Safety First: What Every Parent Needs to Know
We know that safety is the priority of every parent and there are certain things to look out for when considering bath toys and playtime activities. One thing to keep an eye on is what your bath toys are made of, especially if you have a teething toddler who likes to put everything in their mouth.
Look for toys that are made with BPA and phthalate free plastics as these are additives that affect the rigidity of the plastic and are not good to be ingested. On a similar note, you’ll also want to make sure there are no small parts that can become detached and act as choking hazards. Check age guidelines on products to make sure they are suitable for your child before buying.
Toys that are easy to clean and can be air dried are ideal so that they don’t gather grime or mould. Be mindful of sealed holes where black mould can hide and check the toys regularly. It’s quite simple to maintain bath toys, just make sure to squeeze or drain them of as much water as possible and then leave to dry in well ventilated areas. For a more thorough clean, soak them in a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water for 10 to 15 minutes to disinfect or place dishwasher-safe toys on a hot cycle.
The Best Bath Toys by Age
The best bath toys evolve with your little one’s needs. Toys that they will enjoy for many months are the ones they can continually learn from and will encourage them to feel excitement over bathtime.
There are plenty of options to keep pre-schoolers entertained and finding things for their age is key to getting the most out of them. Here, we break down the ideal toys for different age ranges so that you can have terrific times in the tub.
Tiny Splashers (0-6 Months)
Your baby is just discovering water and so will be tentative and curious at the same time. Gentle sensory toys can really liven up every situation for them but you’ll want things that are easy to handle and not harsh on them or their skin.
With developing vision, large floating toys that are brightly coloured and easy to grab and hold are going to be winners. The classic rubber duckie, and variations on the theme, are fantastic for just this with their rounded and recognisable shape. The Vtech Float & Splash Duck Bath Toy is the evolution of the rubber duck, with light up buttons that trigger phrases and sing-along-songs to encourage first words.
Squirters are also a fun and durable way to play with water, simply plop them in the water and then give them a squeeze! With the Little Lot Bathtime Ocean Friends, you can play with an assortment of sea creatures, or the Early Learning Centre Squirting Buddies offer up other water dwelling animals to splash and spray with.
Confident Sitters (6-12 Months)
Baby can now sit up and start exploring on their own, and the bath can become a testing ground for delightful discoveries. The water itself becomes something to experiment with and pouring it becomes fascinating fun.
Stacking cups, and toys that stick to walls are going to capture little imaginations with items like Bathtime Scoop & Pour Buckets helping create gentle cause and effect whilst bringing bright and colourful fun, making them some of the best bath toys for toddlers.
Toddler Scientists (1–3 Years)
As toddlers grow, they’ll start to want toys that do a bit more, so things that move and can be interacted with will hold their attention a little longer than others. Games and things that float will bring problem solving to life and early learning opportunities can be seized upon with educational toys and games.
You can find all sorts of bath floats themed around their favourite characters, such as Peppa Pig and Bluey, that will intrigue and excite bringing lots of laughter to bathtime. Elevate keeping clean into time with familiar faces and teach them about buoyancy.
Bathtime alphabet and stickies bring tactile fun to learning letters and numbers, where little ones can stick the wet tiles to the tub and learn as they play. Brilliant as a way to encourage literacy and numeracy whilst entertaining and cleaning all at the same time.
Big Kid Bathers (3+ years)
As young imaginations start to flourish, bath time can become story time with toys that support story telling. Items that help build a narrative whilst making the most of the water all around can be a great way to nurture creative thought.
Toys like the Tomy Toomies Bath Barista toy are perfect for bathroom café roleplay as you can fill it up with bubbles, froth the water and play at serving up some soapy beverages, mirroring mummy and daddy in the kitchen or just playing with the fantastic twisting dials.
Alternatively, bring exciting nautical moments to life with the Happyland Bath Time Boat. Steer soapy stories of the captain and his boat helping the diver discover the depths or have a whale of a time with the included whale toy who chomps along. Make your own stories up and fuel imaginations whilst developing social skills.
How to Make Bath Time Learning Fun
An engaging environment can make for fun play times as well as a fantastic learning opportunity. As such, these moments in the bath present an opportunity to teach many things without it even being recognisable as a lesson.
Squeezing, pouring and scooping water all build hand muscles needed for fine motor movements and handwriting later in life, so having fun with toys like the Splish Splash Mega Ocean Bath Toy can really contribute to building on those movements. Different textures and temperatures also provide sensory exploration and help how their actions affect the environment around them.
Likewise, figuring out how things sink or float helps a developing sense of problem solving, and is an early way to promote scientific thinking. A 7-in-1 Activity Octopus and its included activities adds up to exciting ways to explore shape-sorting, counting and water play fun. Counting and colours can be further explored with coloured foam shapes and rubber ducks, as well as bath books and other activities so something that combines those, like the Little Lot Bathtime Colour Change Bath Book, is sure to capture the attention of curious little minds.
How to Store Bath Toys (Without the Mess)
With so many wonderful bath toys available, you may worry about how you store them easily, safely and hygienically, but there are some simple solutions to help organise those watery playtimes.
Keeping a few toys in rotation helps keep playtimes fresh and exciting, whilst also meaning you have fewer playthings to organise at one time. Keep different toys at the ready and rotate them in and out of use to maximise the enjoyment of them.
When storing toys that have been used in the bathroom, quick dry solutions are going to be optimal. Mesh bags can aid in air drying the toys and can be easily hung from hooks or with suction cups. Corner caddies and over the bath storage also help with making the most of the room you’ve got.
A weekly cleaning routine will keep mould and wear to a minimum and making sure items are as dry as possible before being put away will help keep them in top condition for longer. The occasional toy will need to be replaced because of wear or maybe even mould, if it doesn’t get enough ventilation, but this is nothing to worry about as long as you remove it in good time.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bath Toys
How often should I clean bath toys?
You’ll want to rinse toys and squeeze them out after every use, trying to get them as clean and dry as possible each time. Scrubbing them of residue will help keep them for longer and soaking them in a vinegar water solution to thoroughly disinfect should probably happen about once a week. Busy parents may not have the time for this though and should keep a careful eye on dirt and mould to make sure none is in any crevices of the toys. Dispose of any if that is the case and try and dry toys thoroughly before putting them back into storage.
What age can babies play with bath toys?
All babies develop at different rates so understanding your babies needs comes from knowing how their development is coming along. Newborns need only short baths as they aren’t yet able to regulate their temperature, so it’s typically around the 6 months mark that babies start to enjoy longer bath times and can enjoy splashing around with toys. Always make sure to check the manufacturers recommended age range on each toy and supervise your baby in the tub at all times.
How do I remove mould from bath toys?
If the signs of mould are starting to develop, clean them with disinfectant wipes or sit them in vinegar until all the mould is dissolved and then rinse them off. However, if the mould is in hard-to-reach places or the toy is simply in inadequate shape, it’s fine to remove and replace. We know children have their favourite toys, but safety comes first, and they’ll soon find something else they adore just as much.
Are foam bath letters safe?
Foam bath letters are safe if they are properly maintained. Make sure that you buy ones that are easy to clean, with some being machine washable, and thoroughly dry them between use. Most are made from non-toxic materials but make sure you purchase from reputable brands to ensure this.
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