Keeping Our Bodies Watered Well
Sometimes one of the most important aspects of our body’s nutritional needs gets overlooked: the need for water. April showers bring May flowers. Why is that so? Water helps the flowers and vegetables grow by moving food through the plants. Why do our bodies need water? Water moves important “food” (nutrients) around the body and carries waste out, and it also helps our bodies stay at a safe temperature.
As the weather is warming up, and the children start spending more time outdoors, be sure to make water available to them for rehydration purposes. Another way to keep our bodies from becoming dehydrated is to eat fruits and vegetables that are filled with water. They all contain water; however some have more water than others.
See the chart below for the produce with the highest water content:
| Fruits | Vegetables |
| Watermelon | Carrots |
| Cantaloupe | Cucumbers |
| Strawberries | Lettuce |
| Cherries | Tomatoes |
| Apples | Squash |
| Grapes | Celery |
| Papaya | Spinach |
| Citrus Fruits | Cauliflower |
A f
un activity to see the necessity of water in action is to plant a seedling and have the children help water it daily. If they accidentally miss a day they may notice less life in the plant until it receives more water.