If your toddler is a fan of Sesame Street, he probably knows Ernie’s favorite tub time song: “Rubber ducky, you’re the one! You make bath time lots of fun…” Well, in addition to that good old rubber duck, there are lots of other items that can make baths lots of fun for kids. This is good news, especially if you have a toddler who is afraid of, or upset by, the bath. You want to make time in the tub fun. After all, cleaning up a toddler that is into just about everything, is not something you can skip.
If bath time is no longer enjoyable for your toddler, here are some possible reasons and some ways to make things better:
What Causes Tub Terror?
Being afraid of the tub can be a common occurrence among the toddler set. They may be afraid of being sucked down the drain, for example, or worry about what may be lurking beneath all those bubbles. It’s important to acknowledge any fears rather than belittling them. Don’t say, “There’s nothing to be afraid of,” because this is not very reassuring to a three year old. Try some sympathy, like “The tub won’t hurt you, but I can see that it scares you”. Then suggest an alternative, such as the sink, until they’re ready to test the waters again.
Usually fears arise from a negative experience. Like the water being too hot. An ideal temperature for toddlers’ sensitive skin is between 90 F and 100 F. To help prevent the possibility of burns, set your water heater’s maximum temperature at 120 F. If your temperature is nowhere near that or your heater is more than 10 years old, these may be signs that it’s time to consider replacing a water heater.
Perhaps the brand of shampoo you are using is stinging his or her eyes, or the soap is too harsh for their skin. Try switching brands and looking for items that are labeled tear-free and fragrance-free. You might even consider a tub visor, which will keep shampoo from running into her eyes.
It’s common for kids to bump their heads in the tub. If this has happened it may create a negative connotation with bath time. Make sure to put a cute plastic or rubber faucet cover in place, perhaps even a kid-friendly one with an animal’s face. This ups the fun factor and keeps your child safe at the same time.
How to Make It Fun Again
If your child has negative feelings about the tub, it’s important to make bath time a positive experience. The best way to do this is with some fun tub toys. You don’t need to spend a lot of money for your toddler to learn to love the bath again. Here are some things to try:
- Cups, Bowls and Funnels Kids love playing with plastic cups and bowls in the tub. They enjoy filling and dumping, or submerging a cup and watching it pop to the surface. You can also show him how to push a cup quickly to the bottom, and then tip it slightly to release air bubbles. This usually produces lots of laughs!
- Colored Bath Tablets It’s always fun to step into a tub with brightly colored water. With bath tablets, your child can hop into Caribbean-blue waters, a green lagoon or a pink paradise. You can even mix colors together and see what interesting combinations you come up with.
- Crayons and Paints Crayons and paints made especially for the tub are wonderful things. Children can scribble masterpieces along the sides of the tub and as high as they can reach while sitting down. For safety’s sake, make sure they don’t stand up in the slippery tub.
- Stick-on Decals Letters and numbers that stick to the side of the tub are also lots of fun. You can spell out silly words together or make monstrously huge numbers. Teach your child how to write their name and the names of other family members.
- Washcloth Puppets Cute and silly washcloth puppets can entice reluctant toddlers to hop in the tub. Who can resist an adorable kitty or a not-so-scary dinosaur? If they’re willing to get wet, you toddler may be more likely to follow suit. Plus they get a fun playtime buddy.
Hopefully, these fun items and ideas will entice your reluctant toddler to face his or her fears, tackle that tub and get squeaky clean.
| Savannah Marie is a mom and a writer. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading anything she can get her hands on and learning to balance work and home life.
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