WATER FOR KIDS

A bit of science.

Hey kiddos, Water for Kids is for you. It's your friend Christopher Robin here. Sorry I can't spell so well, perhaps you can help me put a few things right!

But I thought you might be interested to know some things about water. H2O. Did you know that water covers 70% of the Earth?

Ask Dad to show you where Antartica is on a map, if you don't know.

If that ice sheet were to melt scientists say the sea level would rise by 60 metres (about 200 feet). That would be a catastrophy for me because the dyke behind which I live in Holland is only 15 metres high. We would be swamped! Sixty percent of Holland lies beneath sealevel. So we should look after our ice.

And the other two continents that you can see on the edge of the photo?

Would you like to go into space one day? I would! Just imagine being able to see the Earth from a couple of hundred kilometres away in space. Stunning.

More important.

And if we don't drink plenty of water we will sick from what is called dehydration. Deadly stuff. So, more water for kids !

Mostly, we've been drinking too many sodas to get our water. The problem is that to make those sodas taste good, they are either filled with sugar (which makes you fat! and you know what that means. Right? Right, you do know don't you? Getting fat will make you SICK and SORE, and none of us want that. Right?) or chemicals. They won't make you fat, but they will make you sick.

So, how do we get more of that water inside us, so we can be healthy, and happy and have lots of fun?

If it's HOT, ask mum to squeeze some fresh lemon into a big bottle of water, and A LITTLE honey (that advice I got from my friend Pooh), stir, and keep it in the fridge. Delic!

And in winter, when it's COLD? Pour a little FRESH tea into a big mug, and ask mum to cut a few slices of your favourite fruit into it. I like Mandarins most. Don't use old tea, and not strong - it gets bitter. Don't tell Pooh I said so, he'll be mad at me, but you don't need the honey. The fruit is quite sweet enough.

There! Lots of water in you, without getting fat or sick. That we wouldn't want. Right?!!!! I got into some watery trouble again with my Sunday School teacher. See if Dad can help you find out why?

• ST. JOHN THE BLACKSMITH DUMPED WATER ON HIS HEAD.

• THE PEOPLE WHO FOLLOWED THE LORD WERE CALLED THE 12 DECIBELS.

• ONE OF THE OPPOSSUMS WAS ST. MATTHEW WHO WAS ALSO A TAXIMAN.