Playtime in a bubbly bath is a favorite for lots of toddlers! Our son is definitely no exception. He loves splashing around in our tub – and itโs become a fun time for my husband and I to sit back and watch our little guy enjoy himself โฆ while also trying to clean him up a bit. ๐
After trying different bath toys over the last year or so, weโve come to find that our son (surprisingly) likes simpler toys best. Weโve tried some more elaborate toys… but it turns out sometimes less bells & whistles is what wins toddlers over in the long run.
If youโre looking for a few ideas for your toddler or a gift idea, here are a few favorites from our home. Hope you find a few new favorites of your own!
BATH TIME TOYS:
LETTERS & NuMBERS
We keep a handful of letters in our bath time toy bin. Theyโre fun because they stick so easily to the sides of the tub. Younger toddlers enjoy sticking them to the tub โฆ while for an older toddler, you can find the first letter of their name to help them begin to recognize it. From our son’s early days bathing in a tub, letters have been a favorite. A classic bath time toy!
Waterproof book
Iโve mentioned before in this toddler book list that our son loves to flip through books at bath time – so this is definitely something we always bring out at bath time! He loved this book for a long time, and we later bought him this book to add some variety. Love that these are waterproof and hold up well!
TOY Duck
Somehow bath time feels incomplete without a little yellow duck. When our son was a younger toddler, this little duck was a favorite of his. He still plays with it some – but itโs probably best for toddlers on the younger end. It also has a temperature sensor on the bottom that lets you know if the water is too hot… but we never used it for that purpose – it was just a toy our son really liked to play with.
TOY BOAT
It’s always fun to have a little boat floating around at bath time, and this set has been a favorite at our house. Especially great because water can’t get inside it so it doesn’t get moldy unlike some other boats. A fun addition to bath time!
WHALE RINSE CUP
Although this is meant to be a functional item, my son *really* loves playing with this so Iโm including it as a favorite toy! Itโs useful (helps me rinse soap out of his hair) but honestly he just likes to play with it. I think anything that pours well would probably work too (small cup or bowl) โฆ.but itโs nice to have something that serves two purposes – and he enjoys this more than the cups & bowls we tried. He always looks forward to the moment Iโm done rinsing his hair so he can play with this. Helpful and fun!
OTHER HELPFUL BATH TIME ESSENTIALS:
Here are a few other bath time favorites that help make bath time a little bit easier…
Bath spout cover
This has been helpful for keeping our toddler safe from any serious bumps or bruises – especially when he was on the younger side… plus anytime he gets a little excited playing in the tub. So handy!
whale rinse cup
As I mentioned above, I donโt think itโs necessary to have a specific rinse cup (any small cup or bowl will do) but this is a nice extra that makes rinsing hair a little easier – and honestly, we keep using it since it doubles as a favorite toy.
silicone scalp brush
Weโve used this gentle little head scrubber since our son was a baby to help with cradle cap – and we still use it today. I use it to lather up and gently scrub the top of his head โฆ and it gives a gentle little massage that I assume he likes too. ๐ Handy from the first few months all the way through toddler age!
GENTLE SHAMPOO/body wash
This is the bubbly soap weโve used ever since our son was a few months old. I like the smell & gentle ingredients, and that it makes enough bubbles to keep him entertained. I usually stock up on a set of these during my monthly Costco haul because itโs a great price there, but you can also find it at other stores like Amazon, Target, etc.
BODY LOTION
There are lots of great body lotions out there for babies and toddlers – and the one weโve been using lately is California Baby – Everyday Lotion. Iโm a big fan of their company and gentle ingredients ever since I came across their hair gel which I *love* using on my sonโs hair whenever weโre taking pictures or going somewhere special.
toy drying bin
We have a small bathroom that all three of us (my husband, my son, and myself) use for showers/baths – so space is at a premium! Because of that, we donโt leave any toys in the tub to keep it from feeling too cluttered. Instead, I keep my sonโs washcloths, soap, etc. in a small caddy in our linen cabinet (or his room), and we leave this toy drying bin on the bathroom vanity to house all his toys in-between bath times. It has a separate container on the bottom that catches excess water so it helps toys dry quickly in between baths. I also keep his toys limited to whatever fits in this container to help keep our bathroom somewhat uncluttered. So handy!
kneeling mat
Iโve been using this ever since we started giving our son baths in the tub – and itโs been a real lifesaver for my knees. In a pinch I use a folded-up towel, but Iโve found that this mat is the right size and thickness and most importantly doesnโt slip under me – so itโs a keeper for me! I store it alongside his bath caddy for easy grab-and-go when I need it.
Bath time can be a nice activity for a toddler who still loves playing with bubbles and a little splashing around time – and itโs so nice to find a few items that make this time a little more fun and to help stretch it a few minutes longer!
Hope this list was helpful & that you found a few new bath time favorites of your own!
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