Jackson is a huge fan of baths – I think there are few toddlers in this world who don’t love splashing around in the water for a few minutes. However, there was a (brief) time where he did not enjoy getting in the bath. He whined, he complained, he cried. It was torture for everyone. Especially the one getting pelted with water while trying to get her screaming kid clean (hint: that was me).
Luckily we’re over that now, but during that stint of bathtime resistance Mr. Garland and I had to get kind of creative about how to keep Jackson happy while also keeping him clean. We have quite an extensive collection of bath toys as a result, and there are a few that have clearly stood above the pack and continue to be absolute favorites for Jackson after many, many months. Here are our top six bath toys that have stood the test of time, plus three more that I want to get because I know they’ll be hits!
1) ALEX School of Fish Toys – These aren’t the exact ones we have, but probably his absolute favorite toys are these stacking ducks that have little holes in the bottom so the water will drain out. He loves to dump the water on himself, drink from them, and put things in them. He can play with these things for forever, and I’ll often use them to wet his hair when I’m getting him clean.
2) Rod & Reel Fishing Bath Toys – And finally, the last toy that I would like to add to our bath collection – this fishing set is so incredibly cute and I think it would be a ton of fun for both of us to play with! It’s a great way to practice some hand-eye coordination, and I think this toy would guarantee a nice long bath with lots of entertainment!
3) Boon Water Pipe Toys – I love these! This is another one that we haven’t bought yet, but this would be a great way to capitalize on Jackson’s current obsession with figuring out how things work and building things. You can attach them to create a long pathway for the water or just play with them individually – this would be another that he could really grow into as he could just get more complex with it as he learns how to use them better!
4) ALEX Water Flutes – We don’t have these (yet) but he would absolutely adore them! Jackson is big into musical instruments and these look like so much fun. I can see this being a toy that would last him for a good long time.
5) Munchkin Letters & Numbers Bath Toys – These are a lot of fun and they’re toys that I really think he’ll grow into them even more as he gets older. They stick really well to the sides of the tub, and it’s fun to spell things and play around with them.
6) Munchkin Bath Crayons – These have been the favorite by far for a long time. We’ve had to buy several sets because Jackson runs through them regularly. He loves to draw all over the tile and the tub, and he often asks me to color with him. We have to watch closely to make sure they don’t accidentally leave the bathtub, though, because then I end up with crayon on my walls, doors, and floor!
7) ALEX Hoops for the Tub – This was one of the first bath toys Jackson ever got and he still loves it! He’s obsessed with all things ball-related, so this is a guaranteed hit every time. This isn’t something we leave in the tub at all times, but he always loves it when we bring it out!
8) Sesame Street Tub Color Tablets – These were the magic key to get him loving bath time again! Jackson is absolutely enthralled with choosing a color for his bath – if he fights bathtime at all, we just have to ask him what color he wants his bath to be and he’s excited again. He’s also learning about mixing colors (there are only three color tablets but you can mix them to make different colors) which is a big plus for me!
9) Munchkin Sea Squirts Bath Toys – We have approximately a zillion different squirting bath toys and he loves them all. He’s played with these since he was a tiny little baby and they still make him really happy. I have to make sure to fully empty them every time we use them so we avoid mold (but maybe I’m just paranoid), but he absolutely loves them!
What are your favorite bath toys? Has your toddler ever gone through a bath-hating phase?
GOLD / cantaloupe / 6703 posts
We used the color tablets when my girl started hating the bath. Also, I just ordered the hoops you posted because I see her loving that; she and daddy love all things throwing related.
blogger / apricot / 250 posts
M’s favorite bath toys are similar to the first item in your list, they are different sized cups with holes on the bottom and he loves them. He also uses them to pour water on himself and drink out of them (I’m glad M isn’t the only toddler drinking bath water!).
cantaloupe / 6730 posts
The favourite bath toy right now is a tea set. LO got three plastic sets for her birthday and one day, I took part of one down to the tub for her (since who needs three teasets). She loves “pouring tea”!
admin / watermelon / 14210 posts
one thing that never got old was shaving cream painting in the tub!
clementine / 750 posts
We have and really like number 9. Another huge hit is a Daniel Tiger Boat just like the one Daniel is in the bath time part of the Bedtime book. We also have a small set of boats that hook together with magnets. Also we like the Green Toys Submarine.
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The M&D shark nets and fish are our number one. The Green toys tug boat and sub also big hits. As are the Colour tabs, crayons and the bath eggs that “grow” into little sponge things.
kiwi / 625 posts
It’s crazy how identical our timelines are with our kids! My son is two, and I could have written that part about letting my son pick his bath color. He was fighting baths and this is what got him into it as well. (And your recent post about ‘okay mama’. We were doing that a lot too – I couldn’t believe it when I read a whole post about it!)
grapefruit / 4235 posts
This one – he named the penguin “the captain” and I’m going to have to buy another one when it gets icky: http://www.target.com/p/munchkin-tug-along-boat-bath-toy/-/A-14323618?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=PLA_Baby%2BShopping&adgroup=SC_Baby&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=c&location=1024922&gclid=CM_5vPfmi8wCFVJahgodOAQCTQ&gclsrc=aw.ds