This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of the Mom It Forward Blogger Network and BODYARMOR . All of the thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are 100% my very own! #Switch2BODYARMOR #BringIt

I never realized how intense and fast paced touch football was until my son participated his first time this past spring. These boys are on the field for an hour practicing and then play a 45 minute game right after. There is not a lot of downtime and they spend the majority of the time either running or cheering on their teammates on the sidelines. Getting my son to stop and hydrate was sometimes a challenge, I felt like both the coaches and parents spent a lot of time reminding kids to grab a drink. No matter how convincing your child may sound about not needing a drink, here are a few reasons to push the fluids and why it is important to keep your child hydrated during sports.

It is very important to keep your child properly hydrated before, during and after any sport that they participate in. Heat exhaustion is very common for children at this age and keeping them properly hydrated is a crucial way to prevent it.

You also want to prevent dehydration, your child will be losing a lot of their fluids from sweating, so it is really important to push fluids all throughout their game. Don’t wait until your child is thirsty to offer refreshment because by that time he is already dehydrated. You should focus on getting your child in the habit of frequent beverage breaks during sports, about every 20 minutes or so in hot weather is wise.

Football towards the end of the season got especially hot here in Georgia, as you can tell from my son’s face in the picture above… that wasn’t stopping him! If your child is looking to cool down during a game, then drinking plenty of fluids will cool your child’s body’s core temperature down to healthy levels. Studies actually show that the easiest way to promote water or fluid intake in your child is to offer them fluids that contain sodium, such as sports drinks. Providing them with a quality sports drink can increase their voluntary drinking to prevent dehydration (compared to drinking unflavored, plain water.)

One drink that we always have at my son’s football games is BODYARMOR, a premium sports drink low in sodium and contains potassium-packed electrolytes, coconut water and vitamins! What has made this a favorite sports drink for me is that is contains no artificial flavors or sweeteners. BODYARMOR contains all natural flavors and sweeteners and no colors from artificial sources, so I know my son is getting everything he needs without all that extra unhealthy stuff.

Not only does BODYARMOR provide superior hydration for athletes during their practices and games, but it also comes in 9-great tasting flavors: fruit punch, orange mango, strawberry banana, tropical punch, blackout berry, mixed berry, grape, watermelon strawberry and lemonade. Your athlete is sure to find a flavor or two that they can’t go without during a game! Make sure to grab some BODYARMOR during your next shopping trip at Kroger, make sure to grab this amazing coupon as well!

• • 4 for $5 on the following dates:
    • 6/7 – 6/13
    • 6/21 – 6/27
  • 10 for $10 on the following dates:
    • 6/14 – 6/20:  10/$10
    • 6/28 – 7/4:  10/$10

You can find BODYARMOR at the following locations:

Kroger: Cincinnati, Nashville, Indianapolis, Detroit, Atlanta, Louisville, Columbus, Memphis, Houston, Dallas. King Soopers: Denver, QFC: Seattle, Fry’s: Phoenix, Smith’s: Salt Lake City, Fred Meyer: Portland.

I hope you enjoyed this post and you were able to learn more about the importance of keeping your child hydrated not only during sports, but anytime they are active. Let me know in the comment section below some ways you encourage your child to stay hydrated during sports!