How to keep active juniors hydrated this winter

Winter sports are thirsty work. Here’s how to help active juniors stay hydrated. 

Importance of hydration 

Staying hydrated with water has plenty of benefits, including increased energy, improved movement, recovery and agility, better body temperature regulation and reduced injury risk.

Did you know: Losing as a little as 2% in body weight as fluid loss is enough to impact performance. 

How does dehydration happen in winter?  

Dehydration can happen during any type of activity, or in any type of weather – even when it’s cold and raining! It doesn’t have to be a hot, sunny day. Kids absorb and lose heat differently compared to adults, making them more vulnerable to cold weather changes in their bodies that result in fluid loss.

Reasons for winter dehydration can include: 

• Less thirsty: A decreased sensation of thirst can be common, particularly at the start of winter when their bodies are adjusting to different temperatures. 

• Drinking less: As a direct result of feeling less thirsty, active juniors tend to drink less water during winter.  

• Sweat loss: Playing, training and competing during winter can still produce a lot of sweat from the body, especially if the activity or sport is higher intensity or for longer periods. 

• Vapour loss: Breathing faster and more heavily in cool air can result in more fluid loss from the lungs. That’s why you see visible fog rising in the air as active juniors run around on cold days. 

How can active juniors stay hydrated?  

Start hydrated 

One of the easiest ways to prevent dehydration is to start hydrated in the first place. The following quantities are a general guide for how much water your active junior should drink each day.

Handy hydration tip: Water can also come from food! Boost hydration the night before a winter match with a hearty bowl of soup and wholegrain toast on the side. Fresh fruit can also have high water content and is a healthy source of pre-game fuel. 

Bring a water bottle 

Having their own water bottle handy is a simple, but surefire way to stay hydrated. It makes it easy to track how much water is being drunk, plus prevents the spread of germs when no one is sharing a water bottle – keeping everyone healthier. 

Pick the right bottle 

On the topic of water bottles, it’s worth thinking about the activity, or the position your active junior is playing. For example, gloves or headgear might make it harder to drink from screwtop drink bottles. Squeezy bottles can make drinking water easier. 

Use breaks 

Just like in the summer months, encourage active juniors to grab their water bottle or visit the drink fountain during breaks (e.g. quarter or halftime). It’s a healthy habit to keep up all year round. 

Hydrate after 

Replenishing fluids lost during activity is just as important after the session or game has ended. Top up drink bottles with fresh water for the car ride home and encourage them to keep sipping. Keeping hydrated after can also prevent muscle soreness and improve recovery for the next event! 

 

How to help active juniors know if they are hydrated? 

Active juniors can tell if they are hydrated by the colour of their urine. Pale or straw-coloured urine indicates hydration whilst darker colour urine indicates dehydration and sipping on water is required to help active juniors re-hydrate. Get your active junior to use our hydration chart below to better understand how hydrated they are. 

Should kids have water or sports drinks? 

Water is the ultimate fuel when it comes to hydrating active juniors. Their training sessions and matches are generally not long or intense enough to require any sports drinks. Especially because the average 600mL sports drink contains a whopping nine teaspoons of sugar! Instead, active juniors should stick to water.  

Being hydrated and replacing fluid loss is the key to unlocking their best performance. For more tips on fuelling with water, check out our Water Wins helpful resource.  

References   

• Better Health Channel. Exercise – the low-down on hydration. Victoria State Government Department of Health. 2022. Accessed June 16, 2026. www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/Exercise-the-low-down-on-water-and-drinks 
• National Health and Medical Research Council. Water. Eat for Health. 2025. Australian Government; 2025. Accessed June 16, 2026. www.eatforhealth.gov.au/nutrient-reference-values/nutrients/water 
•  Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service. Queensland Paediatric Emergency Care Nursing Skill Sheets How Children Are Different – Anatomical and Physiological Differences. 2024. Accessed June 16, 2026. www.childrens.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0031/179725/how-children-are-different-anatomical-and-physiological-differences.pdf  
•  Safety Guidelines for Children and Young People in Sport and Recreation. Sports Medicine Australia (SMA). 2017. Accessed June 16, 2026. https://sma.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/childrensafetyguidelines-fulldoc.pdf 

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