Bath time has always been one of Wyatt’s favorite parts of the day. When he was an infant and would cry just because, I would give him baths to soothe him. He loved the running water and a warm washcloth on his belly. And now our little water bug would spend hours playing in the bath if we’d let him! As part of our bedtime routine from birth, (check out our whole bedtime routine HERE), bath time is a signal the day is winding down, a time to reconnect and recap our day.
However, this relaxing and stress-free time can sometimes feel like a chore or just another thing to do on our never ending list. Life is stressful, but bath time shouldn’t be. I’m partnering with Ivory to share my 5 tips for a better, more enjoyable bath time.
Mix Up Your Toys & Introduce Sensory Play
So many kids love water play and bath time is always more fun with props. Wyatt has a variety of bath toys that, like his regular toys, we swap out every once in a while to keep it fresh. Even things around the house like kitchen utensils help mix it up a little…think strainers, whisks and even water bottles! We also do a lot of bubble baths, but also blow real bubbles in the bath too, it’s lots of fun and no mess if your little one wants to help blow.
Sometimes we do bath time as a playtime activity and add items to help our fine motors skills or sensory development. We use sponges, toothbrushes and paintbrushes to “wash” toys or shaving cream to “paint” the tub walls. The options are endless! Right now I also let Wyatt splash as much as he wants. I’m sure there will come a day I regret this, but he’s still little and it’s fun to let him explore his environment.
Use Products You Can Trust
I don’t want to worry if the products I’m using to wash my child are dangerous or bad for his skin. We love using Ivory products, they are pure, gentle, and have been trusted for generations. The Ivory Original Body Wash and the Ivory Original 3-bar are free of dyes and heavy perfumes, and don’t dry Wyatt’s skin out, even in the winter. I also love the Ivory Free & Gentle Body Wash with Pear & Sandalwood because it contains the #1 Dermatologist-Recommended moisturizing ingredient, and these northeast winters can really do a number on my skin!
Use Bath Time to Check Multiple Things Off Your Bedtime Routine
We also use bath time to teach Wyatt about good hygiene. Right now that’s identifying body parts as we wash them and brushing his teeth right in the tub. And to be honest, it somehow feels better to check bath time and teeth brushing off during one activity! There is also nothing worse than bending over to pick up a tub full of toys after baby is in bed, so at the end of every bath we sing the clean up song, (“clean up, clean up everybody everywhere” …is it stuck in your head yet?) and have Wyatt put his toys in the toy caddy before we drain the water and take him out.
Play Music
If you know our family, we have music playing all over the house all day long. We have an Echo in just about every room. Wyatt loves jamming out to anything and he’s always up for a spontaneous dance party. Music during bath time, whether it’s bath themed tunes, relaxing bedtime music, or just a little top 40, makes that time even more enjoyable for us.
Make It A Flexible Part of Your Routine
From time to time the bath starts to feel like a chore. If I notice that happening I try to change up our routine a bit. Sometimes we’ll do bath time just for cleaning purposes and make it a quick in-and-out and other times we’ll have Wyatt shower with one of us (he’s a baby so that works still.) If I know bath time won’t happen in the evening because of other plans, or we just need a change of pace (especially in these winter months when we’re stuck inside), I build bath time in as a playtime activity in the morning or midday. It doesn’t always have to be for a long chunk of time or at the same time every day, especially if your child is old enough to not need a strict bedtime routine.
Thank you to Ivory for sponsoring this post. They are a trusted family brand making pure and simple products, and we all need a little more simplicity in our lives these days!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Ivory. The opinions and text are all mine.
What do you think?