5 Must-Haves for a No-Fuss Toddler Bath

You anxiously turn on the faucet filling the tub with warm water, rubber duckies and all the necessary body washes…calling out to your kids for “bath time.” Then you hear it: footsteps darting in the opposite direction, with screaming wails, “Noooo!” as you struggle to undress your toddler for a simple bath….

No one wants to picture that dreaded scene during bath time, especially when your toddler really needs to get clean.

Luckily, I’ve found a few tips that have helped end our bath time struggles. In fact, nowadays when we utter “bath” our two boys jump for joy and race to find their favorite bath toys. What a difference time and a few adjustments have made!

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1. Toys

This should be a no-brainer. To make bath time less of a “chore” for toddlers means making it all about fun play time rather than just getting clean. But don’t grab any old bath toys. Think of the toys that your child enjoys playing with most. Is it animal figurines? Under the sea creatures? Stacking cups? Whatever it is, make sure you incorporate those into bath time. Once those favorite toys are part of the process, bath time will just mean fun water time :).

2. Toy Storage

Now that you’ll have an assortment of toys cluttering your bath (hehe), you’ll need to find a little space to store them neatly for easy access next time.

We’ve tried several toy storage ideas, but really love our Whale Sea Scooper!! Not only is it a fun-looking bright addition to the bathroom, it is also large and sturdy enough to hold a number of our favorite bath creatures.

My boys love using it to scoop up all the other animals come clean-up time. The holes allow the whale to drain water so toys dry quickly.

Another plus? You can easily attach it to the wall to make room for all the splashin’ around.

3. Tear-Free Wash

It goes without saying, that a shampoo/conditioner or body wash used on little ones should be tear-free. Although it can be tempting to buy a wash based on the cute character packaging, if it contains harsh chemicals that can irritate the skin or eyes, it should be avoided.

I love to keep it simple with Aquaphor baby wash — perfect for delicate skin and won’t provoke unnecessary tears.

4. Tear-Free Rinse

For some reason, my kids HATE when it comes time to wash their hair. They are fine with splashing about and making all sorts of water mess, but anytime the water touches their heads it’s a different story. That’s why I have to be very cautious and gentle when rinsing shampoo from their little heads.

In the past, I tried a few things that didn’t quite work: a washcloth (which didn’t quite get all the suds out) and of course, a regular cup for rinsing (which only caused more tears!).

But when I started using this Rinse Cup from Nuby, the number of tears dropped dramatically! The tear-free edge is soft and contoured so it can be gently placed against the skin to help prevent water from running into baby’s eyes while rinsing their hair. That is simply genius! I wish I had discovered this cup a few years ago!!

5. Safety Accessories

Safety in the water is major deal so I couldn’t leave it off the list. Besides keeping an eye on kids while they play in the bath and monitoring water temperatures, it’s important to make sure that any injuries are avoided. Whether that means adding a no-slip mat the tub or making sure the faucet is covered with a little cushion like this adorable Hippo Water Spout Guard, safety shouldn’t be neglected.

This spout cover is perfect for protecting little heads from accidents as they focus on the water fun around them.  We love how the hippo’s mouth can alternate between free-flowing water and a spray water from the hippo’s nostrils — keeps things entertaining :)!

So if you haven’t yet found a way to simplify the bath time process, make a few small adjustments like these to see how much fun bath time can become for everyone!

What are some bath time must-haves your family uses?

Disclosure: I received products samples from Nuby to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.