Tips For Bathing Toddlers

Bathing toddlers can be a fun and easy process. It is important to keep your toddler clean and healthy. Bathing is a critical part of this. My little boy has always loved to take a bath ever since he was born. Most toddlers look at bath time as a FUN time to play. They don't realize that at the same time their little bodies are getting nice and clean:)

There are some toddlers who do not like to take a bath. The good news is that this may change during this toddler stage and they could begin to like bath time. Until that time comes the name of the game is to use distractions. Here is a list of some distractions you can try to make bath time fun for your toddler and easier for you.

Some great distractions that can be used are as follows:

1. Bubbles. This is a given. Every toddler loves bubbles. Use their baby body wash as the bubble bath. Never use regular bubble bath or shampoo. It may hurt their little eyes or skin. Only use the same stuff you wash their little bodies with. Just a little bit of bubbles makes all the difference. It keeps them laughing and distracted.

2. Toys. Any kind of bath toys are FUN when bathing toddler. Especially the ones that fill with water and squirt the water back out. My son would get so tickled when I squirted the water back at him. You can buy toys and keep them specifically for "Tubby Time". Boats and duckies are a classic and still a hit with any child. It is so funny because my son is 3 now and at bath time he has more toys in the tub than water. (This is just a figure of speech LOL). You see my point he has grown to love his toys in the bath tub with him. It makes it fun for them and especially if your toddler is uncomfortable taking a bath.

3. Bath Paints and Bath Chalk. These are really great, but we do not use them every day. They are fun but sometimes can get a little messy. You can designate a day of the week for chalk and paint. It is fun for them to draw on the sides of the tub or shower walls.

You also have to remember to take certain safety precautions EVERY time your toddler takes a bath. These are very very important to ensure their safety at all times while in the bath tub.

1. Water Temperature. I can't stress this enough. Always test the water before you place your toddler in the tub. Use warm water. It should not feel hot to you. Remember when bathing toddler you cannot bathe your child in the same temperature of water you may use. It can burn them. Children are sensitive to hot water. My son likes the tub water to be a little on the cold side. So use caution and be careful when selecting the appropriate water temperature.

2. Water Level. There should only be a few inches of water in the tub. That is all that is needed. Toddlers can potentially drown in a small amount of water so be careful and judge appropriately.

3. NEVER leave your toddler unattended in the bath tub not even for a second.

4. Never allow your toddler to stand up in the tub during bathing time.

5. Invest in spout covers and a Bath Mat. The spout covers are fantastic!! They will cover the spout and the hot and cold water. This way in case your toddler hits their head on the spout it is covered and they are less likely to get injured. Also with the hot and cold water knobs they will not be able to turn the water on by accident. Prevention is the key. Make sure you have a kid friendly bathmat in the bottom of the tub also to keep them from slipping.

Something else I would like to share is about other additional items that are important to have for toddler bathing.

1. Toddler Soap. Use baby wash for their body and hair. My toddler is 3 and I still use baby wash when bathing him. It's great because the wash does not hurt his eyes and it also washes his hair at the same time. This way you only need to buy one product instead of two. The adult bath soap also tends to dry out their skin so just stick with the baby wash. Plus you can use the same baby wash for BUBBLES in the tubby. You see baby wash is the best and has so many great uses!

2. Infant Wash Cloths. My son is 3 and I still use the baby wash cloths. I love them. They are thinner and great to use. I always use two wash cloths when bathing toddler. One I use to wash his hands face and body. The other I use to wash his bottom and private areas. This is a personal choice just remember if you only use one washcloth than wash their face first and their bottom last.

3. Nail Brush. Dirt can collect under their fingernails and this is great to wash all of those germs out of there. Cleanliness and sickness go hand in hand so keeping fingernails clean is important.

4. Toddler Towels. The towels with the hoods on them are great!! You can wrap them up after their done and their whole body is covered. Then you can dry them off well and they are ready to go!! I have purchased lots of these towels and they are Nice!!

It is important to settle into your own personal routine when it comes to bathing toddler. Always remember safety first. Make it FUN for them. and before you know it, they will LOVE bath time.