Bath time is one of my toddler’s favorite parts of the day. Splashing in the warm water, bubbles, and of course, amazing bath toys! I’ve compiled a list of three types of toys that my little one loves. We have tested each of these brands, and regularly use at least one toy in each category (noted further below). The best thing about each of these options is they offer educational value; they each promote some combination of fine motor skills, vocabulary skills, literacy, numeracy, and imaginative skills. Given this fact, these are toys that you’ll love as much as your child does. Continue below for a round up of some of our family's favorite options, along with ideas for helping your child learn during one of the best times of the day!
The Round Up
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The Shape Sorter Option:ALEX Toys Rub a Dub Sort 'n Spray Whale
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My little one loves this adorable whale shape sorter by ALEX Toys. The shape sorter promotes color and shape awareness and fine motor skills, while the whale itself has a water sprayer for extra splashy fun. While it only comes with three shapes, for a bathtub toy, it has been more than enough to keep my little one busy. You can help your toddler build vocabulary by labeling the shapes and colors, and by asking your child to match the shape or color you ask for. Shape sorters also promote problem solving skills!
The toy easily comes apart to dry, or retrieve the shapes inside.This is also a toy that can be used in a backyard kiddie pool.
The Boat Option: Green Toys
We love Green Toys because they are a sturdy, eco friendly brand. Their products are made from 100% recycled plastic, are typically labeled BPA free, and some are even dish washer friendly (like their tea set).
| We have thetug boat and submarine, and my toddler is obsessed with them. I also found an amazing ferry with cars that looks like a promising option, and given we also have a Green Toys Dump Truck that my kid loves and appreciate the quality of all three toys in our home, I'm confident it would be an excellent choice for your child. Each of these toys floats well, and have pouring spouts to help with hair washing and practicing pouring skills. Is there anything toddlers love more than pouring and dumping?! Probably not. These toys are amazing for building vocabulary related to colors (their simple color scheme makes labeling easy) and actions (such as up, down, pour, and scoop). They are also great for tons of imaginary play, and are easily dried and cleaned. These toys have also done well for outdoor summer play in our backyard kiddie pool. |
The Literacy/Numbers, or Puzzle Option
A last fun option my toddler loves are these Munchkin foam letters and numbers (they also make a safari version). The numbers and letters set helps build letter and number awareness (I didn't really need to tell you that, it's obvious!), as well as color vocabulary. Help your child learn phonemes (letter sounds) by sounding out the letters they play with, and asking them to repeat. As they become more knowledgable, ask them what sound a given letter makes. And as your child gets even older, you can also use the letters to spell simple words. These toys cling to the side of the tub when wet, and my kid loves arranging them in different sequences while I label. We are also working on rote counting using the numbers, and working on sequencing both numbers and the alphabet in correct order. The pieces are also quite large in size, which makes them extra easy for small toddler hands to use.
The safari version comes in multiple pieces, allowing your toddler to use the set as multiple puzzles. Perfect for building problem solving skills while playing in the tub! We've not used the safari version yet, but knowing the quality of Munchkin products and the letters/numbers set, I'm confident it would be a good choice.
Munchkin has a variety of other great toys for the bathtub and beyond. Be sure to check them out!
What is your little one's favorite bath time toy?
