Staying hydrated is one of the most important things to do while out adventuring, especially when with young kids. The only problem is, most water bottles for little kids aren’t really designed for how they use them at all, throwing, dropping, or knocking it over while open. Finding leak-proof water bottles for kids is surprisingly more challenging than you’d expect.
So many kid water bottles on the market don’t have any means to prevent spilling out of the top if left open or tipped over and, I don’t know about your children, but mine often put them down with no care about what position it is in and definitely don’t make sure it’s closed before doing so. Sometimes I wonder if the creators of these water bottles ever even tested them with a real kid!
This spilling can of course cause a whole range of problems from wet clothes, water all over the floor, or worse yet, leaving it empty right when you need it most such as while out in the wilderness.
After trying countless brands and styles with no success (check out a few of the leaky flops below), I scoured the internet for hours in search of the perfect water bottle for little kids and finally found two that don’t leak when left open! The Contigo Kids Water Bottle and the Klean Kanteen Classic Kids Sippy. Below, I have detailed the pros and cons of each.
Contigo Kids Water Bottle
This water bottle is bomb proof when it comes to leaks. With its 100% spill-proof design and easy-to-use (even for a toddler), covered, flip-up straw which keeps the spout clean while in your bag or if it gets dropped on the ground, this water bottle was our go to for a long time. The only pitfall came when our son began chewing on the spout and eventually chewed through the entire thing! So, with this said, this bottle is a really great option if and only if, your little is not a chewer or is old enough to know not to chew it.
Pros:
- Doesn’t leak while open or closed
- Able to keep the spout covered and clean
- Simple, button push to open and snap to close that is easy enough for a toddler to use on their own
- Straw is easy to disassemble for cleaning and stays attached to the cap so there are no loose parts to misplace
- Dishwasher safe
Cons:
- Straw spout can be chewed through
- Can’t replace just the top of the water bottle if it gets damaged
- Made of plastic so the lid/handle/bottle could eventually crack
Klean Kanteen Kid Classic Sippy
After our son began chewing on the spout of the Contigo water bottle, I started to think all hope was lost on finding a bottle he couldn’t chew through AND didn’t leak. Every hard topped option I saw let water out of the spout if tipped over while open, that is until I stumbled across the Klean Kanteen Kid Classic Sippy and boy am I sure glad I did! We LOVE this water bottle for so many reasons. The obvious being he couldn’t chew on it and it doesn’t leak, but also because if he did damage it you can buy a replacement cap! They also offer different top styles from sippy cup, to straw, to sport top which means this water bottle is able to grow with your child’s drinking preferences and abilities.
Pros:
- Doesn’t leak while open
- The hard top can’t be chewed through
- Made of stainless steel that can withstand rough and tough play
- Narrower bottle neck helps little hands hold it without it slipping or dropping
- Replaceable and interchangeable caps
- Dishwasher safe
Cons:
- While it does come with a spout cover, it is a loose part (no attachment to the bottle once you remove it to drink out of the bottle) which could easily be lost
With all of these pros and only one con, we believe the Klean Kanteen is the clear winner for one of the best leak-proof water bottles for kids we could find. Plus, its sturdy design and interchangeable tops means it will be around for the long haul, which not only saves money but also reduces its chances of needing to be discarded.
Water Bottles to Skip (AKA the leaky flops)
- CamelBak Eddy Kids Water Bottle – Claims to be spill-proof while open and leak-proof while closed when in reality, it leaked all over when closed even after I tried to reposition the straw. If it doesn’t pinch shut juuuust right, water comes out.
- Yeti Rambler Jr. and Hydro Flask Kids 2.0 Water Bottles – Both pour water out if tipped over while open. In all fairness, they do state they are only leak-proof when closed so no false marketing, I just realized my two and four year old rarely remember to shut their water bottles and also accidentally knock over or drop them all the time. Nothing worse than having the water all spill out if dropped while out hiking!
Do you have any leak-proof water bottles for kids that withstand the toddler test? If so, I’d love to check them out, so let me know in the comments below!
