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Best Toddler Bath Toys for an Easy and Stress-free Bathtime
Even though bath time can turn into a bit of a chore over time, it can be a fun time for kids and parents alike. Many children are naturally drawn to water and love splashing around…add some toys to the mix, and you can have them entertained for hours. For a child that is reluctant to bathe or fights bathtime, toys may be just the way to win them over. However, some toys fall flat or build up black mold really quickly. I’ll share with you some of our favorite bath toys and advice on what to avoid so that you can choose the perfect bath toys.
What to Avoid:
Anything with holes. Seriously. Unless you bleach the toys multiple times every single week or don’t mind tossing them away…I say just don’t even bother. Wet, poorly ventilated places are a breeding ground for mold. Look for toys without the holes or that open up so that you can lay them out to dry. Then it’s easy to avoid the mold. The cute squirty animal toys are notorious for building up mold quickly. So if you buy them, just be prepared. Here’s the inside of one of ours even after regular cleaning:
You’ve been warned.
You will still need to clean the outside of toys without holes ocassionally too to avoid mold, but it’s so much easier. Additionally, you’ll have the peace of mind that there isn’t mold lurking where you can’t see it.
I also avoid toys that spray or dump water easily to avoid it all ending up on the bathroom floor. It’s hard enough keeping the water in with a flailing toddler, don’t make it harder on yourself.
Here are some of our favorite bath toys:
Munchkin 10 Piece Bath Crayons – These are by far my daughter’s favorite bath toy. She could play with them for hours and hours on end. What toddler doesn’t love actually being encouraged to draw on everything around them? One drawback is that they do color the water and can stain the tub a bit. The stain comes off when you use a cleaner or scrub, but it can be a bit of a pain.
Boon Building Bath Pipes Toy Set – These are awesome at keeping little ones entertained; kids will love configuring these in multiple ways and watching the gears spin as the water goes through. Well made bath toys that allow kids to play creatively.
The Stackable Munchkin Boat Bath Toy Set – These are well loved because they kill so many birds with one stone! They stack, they are numbered for counting, brightly colored, they’re super easy to keep clean, and they can be hooked together to form a big boat train!
The 3 Bees and Me Basketball Hoop and Ball Set – This one entertains both my husband and my toddler! They love playing basketball together during bath time (instead of actually taking the bath sometimes….so be warned!). The suction cup actually works and the goal will stay up through many a rough playtime.
The Gizmovine Bath Toy Fishing Rod and Net Game – Fishing rods are a classic bath toy that almost every toddler I have ever seen interact with one just adores. The great thing about this set is that the magnets in the fishing rod are strong and actually work (I’ve found through experience that many often fail here). Additionally, it also comes with nets, so it is really two games in one!
The last on my list is an overblown size of the penultimate bath toy:
This Toysmith Big 8.5 inch Rubber Ducky is my daughter’s absolute favorite. We call him “Daddy” duck. Santa brought it for her last Christmas, and it was literally the first toy she ran to under the tree (even as simple as it is). There’s just something about a rubber duck! He also doesn’t have a squirt hole underneath, so he is easy to keep clean. Being so large, he also makes a great pool toy as well.
Those are our current favorite bath toys! Did I miss a favorite of yours? If so, let me know yours in a comment below. I would love to hear from you!
Thanks for stopping by!
Katie
Also, you might be interested in my tips on How to Make Starting Preschool Easy: Our Transition from Home to Preschool.