Best Toddler Water Bottle for Little Adventurers

Keeping toddlers hydrated throughout the day is crucial for their health and well-being, especially on outside adventures. One of the easiest and most convenient ways to encourage proper hydration is by letting your child have their own toddler water bottle. 

My 1 Year Old Enjoying a Break on a Hike

My toddlers all love having their own water bottle just for them. A toddler will not want to share their water bottle, but will take full ownership of the water bottle. A fun way to encourage water drinking is to engage your toddler in the selection of their water bottle.

Toddler water bottles come in fun colors and designs that will capture your toddler. Or you can decorate a more basic design with sticks, just like my older toddlers have done.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase. Rest assured all products I suggest are products I have bought or would buy based on personal experience or through my network of other mommas.

Summary of Best Toddler Water Bottle

Product Company	Category	Feature
SkipHop Check Amazon Price	Best 1 Year Old Water Bottle	Slim Design for Tiny Hands Straw for Small Mouths Spillproof
Camelbak Check Amazon Price	Best 2 Year Old Water Bottle	Bite Valve Spout Easy Loop Carry Spillproof
Contigo Check Amazon Price	Best 3 Year Old Water Bottle
Thermos Check Amazon Price	Best 4 Year Old Water Bottle	Open Spout Bottle Click Closure/ Opening

Considerations for the Perfect Toddler Water Bottle

Each toddler will have a different water bottle that is perfect for them at different stages of their development. All three of my kids, depending on their age and unique personality, have had a different bottle at different  points in time that worked best for them.

Below I go through the different considerations before selecting your ideal toddler water bottle.

Age of Child:

Age of your child will matter. As you know your toddler is developing at an exponential speed and, just like clothes, will outgrow water bottles. The best water bottle for  a 2 year old will be different from the best water bottle for a 4 year old.

A younger toddler requires less fluids than an older toddler. So a smaller bottle for smaller hands works well for a 1 year old. Too big a bottle for a younger toddler might mean it is too heavy and cumbersome to drink by themselves.

Spout of the Water Bottle for Toddler:

Toddler water bottles come in open spouts, straws or sippy cup styles. Your toddler could take strongly towards a specific opening type or be less picky. My three kids all varied on how picky they were.

Right to Left: Straw, Bite Valve, Straw, Open Spout

An open spout bottle works great for an older toddler, but has drawbacks for a younger toddler, (think pouring out the water to make puddles to play in)!

Size of the Toddler Water Bottle:

A smaller bottle which has fewer fluid ounces, is easier for little hands than a larger bottle. As your toddler gets older he/she might be able to upgrade to a larger bottle, but not the same size as an adult bottle. 

You want your toddler water bottle to be large enough for your child to stay hydrated but small enough to be manageable for them. A 10-16 ounce water bottle is manageable, a 20 ounce bottle is not.

Spill Proof:

How much do you trust your toddler to not spill their water bottle? Different options on the market mean a variety of choices when considering spill proof.

An open spout can easily be spilled, but may have a lid you can pop on. Great for the older toddler, but a younger toddler might enjoy spilling it more!

A straw bottle might have a mechanism in place to reduce spills, how effective is it? All good things to consider when purchasing a water bottle for a toddler.

Material of Toddler Water Bottle:

Safety first when thinking about your 1, 2, 3 or 4 year old. Your two main choices are stainless steel and plastic. 

Stainless steel is a more environmentally safe option that will keep the water colder. However, stainless steel weighs which is not always best for a young toddler.   

Best Toddler Water Bottles are Safe Plastic that are Lightweight

A plastic bottle will weigh significantly less. This makes it easier for a toddler to handle on their own. Also it will make less noise when dropped on the ground by those tiny hands. However, you will want to ensure the plastic used is safe, BPA free. 

A Tritan plastic water bottle is the safest plastic in the world making it the best choice for your toddler water bottle.

"Accredited universities and independent third-party labs tested Tritan, and the results overwhelmingly demonstrate that it is safe and, in separate studies, free of bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS). Tritan plastic also is free of estrogenic activity (EA) and androgenic activity (AA)."

Weight of Water Bottle for Toddlers

You are the one that will have to carry the water bottle around, most likely. The heavier a bottle the more weight you are carrying around. Again re-ethasising the plastic bottle or stainless steel for toddlers.

Or, if your toddler is older and can wear a backpack he or she might carry it. A lighter bottle will mean less complaining from an  older toddler.

How Much Water Should a Toddler Drink in a Day?

This is determinant on the age of your toddler and how much other fluids he/she drinks.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics a 1-3 year old should drink 4 cups of fluid a day on average and a  4-8 year old should drink 5 cups of fluid a day on average. The fluids should be milk or water.  

If you are reading this you probably have a little adventurer and little adventurers need slightly more water than the average. A toddler will need more than average if exerting lots of energy, such as going on a hike, and on hot humid days.

14 month old daughter drinking her water bottle

Best Water Bottle for 1 Year Old:

A one year old will need a water bottle that fits in their tiny hands, making a small slimmer bottle the perfect choice. 

Also a 1 year old might need a bottle that doesn’t allow too much water at once. An opening that is small and lets out less liquid is ideal. Larger sips results in your 1 year old spitting out the excess water or inhaling too much and coughing. 

Skip Hop Toddler Water Bottle

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Features:

• 12 ounces
• Slim for small hands
• Straw for small mouths
• Spill Proof in closed position
• Lightweight
• Grab Strap

The Skip Hop Sippy Cup is the best water bottle for 1 year old. The water bottle is slim and easily carried in tiny hands; all three of my toddlers started with this water bottle. The straw is simple and tiny, only allowing for your child to have a small amount at a time. The best straw bottle for toddlers 1 year old.

The water bottle can easily slip into mom’s purse, a lunchbox, a hiking backpack, or the side of a diaper bag. It features an easy close, is lightweight and BPA-free, Phthalate-free, and PVC-free. You can also place the bottle in the dishwasher for easy cleaning.

Best Water Bottle for 2 Year Old:

A 2 year old has greater control of their hands and can support a fatter bottle. A 2 year old has mastered the art of drinking liquids and can handle a larger flow of water.  

My Boys Enjoying a Picnic Lunch with their Water Bottles

Camelbak Kids Eddy Water Bottle

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Features:

• 12 ounces
• Lightweight
• Bite Valve
• Holding hook for small hands
• Dishwashable
• Spill Proof

Camelbak Kids Eddy Water Bottle is a 12 oz bottle that any 2 year old would love. It is made from Tritan plastic, a slightly fatter bottle than Skip Hop and features a large bite valve that can’t leak when folded.  

The value is one piece that you can remove to clean. Place all pieces in the dishwasher for an easy clean. 

Camelbak water bottles for toddlers are made for little hands and feature a top hook. My kids have all used these water bottles and hook two fingers in the bottle to carry it around. 

These are great water bottles to throw in any bag. I can attest they are spill proof, which is needed for a toddler water bottle. I hate to open a bag to realize a water bottle has leaked all over everything.

These great 2 year old water bottles come in many designs and colors. Let your toddler pick their favorite.

Best Water Bottle for 3 Year Old

A 3 year old is growing up and an adventurer will be increasing their need for fluids. A slightly bigger toddler water bottle might benefit your little one at this stage.

Contigo Aubrey Kids Cleanable Water Bottle

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Features:

• 14 ounces
• Spill Proof
• Pop Up Straw
• Dishwashable
• Button Open
• Handle Hold

The Contigo Kids water bottle is a 14 ounce water bottle that is ideal for a 3 year old. Like the Camelbak water bottle it has a spill proof bite value, BPA free plastic and is dishwasher safe.

A 3 year old can grip the water bottle with one hand and drink at ease through the bite straw. The valve is similar to the size of Camelbak, allowing the perfect amount of water for an older toddler.

The toddler water bottle opens with a button push and easily closes when the spout is pushed down.

Best Water Bottle for 4 Year Old

As your toddler gets older they are increasing their skills. One skill is that a 4 year old is drinking from open cups more. A great way to practice and encourage this skill is by letting your older toddler have an open pour water bottle.

Open spout works great for 4 year old

Open pour, scary I know, but it doesn’t mean it can’t be spill proof. A toddler water bottle that features an open spout, but also can be spill proof when closed is the perfect compromise. 

Thermos Open Mouth Water Bottle

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Features:

• 16 ounces
• Lightweight
• Handle Hold
• Open Spout
• Dishwashable

Thermos Open Mouth Water Bottle has an open pour spout that opens with an easy click and pops close when the lid is pressed down. This makes it ideal for the older toddler.

Another reason it is made for the older toddler or child is the increased size to a 16 ounce bottle. An older toddler will be able to carry this bottle, given it is made from Tritan plastic and not heavy steel. 

Other features include a carrying hook that my 3 and 4 year old can fit their fingers into. The bottle is built strong and lightweight. My kids have found many ways to drop these water bottles or throw them and nothing has broken yet!

How to Decorate a Toddler Water Bottle

Looking for a great way to get your toddler excited about their new water bottle! You can decorate it together to add personal touches, such as their name and favorite sayings!

Take a clear colored toddler water bottle and stick on water bottle stickers. It’s that simple!

Tips for Cleaning Toddler Water Bottles 

• Dissemble the water bottle completely: A straw often comes off entirely from the bottle.
• Place in top rack of dish-washable if applicable
• Dry the water bottle completely before reassembly

Why Trust Me on the Best Toddler Water Bottle?

These are the toddler water bottles that I have tried and tested and found the best match as a mom of 3. Are these the only water bottles I have tried? Heck no, but the ones listed are the ones that work the best!

Conclusion for Best Toddler Water Bottles

Proper hydration is vital for your toddler's well-being, and investing in a high-quality toddler water bottle can make a significant difference in their daily hydration routine. By considering factors such as durability, spill-proof design, and ease of use, you can find the best toddler water bottle that suits your child's needs. 

A toddler water bottle is part of the gear that enables you and your little one to get out and explore. It is a camping gear essential and needed for toddler bike riding as well as a day on the beach. or Hope this has helped you find the best toddler water bottle for your little one.