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Best kids’ water bottles for school bags and outdoor adventures

Ditch single-use plastic in favour of these insulated, leak-proof and durable alternatives

Rebecca Moore
Monday 05 August 2024 16:30 BST
Only hygienic stainless steel, food-safe silicone and BPA-free plastic bottles made the grade
Only hygienic stainless steel, food-safe silicone and BPA-free plastic bottles made the grade (The Independent)
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If you’re trying to encourage your children to stay hydrated and use less plastic, the best kids’ water bottles are here to help.

According to the British Nutrition Foundation, generally speaking, children should aim to drink about six to eight glasses of fluid per day. When you’re on the go, however, it’s not always easy to keep energetic young ones’ water levels topped up.

While each child’s needs varies, depending on age, gender, the weather and how much physical activity they do, it is known young children have a higher proportion of body water than adults. They are also less heat tolerant and may be more likely to get dehydrated, especially when being physically active and in hot climates, which means choosing the right kids’ water bottle is key for on-the-go hydration.

All bottles we tested are made from either stainless steel, which is the most hygienic material for handling food and drink; food-grade safe silicone, or BPA-free plastics (BPA is an industrial chemical that may find its way into your food and beverages).

When it comes to choosing the best kids’ water bottle for your little one, many feature fun designs, helping to encourage young ones to stay hydrated – whether it’s a friendly animal face on the bottle or a straw that flicks into action. By switching to a reusable kids’ water bottle instead of single-use plastic, it makes staying hydrated easier, and, in the long term, is good for both the wallet and the planet. Our round-up will help you find the perfect match.

How we tested

Our four- and six-year-old reviewers helped to put a range of reusable kids’ water bottles through their paces. Testing them only with water, we considered how they fared in terms of usability for drinking, leaks, practicality (such as cleaning) and longevity of use – giving extra kudos to innovative features that improved the life of the product. Fun designs also garnered extra points.

The best kids’ water bottles for 2024 are:

  • Best overall – Thermos funtainer bottle, 355ml: £32.90, Amazon.co.uk
  • Best budget buy – Tum Tum flip-top water bottles, 400ml: £8.99, Hippychick.com
  • Best for toddlers – B.Box tritan drink bottle strawberry shake, 450ml: £27.25, Amazon.co.uk
  • Best compact design – Zwilling bottle, 350ml: £15.95, Zwilling.com

Thermos funtainer bottle, 355ml

Thermos funtainer bottle, 355ml
  • Best: Overall
  • Capacity: 355ml
  • Colourways: Pink, blue
  • Material: BPA-free durable stainless steel
  • Insulated: Yes
  • Why we love it
    • Keeps drinks cold
    • Hygienic pop-up straw
    • Flip-up carry loop
  • Take note
    • Hand wash only

Thermos is a household brand with more than 100 years’ experience of producing “on the go” food and drink products. What the funtainer lacks in funky illustrations and quirky shapes, it makes up for in usability. Carrying claims to keep drinks cool for 12 hours is no myth, as the Thermos vacuum insulation retains cold temperatures and we were impressed by how fresh our drink stayed throughout the day, despite the outdoor heat.

The push-button reveals a pop-up straw, making it not only hygienic but a practical choice, too. It also has a non-slip base, and a clever flip-up carry loop (which is so discreet we didn’t find it on first use). Parents are also provided with peace of mind, as it boasts a five-year guarantee, but it does require hand washing.

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Tum Tum flip top water bottles, 400ml

Tum Tum flip top water bottles, 400ml
  • Best: Budget buy
  • Capacity: 400ml
  • Colourways: Bugs, fox, and sloth designs
  • Material: Tritan plastic
  • Insulated: No
  • Why we love it
    • Great design
    • Decent capacity
  • Take note
    • Straw is on the slim side

For less than £10, the British designed Tum Tum water bottle is a great summer companion. The friendly fox design was a hit with our mini testers, plus the flip dome-shaped top keeps things clean and looks great. We did find the straw a little on the slim side, not allowing our testers to guzzle up quite so much, but the bottle’s 400ml capacity meant there was plenty to keep them hydrated. Made from Tritan plastic, it’s built to last, too.

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B.Box Tritan drink bottle, 450ml

B.Box tritan drink bottle strawberry shake, 450ml
  • Best: For toddlers
  • Capacity: 450ml
  • Colourways: Strawberry shake, lilac pop, emerad forest, blue slate, ocean breeze
  • Material: Silicone straw top
  • Insulated: No
  • Why we love it
    • Durable
    • Dishwasher-safe

While this bottle may resemble a space age design, it’s full of practical features. Australian brand B.Box creates fun and functional everyday baby essentials and the Tritan drink bottle is much like a sippy cup’s older sibling. Holding 450ml, it boasts a unique triangle shape, which felt natural in our mini tester’s small hands. The silicone straw is a standout feature – press the release button and the angle straw is revealed – this fun process in itself won over our testers, and the angled nature means it’s always ready for action, and it’s a doddle to use.

Being able to carry the bottle with the integrated handle is a thoughtful touch, while the Tritan plastic means it’s incredibly durable and impact-resistant. There’s a removable rubber base bumper, which prevents it toppling over, it’s dishwasher friendly and no leaks were detected during testing.

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Sho kids bottle, 260ml

Sho bottle best kids water bottles
  • Best: For hot and cold drinks
  • Capacity: 260ml
  • Colourways: Unicorn, girl power, a dog’s life, unicorn of the sea, nature explorer, underwater, under the sea, space, butterfly dance, dinosaur, and deep in the jungle designs
  • Material: Stainless steel and powder coated paint
  • Insulated: Yes, keeps liquids hot for up to 12 hours and cold up to 24 hours
  • Why we love it
    • Fun, colourful designs
    • Straw and screw lids included
    • Can keep drinks hot for 12 hours or cold for 24 hours

When you think of a reusable kids’ water bottle, this is the typical shape we’ve all become accustomed to but, thanks to its fun print, this one will stand out from the crowd.

This is also the only bottle we tested that caters for hot drinks as well as cold – the thermal function keeps liquids hot for up to 12 hours (perfect for hot chocolates on the go) and cold for up to 24 hours.

Crafted from stainless steel and finished with a tough powder-coated paint, this bottle felt sturdy and reliable – the brand’s even covered it with a Sho lifetime guarantee. The bottle comes with both a straw lid and screw lid, which is 100 per cent leak-proof.

Although the space design we tested is currently out of stock, there are plenty of other fun, colourful designs to choose from.

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Contigo kids water bottle gizmo autospout, 420ml

Contigo kids water bottle gizmo autospout, 420ml
  • Best: For design
  • Capacity: 420ml
  • Colourways: Jungle green dino, cherry cat, superhero, dancer, and nautical designs
  • Material: BPA-free copolyester
  • Insulated: No
  • Why we love it
    • Spill-proof valve
    • Hygienic mouthpiece
    • Dishwasher-safe

A leaky water bottle is a thing of the past if you have a Contigo, with its integrated spill-proof valve. This water bottle is ergonomically designed – simply press the button and the mouthpiece will fold out (our testers found this rather entertaining in itself). This also means no pesky dirt or germs can get onto the mouthpiece. You do have to suck quite hard to get the liquid out but, after a few goes, this seemed like second nature to our testers.

A hugely robust choice, it’s made from a light tritan copolyester that is BPA-free. Simply take apart and pop in the dishwasher for effortless cleaning. Plus, younger ones will love the huge range of designs to choose from.

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Hydro Flask 12oz kids bottle, 355ml

Hydro Flask 12 oz kids bottle, 355ml
  • Best: For durability
  • Capacity: 355ml
  • Colourways: Dew, peony, seagrass, snapper, starfish, stream, wisteria
  • Material: Stainless steel
  • Insulated: Yes, keeps drinks cold for 24 hours
  • Why we love it
    • Wide spout
    • Integrated handle
    • Hardwearing

Outdoorsy brand Hydro Flask creates durable bottles that are adventure ready. What we first noticed about this bottle is the wide spout, which makes for easy drinking. On the first few attempts, it was a little stiff to flip but now comes naturally. There’s an integrated handle allowing our little testers to go about their daily business while keeping hydrated, plus the perforated base cover eradicates denting when it’s dropped.

A hardwearing bottle, it doesn’t claim to be leakproof when using the mouth straw but we’ve had no complaints so far. The colourways are bright and catch your attention, and we love how cool the bottle kept our drinks – the double-wall vacuum-insulation keeps contents chilled for 24 hours.

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Liewood warren bottle, 350ml

Liewood warren kids' water bottle
  • Best: Kids’ water bottle for longevity
  • Capacity: 350ml
  • Colourways: Dusty mint
  • Material: Food-safe silicone
  • Insulated: No
  • Why we love it
    • Dishwasher-safe
    • Won’t roll away when dropped
    • Comes with a cleaning brush

From pretty, patterned swimming costumes to stylish storage solutions, Nordic brand Liewood creates effortlessly cool items for use at home and on the go. Even something as practical as a kids’ water bottle is no exception. Unlike any other bottles we tested, the warren water bottle comes in a square shape. The reason? To prevent it rolling away at super speed when dropped.

Uniquely, it’s also made of food-safe silicone, which keeps chipping at bay and is highly durable. Because of this “soft” outer shell, our mini testers did get a kick out of the novelty of squeezing the bottle but they also seemed to drink from it with ease, thanks to the sports cap. Holding 350ml of water, it’s dishwasher-safe and comes with a cleaning brush.

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Waterdrop toddler bottle, 400ml

Waterdrop toddler bottle, 400ml
  • Best: For gifting
  • Capacity: 400ml
  • Colourways: Squirrel, penguin, racoon, tiger, bear, and frog designs
  • Material: Stainless steel
  • Insulated: No
  • Why we love it
    • Adorable design
    • Leak-proof valve

There’s no denying this bottle’s appeal for children, as both of our little testers were instantly attracted to the design. There’s a lot more to this product than its pretty face, though. Created specifically for children aged from 18 months, the spout-style lid provides a natural, familiar drinking experience. It’s housed in a rubber cap, which keeps it clean – particularly helpful for days at the beach – and there’s a smart leak-proof valve. We also found the single-walled stainless steel construction kept contents cool.

There’s a collection of toddler bottles from Waterdrop, so, you can select your favourite animal from the line-up. You can pop this kids’ water bottle in the dishwasher but we didn’t want to risk ruining the adorable design, so we found handwashing did the trick.

It comes beautifully presented, making it ideal for gifting, too.

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Zwilling drinking bottle, 350ml

Zwilling bottle 350ml drinking bottle, 350ml
  • Best: Compact design
  • Capacity: 350ml
  • Colourways: Dinos design
  • Material: Stainless steel
  • Insulated: Yes
  • Why we love it
    • Slimline
    • Leakproof
  • Take note
    • There isn’t a built-in straw

Our dinosaur fanatics were more than happy to take this water bottle on their adventures. Out of all the kids’ water bottles we tested, this one was the most slimline, making it easy to pop into the side of a bag or add to a lunch bag.

It may be slim but it’s mighty, too – made of robust stainless steel, it holds 350ml. Unlike many designs, there’s no built-in straw, which did slow down hydration but our testers didn’t grumble, plus they were too busy wowing over the push-button opening mechanism. The bottle is leakproof, has a non-slip base and there’s a safety lock to prevent accidental opening.

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Why you can trust us

Rebecca Moore is a freelance writer who specialises in everything parenting. She began writing for a baby and parenting magazine in 2012 and is now the editor of a national baby magazine. She has been contributing to The Independent since 2020, reviewing all sorts of products aimed at kids and parents.

The verdict: Kids’ water bottles

While it’s the plainest of those we reviewed, the stainless steel funtainer from Thermos is a great all-rounder. Not only is it brilliant for keeping water cool, which ensured our testers kept topping up throughout the day, it comes in at less than £20, features a fun opening mechanism, and was a doddle to drink from. If you want something with a bit more pizzazz, the Sho kids’ water bottle and the Waterdrop toddler bottle come in a great range of fun designs.

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