How Much Water Should a Child Drink? Daily Water by Age
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) total-water Adequate Intakes rise with age — from 1.3 L/day for a 2-3 year old to roughly 1.9-2.1 L/day by age 9-13. These totals include water from food plus all drinks.
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How Much Water Should a Child Drink? Daily Water by Age
EFSA's 2010 Dietary Reference Values set a child's total-water Adequate Intake by age: 1300 mL/day (1.3 L) at 2-3 years, 1600 mL/day (1.6 L) at 4-8 years, and 2100 mL/day for boys versus 1900 mL/day for girls at 9-13 years (EFSA 2010 Water DRV). These totals include water from food plus all beverages, under moderate temperature and activity.
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How much water a child needs increases steadily as they grow. The European Food Safety Authority's 2010 Dietary Reference Values set total-water Adequate Intakes (AI) by age band: 1300 mL/day (1.3 L) at 2-3 years, 1600 mL/day (1.6 L) at 4-8 years, and 2100 mL/day for boys versus 1900 mL/day for girls at 9-13 years (EFSA 2010 Water DRV). For younger children, the AI is 1100-1200 mL/day in the second year of life and 800-1000 mL/day for infants aged 6-12 months. A key point parents miss: these are *total water* figures that include water from food as well as beverages, measured under moderate temperature and physical-activity levels. Hot weather, fever, illness, and exercise all raise the requirement above these baselines.
Daily Water Needs for Children by Age (EFSA Adequate Intake)
| Age band | Total-water Adequate Intake | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6-12 months | 800-1000 mL/day Includes water from breast milk/formula, food, and drinks (EFSA 2010 Water DRV). | |
| 1-2 years (second year of life) | 1100-1200 mL/day Total water from food plus all beverages (EFSA 2010 Water DRV). | |
| 2-3 years | 1300 mL/day (1.3 L) Same AI for boys and girls; includes water from food and drinks (EFSA 2010 Water DRV). | |
| 4-8 years | 1600 mL/day (1.6 L) Same AI for boys and girls (EFSA 2010 Water DRV). | |
| 9-13 years (boys) | 2100 mL/day (2.1 L) Sex split begins; boys' AI is higher than girls' (EFSA 2010 Water DRV). | |
| 9-13 years (girls) | 1900 mL/day (1.9 L) Girls' AI at this band (EFSA 2010 Water DRV). | |
| 14-17 years & adults (male) | 2500 mL/day (2.5 L) From age 14 onward, the adult male AI applies (EFSA DRV Summary Table). | |
| 14-17 years & adults (female) | 2000 mL/day (2.0 L) From age 14 onward, the adult female AI applies (EFSA DRV Summary Table). |
What These Numbers Mean for Parents
Total Water Includes Food
The EFSA figures are total-water Adequate Intakes covering water from food plus all beverages (EFSA 2010 Water DRV). A child does not need to drink the full 1.3-2.1 L from cups alone — fruit, vegetables, soups, and milk all count toward the daily total.
Needs Rise With Age
A 2-3 year old's total-water AI is 1300 mL/day, climbing to 1600 mL/day by 4-8 years and 1900-2100 mL/day by 9-13 years (EFSA 2010 Water DRV). Offer larger cups and more frequent drinks as your child grows.
Boys and Girls Diverge at 9
Up to age 8 the AI is identical for both sexes. From 9-13 years EFSA sets 2100 mL/day for boys and 1900 mL/day for girls (EFSA 2010 Water DRV), reflecting differences in body size and energy needs.
Estimating by Body Weight
Clinicians estimate a child's daily maintenance fluid with the Holliday-Segar formula: 100 mL/kg for the first 10 kg, 50 mL/kg for the next 10 kg, and 20 mL/kg for each kilogram above 20 kg (Holliday-Segar 1957). A 25 kg child needs about 1600 mL/day.
Practical Tips to Keep Your Child Hydrated
- Offer drinks at regular intervals — with meals, snacks, and after play — rather than waiting for your child to ask, since thirst lags behind need.
- Remember water from food counts toward the EFSA total: fruit, vegetables, soups, yogurt, and milk all contribute to the 1.3-2.1 L/day target.
- Send a refillable water bottle to school and daycare so your child can sip throughout the day.
- Increase fluids above the EFSA baseline in hot weather, during fever or illness, and around sport or active play — these totals assume moderate temperature and activity.
- Make water the default drink; offer it before juice or sweetened beverages to build the habit early.
- Check the basics: pale-yellow urine and regular wet diapers or bathroom trips are reassuring signs of adequate hydration.
- For a 9-13 year old, aim toward 1.9 L (girls) or 2.1 L (boys) of total water daily, scaling up on active or hot days (EFSA 2010 Water DRV).
When to Contact Your Healthcare Provider
- Two or more of these signs together: capillary refill longer than 2 seconds, absent tears when crying, dry mouth and lips, and an unwell or listless general appearance — this combination indicates a fluid deficit of at least 5% of body weight (Gorelick 1997).
- Persistent vomiting or diarrhea that prevents your child from keeping fluids down.
- Markedly reduced wet diapers or no urination for many hours.
- Sunken eyes, abnormal skin turgor, or unusually fast or labored breathing (AAFP Dehydration Review 2009).
- Lethargy, unusual drowsiness, or difficulty waking your child.
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- 1300 mL/day (1.3 L/day) — EFSA total-water Adequate Intake for children aged 2-3 years (boys and girls), including water from food plus beverages.[1]
- 1600 mL/day (1.6 L/day) — EFSA total-water Adequate Intake for children aged 4-8 years (boys and girls).[1]
- 2100 mL/day (2.1 L/day) — EFSA total-water Adequate Intake for boys aged 9-13 years.[1]
- 1900 mL/day (1.9 L/day) — EFSA total-water Adequate Intake for girls aged 9-13 years.[1]
- 800-1000 mL/day — EFSA total-water Adequate Intake for infants aged 6-12 months.[1]
- 1100-1200 mL/day — EFSA total-water Adequate Intake during the second year of life (1-2 years).[1]
- 2500 mL/day (2.5 L/day) — EFSA total-water Adequate Intake for adolescents 14-17 years and adult males, who take the adult AI.[2]
- 2000 mL/day (2.0 L/day) — EFSA total-water Adequate Intake for adolescents 14-17 years and adult females, who take the adult AI.[2]
- 100 mL/kg/day (4 mL/kg/hr) — Holliday-Segar maintenance fluid for the first 10 kg of body weight.[3]
- 50 mL/kg/day (2 mL/kg/hr) — Holliday-Segar maintenance fluid for the second 10 kg (10-20 kg).[3]
- 20 mL/kg/day (1 mL/kg/hr) — Holliday-Segar maintenance fluid for each kg above 20 kg.[3]
- >=2 of 4 signs => >=5% deficit — Gorelick four-sign subset: two or more of capillary refill >2 s, absent tears, dry mucous membranes, and ill general appearance indicate a fluid deficit of at least 5% of body weight.[4]
- 87% sensitivity, 82% specificity — Gorelick: three or more of ten clinical signs detect a fluid deficit of at least 5%.[4]
- [1]EFSA 2010 Water DRV — EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition, and Allergies (NDA). Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for water. EFSA Journal. 2010;8(3):1459.DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1459
- [2]EFSA DRV Summary Table — EFSA. Summary of Dietary Reference Values - overview table (Adequate Intakes for water, L/day, by age and sex). European Food Safety Authority, January 2017.
- [3]Holliday-Segar 1957 — Holliday MA, Segar WE. The maintenance need for water in parenteral fluid therapy. Pediatrics. 1957;19(5):823-832.DOI: 10.1542/peds.19.5.823
- [4]Gorelick 1997 — Gorelick MH, Shaw KN, Murphy KO. Validity and reliability of clinical signs in the diagnosis of dehydration in children. Pediatrics. 1997;99(5):E6.PMID: 9113963DOI: 10.1542/peds.99.5.e6
- [5]AAFP Dehydration Review 2009 — Vega RM, Avner JR. Diagnosis and Management of Dehydration in Children. American Family Physician. 2009 Oct 1;80(7):692-696.
Medically reviewed: 2026-06-20. Every figure on this page is sourced to the named primary references above.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much water should a child drink per day by age?
Per EFSA's 2010 Dietary Reference Values, total-water Adequate Intake rises with age: 1300 mL/day (1.3 L) at 2-3 years, 1600 mL/day (1.6 L) at 4-8 years, and 2100 mL/day for boys versus 1900 mL/day for girls at 9-13 years (EFSA 2010 Water DRV). These totals include water from food plus all beverages, under moderate temperature and activity.
How much water should a toddler drink?
EFSA's 2010 reference values set a total-water Adequate Intake of 1100-1200 mL/day during the second year of life (1-2 years) and 1300 mL/day at 2-3 years (EFSA 2010 Water DRV). For infants aged 6-12 months the AI is 800-1000 mL/day. These figures include water from food, milk, and all other drinks — not just plain water.
Does water from food count toward a child's daily needs?
Yes. EFSA's Adequate Intakes are total-water values that include water from food as well as from beverages (EFSA 2010 Water DRV). Fruit, vegetables, soups, milk, and yogurt all contribute, so a child does not need to drink the entire 1.3-2.1 L/day in cups. Food typically supplies a meaningful share of daily water.
How much water should a 9-13 year old drink?
At 9-13 years EFSA's total-water Adequate Intake is 2100 mL/day (2.1 L) for boys and 1900 mL/day (1.9 L) for girls (EFSA 2010 Water DRV). This is the first age band where boys' and girls' needs differ. The totals include water from food plus beverages and rise further with heat, illness, or physical activity.
How do I calculate how much fluid my child needs by weight?
Clinicians use the Holliday-Segar formula: 100 mL/kg per day for the first 10 kg of body weight, plus 50 mL/kg for the next 10 kg (10-20 kg), plus 20 mL/kg for each kilogram above 20 kg (Holliday-Segar 1957). For example, a 25 kg child needs about 1600 mL/day. The hourly '4-2-1' rule (4, 2, 1 mL/kg/hr) is the equivalent.
What are the signs my child is dehydrated?
Gorelick et al. (1997) validated four bedside signs: capillary refill longer than 2 seconds, absent tears, dry mucous membranes, and an ill general appearance. Any two or more indicate a fluid deficit of at least 5% of body weight; three or more of ten signs gives 87% sensitivity and 82% specificity. Seek medical care promptly if these appear.
How much should a teenager drink daily?
From age 14 onward, EFSA assigns the adult Adequate Intake: 2500 mL/day (2.5 L) for males and 2000 mL/day (2.0 L) for females (EFSA DRV Summary Table). These totals include water from food as well as beverages, assuming moderate temperature and physical activity. Needs increase with heat and exercise.
Do children need more water in hot weather or during sport?
Yes. EFSA's Adequate Intakes assume moderate temperature and physical-activity levels (EFSA 2010 Water DRV), so the 1.3-2.1 L/day baselines should be increased during hot weather, fever, illness, and exercise, when fluid losses are higher. Offer drinks more frequently and watch for early signs of dehydration on active or hot days.
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