Making bath time fun
By: Xero
November 22nd, 2011
9:25 pm
One of the things I love the most about being a mom is bath time. I absolutely adore giving my kids a bath. They both really enjoy it, it is innocent every day fun, and it is a great time to bond. However, I realize that sometimes bath time is just business and not all kids find it fun. Some kids need a little more encouragement, and on occasion may need to be pried away from more interesting things to get into the tub. Sometimes it just requires a little extra work to get the fun going on our part.
I think the biggest part of making bath time fun for kids are the toys. I can not stress enough how much bath toys can help your cause. Little rubber fish that squirt water out of their mouths; a plastic boat with little pirates hanging out on it; a suction cup basketball hoop with mini foam basketballs. They really make an incredible variety of bath toys these days! Not only that, but anything water proof can be made into a bath toy. My oldest likes to take his matchbox cars and fast food toys into the tub with him. Most days when I tell him it's bath time, he will go running into his toy room saying "I'm going to find a toy to bring!" These toys will strike up your child's imagination and really get the fun going. I simply love to listen to the adventures my boy makes up while he pushes his toys around the water.
We also cannot forget about bubbles! They are a classic part of bath time that every kid likes. To really go above and beyond, these days you can even buy bath dyes (time to take a purple bath!), bath foams, bath crayons and markers, even bath finger paints! You can't go wrong when you have so many options to choose from. My oldest loves the opportunity to get away with coloring on the walls, and on the tub.
If you have a difficult bather, sometimes it's just a matter of finding out what bothers them about the bath. Perhaps they prefer warmer or cooler water? Maybe they would like to have more or less water in the tub? I know a lot of kids that have an extreme dislike for getting water in their faces. You can use a wash cloth over their eyes and have them tilt their head back when rinsing hair. They even make special products for these types of kids. One is a special cup that is flat and flexible rubber on one side that forms to the forehead to keep the water out of the face, and the other is like a visor for the bath that also keeps water from touching the face. It is so nice to have helpful products for sensitive kids.
Bath time should always be a fun time for kids and parents alike to embrace. Between the laughs and the smiles, the adventures and the bubble beards, it should be enough to lift anyone's spirits. Hold onto those sudsy moments, and make them fun and enjoyable, because our kids wont want us to bathe them forever!
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11 comments on "Making bath time fun"
November 23, 2011 at 1:59 am
Very nice xero
I enjoyed bath time with my oldest! But I have come to realize that everyone is different, and I try to remember to be happy that my youngest is already learning a good habit for the future by taking island showers. But one thing is for sure, both my boys enjoyed/enjoy their naked time after their baths!
I'd like to share about bath time here in the Virgin Islands. Water is scarce here and if it doesn't fall from the sky to fill your cistern you must buy trucked in water to fill the cistern for you. We have all been accustomed to taking what we call 'island showers' which means you turn the water on to get wet, turn it off to soap up, turn it back on to rinse off.
For my kiddos, when they are little, their is a small blow up tub. Most homes here don't even have bath tubs because they would be too water wasteful.
My oldest loved the bath. He would get just a little bit of water in the tub, but it was more than enough for him to have a blast! Lots of toys, lots of bubbles, bring it on!
My youngest, is a true West Indian!!!! He loves to swim in the ocean, but when I put him in the blow up bath he immediately stands up and hangs on to the low bar in the shower. He doesn't really care what toys are floating in the tub... he wants to stand up and have a good ol' island shower. It kind of made me a little sad at first
November 23, 2011 at 4:03 am
A couple of things I do.
I take care of the "business" part of the bath first. That way if they decide for a long soaker. I dont have to wash them when they are tired and the water is cold. Just a rinse off and out at the end.
For kids that are just old enough to be in by themselves I leave the door open and keep my environment kinda quiet to detect any out of place noises.
November 23, 2011 at 5:53 am
we sing a lot. My older kids shower with the littlies and we sing the 'washing' song, the 'drying' song etc.
Im also a fan of bath books.
November 23, 2011 at 9:38 am
Very nice xero
I'd like to share about bath time here in the Virgin Islands. Water is scarce here and if it doesn't fall from the sky to fill your cistern you must buy trucked in water to fill the cistern for you. We have all been accustomed to taking what we call 'island showers' which means you turn the water on to get wet, turn it off to soap up, turn it back on to rinse off.
For my kiddos, when they are little, their is a small blow up tub. Most homes here don't even have bath tubs because they would be too water wasteful.
My oldest loved the bath. He would get just a little bit of water in the tub, but it was more than enough for him to have a blast! Lots of toys, lots of bubbles, bring it on!
My youngest, is a true West Indian!!!! He loves to swim in the ocean, but when I put him in the blow up bath he immediately stands up and hangs on to the low bar in the shower. He doesn't really care what toys are floating in the tub... he wants to stand up and have a good ol' island shower. It kind of made me a little sad at first
A couple of things I do.
I take care of the "business" part of the bath first. That way if they decide for a long soaker. I dont have to wash them when they are tired and the water is cold. Just a rinse off and out at the end.
For kids that are just old enough to be in by themselves I leave the door open and keep my environment kinda quiet to detect any out of place noises.
we sing a lot. My older kids shower with the littlies and we sing the 'washing' song, the 'drying' song etc.
Im also a fan of bath books.
November 24, 2011 at 1:29 am
I'm not much of a singer, but my oldest will make up his own songs and sing away in there.
November 25, 2011 at 1:08 pm
When I was a kid, my mom got those really nice "soap crayons" for the bath. They were huge, colorful crayons that I could use to draw on the bathtub ceramic wall. It was a huge fun, enough to remember it after so many decades.
I don't know if they make this product anymore... but it certainly did make bath time fun
November 25, 2011 at 2:50 pm
alter ego - Made up songs! They are the best kind.
And yes, they do still make the crayons! My ODS has them, along with markers and paints from time to time.
Parentastic - I had those crayons too, but I think my favorite part was this colored canned bath foam that my mom got for me. I used to spray it alllll over the place haha. I still remember that quite clearly.
November 25, 2011 at 7:38 pm
Your both friggin nuts. That stuff was cool because you didnt have to clean the bathroom after you were done.
Looks cool, Kids like it, PITA, Would rather pick up hot wheels.
November 25, 2011 at 7:50 pm
LOL! Yeah, it isn't fun to clean up! The markers and the paints actually rinse right off with the shower, it's the crayons that I actually have to wipe off by hand. :/
I hate picking up hotwheels. ODS literally has hundreds of them. I just want to kick puppies every time I step on one.
January 13, 2012 at 10:44 pm
We give him toys in the bubble bath...but the flip is that it takes way too long....But, he really enjoys it.
January 14, 2012 at 9:47 am
My four year old loves his toys too, djash01.