Making Bath Time Fun

When your child hates baths, it is so tempting to let him go for weeks without one. However, being a good parent means forcing your youngster into the tub at least a couple of times a week in order to keep him from stinking! Here are a few ideas on how to make bath time more appealing.

First of all, see if it is actually the bath that your child hates or if he just doesn't like being told when to take one. Try this simple technique to find out if it is just a power issue: Tell him he needs to have two baths a week and he gets to pick which day to take them, as well as what time. If he happily chooses when and where and then goes right to the bath, you know that it is simply a power issue and you can continue to use this method effectively.

You might also want to see if he prefers to take a shower instead of a bath. Some children view baths as something for babies, seeing that their parents take showers, so offer to let him take a shower in place of his regular bath.

If the reluctance really is because of the bath, then it is time to switch tactics. There are plenty of fun things to do in the tub and they will often distract your child enough to get him semi clean in the process of playing!

Try making bath time bubble time. Add a capful of tearless shampoo to the running water to cause loads of foam in the tub, then get out the bubble blowing equipment and blow bubbles for your child to play with while he bathes. You can make sudsy beards and hairstyles as well, or get some plastic dishes and let your child create foamy dishes.

Adding a few drops of food coloring to the water makes the bath look a lot more interesting and won't stain your child's skin (just don't add a whole bottle!). Let him choose the color each time, or you could even mix colors. Give him a container of blue water and one of yellow and he can mix them once he is inside the tub to make green. Alternatively, if you have troubles actually washing your child, add the coloring to the liquid soap so he will have to use it in order to have colored water.

A set of fun bath toys is always a good idea. These don't have to be anything fancy, just little plastic containers for dipping and pouring, a rubber duck or other little animal and perhaps a wind-up boat or two are fine. These toys should only be allowed in the tub. This makes them special and your child might even start looking forward to his bath in order to be able to play with his special toys.

Yet another fun way to add interest to bath time is to buy bath paints. These are actually soaps that come in fun shapes or even in roll-on form so your child can "paint" his body or the tub and come out clean!

By making bath time fun, you can often avoid a lot of tantrums and problems. Plus, your bath-resistant child won't smell for days at a time! Try the ideas above and see if your little one doesn't start looking forward to his baths.