Written by Charmaine Hampton

If you feel like you spend half your day saying, “Please just drink some water!” to a small human… you’re not alone. I’m endlessly nagging, reminding and cajoling my 3 ½ year old daughter in an effort to get her to drink more water. So when I was offered the opportunity to try Nat Pat’s new Sniff ‘n’ Sip stickers, I was cautiously hopeful that it might be exactly what we needed.

What Are Sniff ‘n’ Sip Stickers?

As the name suggests Sniff ‘n’ Sip Stickers are scented, food-safe stickers that you stick to the outside of your child’s drink bottle to encourage them to drink more. As your child drinks, the scent tricks the brain into thinking the water has a fruity flavour, even though it’s just plain water. Genius, right?

Here’s How It Works

Around 80% of what we perceive as taste actually comes from smell, through a process called retronasal olfaction. When you drink, aromas travel from the mouth to the olfactory receptors in the nose. If something smells fruity or sweet, your brain can be tricked into ‘tasting’ that flavour — even if the liquid is just water.

It’s the same principle behind why food tastes bland when you have a cold and your nose is all stuffed up. Without your sense of smell, your taste buds only detect sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami — but not flavour as we usually experience it.

By using a strong, pleasant scent on a water bottle, Sniff ‘n’ Sip stickers tap into this sensory trick — making plain water feel more exciting and flavourful without any added sugars, artificial flavouring, or colouring. For picky drinkers or kids who think water is ‘boring,’ this can be a total game changer.

Did It Work for My Daughter?

My daughter has never been big on drinking water — a trait that she apparently inherited from me, if my mother is to be believed — although I still prefer to blame it on her dad! Haha! But the moment we stuck on a Strawberry Kiwi Sniff ‘n’ Sip sticker, she was intrigued. She kept telling me how nice it smelled and — drumroll please — she actually started sipping without me prompting her at all. It’s worked better than I even dared to imagine!

She now carries her water bottle everywhere and looks forward to picking a sticker and popping it onto her drink bottle each morning.

Seriously, who even is this child?

A Travel Lifesaver for Long-Haul Flights

We’re heading to the UK at the end of the month, and I’ve already packed a stash of Sniff ‘n’ Sip stickers for the plane. The last time we flew back to visit family she basically stopped drinking the moment we got on the flight — which, on a 24-hour trip, is less than ideal. I get worried she’ll get even more dehydrated (and even more out of sorts — the dream combo at 35,000 feet!) Having a water bottle that smells like strawberries and kiwi or watermelon is exactly the kind of secret weapon I need to keep her sipping at altitude (and maintain my own sanity!) And hopefully, a little calmer and more comfortable too. Wish me luck!

What I Love About the Sniff’n’Sip Stickers

A couple of weeks ago I’d never heard of these stickers, now I can’t imagine life without them. If you have concerns about the limited amount of water your child consumes during the day, it really is worth giving them a try.

• Zero sugar, zero flavouring: It’s still just water. No sneaky ingredients, additives, or hidden nasties.
• Fun & sensory: Kids love interactive stuff. The sticker adds a bit of excitement to a plain bottle.
• Great variety: There are loads of scents to try — think Berry, Pineapple, Watermelon and more
• Encourages use of reusable bottles encouraged: Less waste, more water!

The Bonus Benefits of Drinking More Water

Since using the stickers, I’ve noticed my daughter:

• Has fewer meltdowns — she’s less cranky when she’s well hydrated (as are we all I suspect!)
• Has more regular toilet habits – no more constipation
• Has better concentration — she seems more focused during play and storytime.
• Is carrying her water bottle around with her like a prized possession (instead of an mild annoyance that her mother keeps forcing upon her at regular intervals throughout the day!)
• Is proud to show her drink off — she likes showing friends her “smelly sticker bottle.”
• Asking for refills —Seriously! I almost fell over the first time this happened!

The Verdict

If you’ve got a fussy drinker or you’re just looking for a low-effort way to encourage better hydration habits, Sniff ‘n’ Sip Stickers are totally worth a shot. They’re fun, safe, cleverly designed, and they’ve saved me from having the “have you drunk any water?” battle with my daughter every day on repeat. I’ve even popped one on my own bottle some days when I’m in the mood for something a bit tastier than plain old water and really enjoy it. I also drink noticeably more than usual when I do this. So…maybe my mum is right after all. Maybe she does get it from me!

Disclosure: I was gifted this product for the purpose of giving an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own. 

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