Best Bath Toys for Babies and Toddlers
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The best bath toys for babies and toddlers make tub time a highlight of the day’s routine. More than fun, though, good bath toys help children’s physical and cognitive development. Actions like pouring, squirting, and squeezing develop their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. As they see what floats and what sinks, they begin to understand how and why things happen. Best of all, good bath toys encourage children to use their imagination, an important first step in developing the creative thinking skills which lead to problem solving.
A few simple bath toys will make everyone look forward to bath time at your house. You may not even need to buy anything! Bath toys are lurking in your kitchen drawers: measuring cups, turkey baster and a funnel are perfectly designed for water play. Cut a sponge into easy-to-grip strips—soaking and squeezing them can be entrancing for a baby. If you want to keep your kitchen supplies in the kitchen, look for used bath toys at garage sales or thrift shops, or check out our favorites. These bath toys from Amazon are all priced under $20.
Float and Play Bubbles
Why we like it: Children love trying to make these floating bubbles stay under the water, and watching the animals inside them wiggle and squirm as they pop right back up. Plus, with nowhere for water to get into them, there’s no chance these bath toys will mildew inside.
Stacking Toys and Organizer
Why we like it: This set has enough pieces for numerous ways to play: pouring, stacking, sorting, squeezing will thoroughly entertain the little ones. Plus, the included mesh sack makes storing the bath toys easy and convenient.
Little Boat Train
Why we like it: The appeal of these little boats is in their simplicity. They can be used to scoop and pour, or experiment with floating and sinking. They are also ideal for imaginative play in the tub! They can create a boat train to transport toy dinosaurs, or become boat friends who talk to one another as they explore the wilds of the bath water.
Munchkin Baby's First Bath, Bath Toy Set
Why we like it: This simple set has a little boat train similar to the one above, but includes two other bathtub staples. The wind-up scuba diver is easy for older toddlers to operate, and kids love watching it swim through the water. The rubber ducky helps keep bath time safe by revealing the word “Hot” when water is 104 degrees Fahrenheit or higher.
Fishing Set
Why we like it: The levels of difficulty in this set makes it an ideal investment for grandparents. Babies will love grasping the fish and pouring water from the containers. As they get older, they can use the net to catch the floating sea creatures. Eventually, they’ll have the coordination to hook the toys with the fishing pole. This set also comes with a hanging mesh bag to keep everything neatly stored away between baths.
If your grandkids will be taking baths at your house, having some of the best bath toys will make tub time a special event.
More to read before your grandbaby visits:
Renting Baby Equipment
What Grandparents Need to Know About Accidental Poisoning
What New Grandparents Need