Last updated on July 1st, 2024 at 05:35 pm
Washing clothes is a chore. Doing dishes is a chore. Giving your kids a bath should not be a chore. Bathtime has become a lot of fun around our house, but it wasn’t always the case. There was a point when the physical act of getting twin #2 even close to the bathtub would have qualified me for the Olympic Wrestling Team.
Part of it may be that he hates getting water in his eyes. He’s also not a big fan of being interrupted when he’s playing with his cars or doing something else he enjoys. (But who is, right?!) Sometimes I think that we just didn’t make bathtime exciting enough to make him want to do it. My wife and I tried different tactics. I’ll be honest, I really can’t pinpoint exactly which one broke the proverbial camel’s back. What I do know is that a combination of these things work well for us and make bathtime more like an activity and less like a rodeo.
The Color Game
Every bathtime follows a routine. I start running the water, and getting the bubbles ready. The boys hear the water and start to get undressed. I found these great things called “color bath dropz”. They’re basically little tablets that turn the bathwater a different color. (Think dying Easter eggs without actually turning your kids different shades.) Before coming into the bathroom, the boys have to try and guess what color the water is. Even after they know the answer they still shriek with excitement when they actually see it.
Daddy/Sons Art Gallery
When we were out looking for bath toys to keep the boys entertained, I spotted bathtub crayons. Knowing that our sons love to color, (and that Dad has a bit of an art streak as well) we figured it was worth a try. They each pick a crayon, and color on the tub while Dad creates his masterpiece on the tiles above. (Usually a character from one of their television cartoons). They wipe off easily with a wet washcloth and your bathroom is ready for their next creation.
Toys Toys Toys
Make sure you have plenty of toys on hand. For example, we have different colored loofahs that have animated characters attached. They have a series of stackable cups they love pouring water in and out of. The bright shapes and hands-on approach of a Tubby Table are also a great distraction for nervous bathers. Of course, nothing is more fun than squirting your sibling with a rubber ball full of water. Make sure than any toy that can hold water can also be cleaned and dried out easily. Standing water inside a cute rubber ducky turns moldy quickly, and a bacteria carrying duck isn’t so cute anymore.
No Cry Goggles
Knowing that water in the eyes can’t always be avoided, we’ve opted for using swim goggles to make washing their hair tear-free. We also use what I like to call the count method. I can normally get their heads wet or the shampoo rinsed out with 3-5 large cupful’s of water. I have them count the cups with me as we are doing it. That way no matter how unpleasant they think it is, they also they know how soon it will be over.
Monkey Time
Once you’ve made taking a bath something they actually want to do, it then becomes difficult to get them OUT of the tub! We use the lure of warm fluffy hoodie towels. Ours happen to have monkey ears on top, so we call the drying off process “monkey-time.” I’ve even tossed the towels in the dryer before we get in the bathtub so they were nice and warm when the bath is finished. Now THAT’S a reason to get out of the tub!
Different kids are motivated by different things, but they all like to have fun. If you can pinpoint what will make taking a bath fun for them, there will be a lot less wrangling, and a bunch more laughing!
Kevin Zelenka is a freelance writer and the stay-at-home father of fraternal twin toddlers. He enjoys spending time with his wife and sons, attending meet-ups with other dads, and an occasional round of golf. He can be found in the kitchen making lunch and mindlessly singing cartoon theme songs, or on his blog where he shares stories about the struggles and triumphs of raising twins.
