Top Toddler Bathtime Games

An article from BabyZone.com

By Heather K. Scott Bath time at our house is a major undertaking, as I'm sure it is for many families with toddlers. On some nights it is quiet affair in which our daughter happily disrobes, jogs to our tub, and practically dives into bath bubbles as she sports smiles and giggles. On other nights, rebellion lurks around every corner—we struggle to shed clothes, wrangle our naked tot, and try our best to keep her occupied in the bath long enough to wash her face and hair. And then there are the evenings when she just doesn't want to take a bath ... at all.

If your toddler also shares a love-hate relationship with the tub, be sure to try some of the following fun, easy, and economical ideas to perk up your bath and make tubby time much more enjoyable for both you and your child.

Bath Time Supplies There are a wealth of toys and games that you can purchase to enhance your child's bath time, from bath crayons, body paint, and tub tints to stick-up mirrors and foam or sponge animals, letters, and numbers. Here's a list of items that you can collect for your child's bath; and most of them you can either make for very little cost or purchase at a reasonable price.

Foam or Sponge Letters and Numbers: Sold at many toy stores, these versatile, waterproof, floating numbers and letters are not just fun but educational for your toddler. You can also make your own by cutting out shapes and letters from new kitchen sponges or from craft foam. Bath Books: Many children's publishing companies offer books you can take into the bath. These plastic, waterproof titles are available from Dorling Kindersley and The Baby Einstein Company, to name just a few publishers. Bath Art Supplies: From Crayola bath crayons to body paint to floating art activity centers, there are a plethora of creative bath art supplies on the market today.  Washcloth Puppets: Available at children's stores, these fun hand puppets double as washcloths. You can even make your own from one of the many patterns available online, such as the one found atwww.sewing.org.  Bath Mirror: These plastic mirrors are readily available at toy stores and offer your tot an opportunity to see all those silly hairstyles you make when shampooing her locks.  Wind-up Bath Toys: Fish, sharks, whales, and little swimmers—these classic toys wind up and swim in your child's tub.  Boats: Collect plastic boats from your local discount store, or make your own with a Tupperware container or plastic cup and a little imagination.  Swim Goggles: Bring those swim goggles from the beach or pool into the tub for some added bathtub fun. Rubber Bath Toys: What child's bath would be complete without the quintessential rubber ducky? You can also find rubber or plastic fish, frogs, and turtles; some even squirt water. Bubbles and Bubble Bath: Don't forget the bubble bath! In addition to traditional bubble bath, keep a bottle of soap bubbles in the bathroom just for bath time blowing. You can mix a couple drops of tub tint in the bubbles for added color. (Parents of children that suffer with urinary tract infections, yeast infections, or eczema may want to skip the bubbles since they could cause further irritation.)

You may already have many bath toys on hand and just don't realize it. Let your child hunt through his or her toy chest and bring favorite plastic farm animals or dinosaurs, cars and trucks, tea sets, or beach pails and watering cans into the tub.

Activities and Games Row, Row, Row Your Boat: Your little one will enjoy singing this ageless nursery rhyme with you in the tub. Act out the lyrics and fill a toy boat or a Tupperware container with favorite plastic animals, then "row" them from one end of the tub to the other.

Ice Cube Surprise: If the weather is warm, treat your child to this bath activity. Take a handful of small plastic animals or bath sponges (dinosaurs, farm animals, or ocean creatures) and submerge them in ice cube trays or small plastic cups; then freeze them overnight. Drop the ice cubes into a warm bath on a hot day, and watch the animals slowly emerge from the ice. For variety, you can try adding ice cubes made with colored water to a clear-water bath.

Washcloth-Puppet Play: Easy to find and equally easy to make at home, these imaginative washcloth creatures can add drama to your child's bath. Make up plays with your child and his washcloth puppets. Create a special story just for him, or take turns with different characters. Use the soft creatures to wash your tot's face and body and let him do the same to the puppet.

Color Wonder: Let your child choose a tub tint for her nightly bath, or bring out the body paint or bath crayons for a colorful bathtub art session. This is a personal favorite at our house. Our daughter especially likes us to draw a landscape on the side of the tub for her to "walk" her favorite plastic animal through. You too can create your own scenes or character to spark your child's imagination. Draw fish on the bottom and sides of the tub, or create bath stories each night and draw the characters. Incorporate learning into bath time by drawing shapes and having your child identify them.

Rub-a-Dub: Gather all your rubber ducks or other waterproof toys and announce that it is time for everyone to get a good scrub-down. Bring out some bubble bath or children's soap, several washcloths or sponges, and have your child bathe all of his toys. Set a folded towel on the edge of the tub, or within your child's reach, to set clean toys upon.

Go Fish: Turn your bath into a deep sea aquarium. FamilyFun.com suggests buying an inexpensive aquarium net from a local pet store and some colorful sponges or craft foam. Cut out small sea animals from the foam or sponges (about two- to three-inches big) and let your child go fishing in the bathtub. To add a creative twist to this idea, you can also bring in several small beach pails to the bath for your child to sort the fish by color or shape after catching them with the net.

All By Myself: Let your child take the lead at bath time. "Even though you have washed your child countless times, you might not have actually demonstrated how to wash," writes Dr. Lawrence Cohen, author of Playful Parenting. He suggests showing your child how to wash and rinse her body and hair and explain why it is important to do so. This activity is not only fun for your child, but empowering as well.

ABCs and 123s: Cut out letters and numbers from craft foam or sponges (or invest in a pre-made set from your local children's store) and play school in the tub. Or engage your child in a game of I Spy with the numbers and letters hidden among the bath bubbles.

Deep Sea Diver: Does your little one get squeamish when you mention shampoo? To help your toddler feel more comfortable when washing his hair, purchase a pair of swimming goggles or a child's snorkel mask and let your child wear it in the tub. This trick prevents your little one from getting soap in his eyes. You can also fill the tub with lots of bubbles and hide toys and treasures for your toddler under the water. Let her pretend she's a deep sea diver and help her "explore" underwater for trinkets and treasures.

Soap-Sculpted Hairdos: Grab your camera before bath time if you want to try this artistic adventure in hair washing—the results can be amusing enough to photograph. After wetting your child's hair, create loads of lather with shampoo and sculpt your toddler's hair into funny shapes. Have a bath mirror handy so she can admire her lovely hairstyle!

At the Races: Launch wind-up toys into the tub for a race and cheer on your favorite one. Teach your little one how to create waves by moving her hand underwater and see who can propel their boat the furthest. Or race toy cars around the edge of the tub over imaginary or drawn race tracks.

Rain Showers: Turn an ordinary bath into something unique by showering your toddler with fun. Try plugging the bathtub so your child is taking a bath and a shower at the same time. If you think the regular shower may be overwhelming, try using a hand-held shower head on your little one—you may even want to croonSinging in the Rain to him. As a bonus, the hand-held shower heads make rinsing hair a lot easier too, since you can easily control the spray of water. Just be careful if your toddler gets a handle on the attachment—you're likely to be drenched!

Bath time provides a wonderful opportunity to connect with your toddler and give her lots of love and attention. Cover the bathroom floor with towels, roll up your sleeves, sing songs, wash each other's faces, and enjoy splashing in the tub.

About the Author Heather K. Scott is BabyZone's managing editor and lives in the Boston area with her husband, five-year-old daughter, and two-year-old son. She has also written for and edited alternative health, music, and arts and entertainment publications.