5 Tips for How to Make Toddler Bath Time the BEST Time

Bath time can be the most relaxing part of your day with your toddler. Or…it can leave you both wet, exhausted, and dirtier than when you started. Bath time is a necessary evil. Toddlers find unique ways to sully themselves each and every day. Getting messy means that they are having fun while learning and exploring their surroundings. Messes are okay! While getting dirty is half the fun, the other half should be bath time! Here is how to make bath time the best part of your day:

*This post includes affiliate links to Amazon. This post also includes a review of a product (the fabulous Snuggle Muffin Towel Ducky) in which I received a deep discount in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100% my own. Click here to read my disclosures. 

1. Be consistent

Toddlers are creatures of habit and love repetition. Try to schedule  baths at the same time every day. When toddlers know exactly what to expect, they are less likely to meltdown. You may have to try a few different times to determine what works best for your family. I discovered (the hard way) that scheduling bath time in the evenings did not work. Rather than relaxing my toddler, it riled her up! Moving bath time to the mornings turned out to be a better a choice and it is a great way to start our day.

2. Ask for help

Toddlers love to feel useful! Ask your toddler to help you prepare for bath time by gathering the towels, soap, and bubble bath while you run the water. Also ask for their help to clean up. You can have a Storage Basket filled with all of your necessary supplies and ask your toddler to unload it before their bath and refill it after bath time.

3. Make it FUN!

Bath time should be fun! I realize that bath time should be about getting clean, but I don’t mind allowing my toddler to get a little more messy before the actual washing begins. I LOVE Bathtub Fingerpaint Soap . Bathtub fingerpainting is seriously the best. Your toddler can color all over the walls and themselves and then the paints dissolve into soap. Actually, my toddler has just as much fun “erasing” her art work as she does creating it!

Toddlers love toys and using bath toys is the best way to actually get your little one’s hair shampoo’d without evoking World War III. My daughter has a toddler obsession with Frozen, thus our bath toy of choice is this Disney Frozen Bath Toy Set

As we all know, bubble bath makes every bath special. But you do not have to stop with just filling your tub with bubble bath. I love to blow bubbles while my daughter is in the tub. I ask her to try to pinch each one with her fingers which helps develop fine motor control and one-to-one correspondence. Bath time can be a time for fun AND learning!

4. Snuggle Up

*I received the following product at a deep discount in exchange for an honest review and ending up falling in love with it! 

As my daughter transitioned from babyhood to toddlerhood, I noticed that many of the products I was using were no longer as effective. Case in point, the hooded towel. The hooded towels I have been using since I received them at her baby shower no longer fit. I was only drying half of her body! On the other hand, adult-sized towels are far too large. She was lost in there! I received the Snuggle Muffin Hooded Bath Towel at a deep discount to try out to see if it would be the perfect fit for my toddler. It was!

Ta Da…this towel is the perfect fit!

It never failed. My daughter had a blast in the tub itself, but once I pulled her out, she was squirming and ready to get back on the move. A wet toddler running through the house is a safety hazard at worst and wreaks havoc on your floors and furniture at best. This towel keeps the fun rolling. It is velvety soft and gentle on skin. The ducky on the hood is the perfect blend of realistic and cartoon-like, which is very appealing for toddlers.

My toddler, having a full-on conversation with her duck towel

5. Lather Up

I live in an especially dry climate, so lathering up with lotion post-bath is absolutely necessary for both my toddler and I. Coconut oil is my go-to for everything from mildly dry skin to full blown eczema. I like to mix a bit of coconut oil with Burts Bees Baby Nourishing Lotion, Calming. It is emollient with the added bonus of a light lavender scent.

How do you make putting lotion on a toddler fun or even possible without them taking off in a full on sprint? Try the Hokie Pokie! “Put your right hand in and…lather it all up!” It works! Alternatively, you can allow your toddler to apply their own lotion.  This takes some training, so that your bathroom does not end up covered in sticky goop, but it is entirely possible.

A few more tips and tricks for parents:

1. Pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea…or maybe a little glass of wine to sip while your toddler plays. NEVER ever take your eyeballs off your child, but  you can model what relaxation looks like. If you are relaxed, your toddler will be, too.
2. Don’t be afraid to rock out. Spotify has great play lists for bath time. You can listen to everything from Kermit’s Rubber Ducky song to soft jazz.
3. Make sure to schedule in your own bath time. A bubble bath can do wonders to help you unwind after yet another hectic day as a toddler parent!