Hobbies And Interests
Traditional
For years mothers have relied on simple floating, usually plastic, items to entertain their little ones while in the bathtub. Basically, a bar of soap that floats and an animal-shaped washcloth can keep an imaginative tot busy for some time. The iconic rubber duck, which was put into song by Ernie on "Sesame Street," still tops the bath toy list. It is colorful, floats and can pop under the water for a submarine effect. It can also carry smaller items such as plastic animals or people on its back.
Those large plastic alphabet letters also top the list as do plastic boats and other floaty toys. You can quickly rinse colored plastic cups and dishes from the kitchen and store them back in kitchen cabinets.
As Advertised
Some toys that come highly recommended include a dunk and score basketball set that has a net with suction cups which adhere to the bathroom tile above the tub and a floating basketball. Squirty toys are always welcome, whether bugs that rest on a foam frog or octopi and fish on a tugboat. Floating blocks, foam critters and magnetic boats that attach to each other come highly touted as do stickers that adhere to the side of the tub.
Award Winners
A bath time toy recommended by Parents' Choice Foundation (the USA's oldest nonprofit guide to quality children's toys) that keeps the child occupied is a set of Bristle Blocks by Battat. These colorful squares and rectangles have been a favorite for years, and the new sets include patterned pieces, faces and pieces with legs.
Another Parents' Choice Approved bath toy features a tub city called Build a City Island, by Alex Toys, which has 41 foam pieces including buildings, people, trees and vehicles that easily connect to a floating foam base.
An Oppenhein Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award Winner for 2008, The Sprinkle N Spout Garden tub toy by Alex Toys mounts on the side of the tub and has a watering can, flower pot and three detachable flowers. Another winner is a tooting tugboat which toots in two tones when the smokestack is plunged under water.
Mom's Choice
Moms have their favorites also. Popular with moms are the musical toys such as the water flutes and drums by Alex and the Flow 'n' Fill Spout bath toy by International Playthings (a winner of the Parents' Choice Gold Award as well). Dirty Dogs by Alex have magic ink spots that scrub off, and these little guys squirt water, too. Net and floating water bugs by Boon are favorites, but moms especially appreciate duck and frog soap sacks and the Boon frog and bug pods that scoop, drain and store tub toys.