The 7 Best Reusable Water Bottles for School

The best way to keep your kid hydrated, alert and energized throughout the day? Give them some good ol’ H2O—especially when they’re spending the day learning or en route to extracurriculars. Reusable water bottles for school aren’t just a staple in every preschooler or kindergartner’s backpack, they’re also something every little one and their siblings can feel ownership over. Whether the bottle’s got their name written in permanent marker or personalized on a printed label, it’s theirs and they’ll use it and (hopefully) never let it out of their sight.

But not all kids’ water bottles are created equal, so you’ll want to ensure your child’s container meets all their needs before they find a place for it in their backpack. Need a bottle that will hold up in their lunch box for most of the day? Buy a spill-proof canteen that won’t leak all over their belongings and have them in tears upon pickup. Have a mini who won’t even consider taking a sip unless the contents are ice cold? Opt for an insulated flask that’ll keep their water glacial and extra thirst-quenching for the bus ride home. Below, read more about what to look for in a kids’ water bottle and where to buy one, along with our picks for the top kids’ water bottles on the market today.

What to Look for When Buying Kids’ Water Bottles

When you’re on the hunt for reusable water bottles for school, you’ll definitely want to keep a handful of features in mind to ensure they’ll not only make it through the school year, but stay in good shape to last through the summer and beyond. With that said, there are several key purchasing points to guide your search. Look for kids’ water bottles using BPA-free and food-grade materials—which prioritize health and safety for little ones and give parents peace of mind and then narrow your scope to reusable bottles that are:

• Easy to clean. When your little one is bringing their reusable water bottle to school every day (or at least a few times a week), cleanliness and hygiene are important—particularly in daycares, preschools and even kindergarten, where germs are flying around everywhere and young immune systems aren’t operating at peak performance yet. That’s why an easy-to-clean bottle is game changing. Bottles with tight nooks and crannies aren’t preferable because mold can grow there. If your kids’ water bottles can be put through the dishwasher, great, but if the manufacturer advises hand-washing-only, make it easy on yourself.
• Leak-proof. Every bottle is sure to leak a little bit every once and a while. But bottles with lids or openings reinforced with leak-resistant seals will probably be your best bet.
• Durable. Your two best options for bottles to stand up to your little one’s lifestyle are stainless steel and plastic water bottles, and each offer specific benefits. Stainless steel is super robust and resistant to scratches, scrapes and dents, so it can withstand some accidental drops and carelessness. BPA-free plastic bottles are also pretty durable, thanks to impact-resistant/shock-absorbing design features that won’t shatter. Plastic also has the benefit of being lightweight, which makes sense for toddlers and preschoolers who usually hand anything heavy over to mom or dad. Both options are solid choices for kids, but plastic usually wins for affordability, while stainless steel proves more durable.
• Insulated. Who else has argued with their kindergartner over the temperature of their drinking water? It happens! If you’re deciding between an insulated and non-insulated reusable water bottle, always go with the insulated pick. An insulated—and even more precisely, a double-wall vacuum-insulated—kids’ water bottle keeps water colder for much longer. So whether you’re picking them up from school and heading to the park or beelining straight to a tee-ball game, you can be sure they hydrate with something very refreshing. The best insulated water bottles for kids also feature a sweat-free exterior, which provides a more comfortable grip for tiny hands.
• Kid-friendly features. If your youngster can’t figure out how to even use their water bottle or isn’t impressed with its aesthetics, then the chances of them actually drinking the water inside are slim to none. So when you’re buying reusable water bottles for school, prioritize picks that promote spill-proof mechanisms, simple flip or sip spouts, playful designs or colorful patterns and ergonomic shapes/comfortable sizes that fit well in small hands. User experience is a big deal with children’s products, so anything that makes your tiny keep coming back to their water bottle (because it features their favorite character, or has a cool button-press pop-top or a wide mouth that they can easily fill on their own) and fosters their independence is a worthwhile attribute.

Where to Buy Kids’ Water Bottles

Thankfully, it’s not a hard task to find kids’ water bottles, as they’re available at most online retailers and department stores, outdoor recreation/sporting goods destinations and specialty children’s sites. We just happen to love the following retailers for the wide assortment of brands they have on offer and the wealth of information you can learn from their honest customer reviews and testimonials.

• Amazon: Beyond the incredibly vast selection of reusable kids’ water bottle brands available on site, you can read thousands of reviews from parents who’ve been in your shoes—and can speak to which bottles are best. Best of all, Prime shipping guarantees your kiddo’s water bottle comes quickly. So whether they need an eleventh-hour bottle for field day or something a little more durable to accompany them on a field trip, they’ll have it just in time.
• Backcountry: If you’ve been happy shopping for your own outdoor or active gear at Backcountry, count on being just as impressed with its merchandise for the tiny adventurers in your life. The site provides copious item descriptions, specifications and images to help give you the best visualization of products before you buy. Not to mention, the company has a reputation for amazing customer service, which is helpful in the event your kids’ water bottle isn’t all you hoped it would be.
• Pottery Barn Kids: We’ll be fans of Pottery Barn Kids forever for the cute nursery and kids’ bedroom decor, but we also trust the retailer’s offerings from a safety perspective (everything the store sells has been put through rigorous product testing and safety scrutiny). So, not only will your tyke’s reusable water bottle be cute—hello PB-exclusive Disney collaborations—it’ll be safe, monogrammable and potentially even matched with their other school accessories.

The Best Reusable Water Bottles for School

Once you find the best kids’ water bottle for your tyke, you can relax knowing your child will stay hydrated throughout their adventure-filled days. Take a peek at seven of our favorites, from stainless steel sippers to push-button pop-up bottles personalized with your peanut’s name. Sip sip, hooray!

How We Chose The Best Reusable Water Bottles for School

To help streamline your shopping and highlight the best reusable water bottles for school, we considered a list of criteria when sourcing products, including ease of use, method of cleaning, quality and durability, style, temperature regulation and, last but definitely not least, safety. We consulted the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines for “Promoting Healthy Behaviors in Schools” and read user reviews to get the low-down on how these products work for families, never considering anything with less than an average four-star rating. And, of course, we leveraged our editorial team’s own familiarity with leading brands as well as our own experience as parents.

Interested in learning more about our editorial process? Read about how our team develops and reviews all articles here.

Plus, more from The Bump:
10 Best Sippy Cups to Keep Little Ones Hydrated
The Best Hand Sanitizers for Kids and Parents
The Best Toddler Nap Mats for Preschool, Sleepovers and More