Best Bath Toys for Babies and Toddlers
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- Best Baby Bath Toy : The First Years Stack Up Cup Toys
- Best Rattling Bath Toy : Munchkin Float and Play Bubbles Bath Toy
- Best Basic Bath Toy : Munchkin White Hot Safety Bath Ducky
- Best Bath Squirt Toy : The First Years Disney Baby Bath Squirt Toys, Finding Nemo
- Best Boat Bath Toy : Green Toys My First Tug Boat
- Best Bath Toy for Toddlers : Boon Chomp Hungry Whale
- Best Baby Bath Bucket : Skip Hop Zoo Stack and Pour Buckets
- Best Foam Bath Toys : Loovi Foam Bath Toys Puzzles Animals
- Best Book for Bathtime : 'Barnyard Bath!' by Sandra Boynton
Baby's first bath can be nerve-wracking for new parents. Placing a tiny newborn into a slippery tub is certainly not for the faint of heart. But as time goes on, most parents come to love the ritual of giving their baby a bath — and many babies can’t seem to get enough of it. In fact, bathtime can serve as a bonding experience as well as an integral part of your baby’s bedtime routine.
Bath toys aren't necessary for infants, but as he gets older, toys can help keep him engaged and happy during tub time. Before you know it, your teeny little baby will be splish-splashing around and ready to play with all sorts of bath toys.
Baby bath toys are available in many different styles and materials for various age ranges. In fact, there are nearly as many toys designed and developed for use in the bath as there are toys for outside it, which can make choosing the right ones tough.
The good news? Babies tend not to require the same level of aquatic entertainment as toddlers and bigger kids, so you can probably get at least a few smiles and splashes from just about any bath toy you tempt him with at first. He’ll likely grab, squeeze, lift and kick it — and maybe even give you some aww-worthy coos. As he gets older, he'll find more complex bath toys entertaining.
Choosing the best baby bath toy
When shopping for bath toys for your baby or toddler, it’s important to keep a few things in mind:
- Choose easy-to-dry shapes and materials: Bath toys get wet (that’s kind of the point….), so you’ll need them to dry quickly and completely to avoid mold and mildew from setting in. Avoid toys that seem hollow or have lots of nooks and crannies that might stay damp, and consider washing your bath toys every now and then with soap and water to keep them clean.
- Look for educational elements: Since bathtime will play an important role in your weekly or nightly routine with baby, you may want to consider bath toys that offer some sort of educational benefit, be it interesting textures, funny sounds or toys that help teach baby new vocabulary.
To help guide you in your search, here are the best bath toys for babies and toddlers that are sure to make your little one's bathing experience all the more joyous.
Best Baby Bath Toy
The First Years Stack Up Cup Toys
Recommended age: 6 months and up
These eight bright stacking cups (with holes in the bottom for water play) will occupy your baby throughout his first year. Little hands will love fitting toy cups together and running them under water. These ones also have big numbers on the bottom, infusing a little bit of education into bathtime. Plus, they’re BPA-, lead- and phthalate-free.
Weight: 4.9 ounces
Dimensions: 3.5 x 3.25 x 2.5 inches
Best Rattling Bath Toy
Munchkin Float and Play Bubbles Bath Toy
Recommended age: 4 months and up
If your little one is like most babies, he probably enjoys a toy that offers a playful rattle, shake or spin. Well, these sounds and motions are certainly not relegated to shore-only play. Each floating bubble in this set makes a unique noise that will encourage that sweet, gummy grin you love to see.
These bath toys are small enough for tiny hands to grasp and hold, and can float freely in the water, even if baby tries to sink them. Parents also love that they don’t attract mold, since there are no holes, cracks or crevices to trap water.
Weight: 3.2 ounces
Dimensions: 7 x 6.5 x 2.3 inches
Best Basic Bath Toy
Munchkin White Hot Safety Bath Ducky
Recommended age: Newborn and up
What’s more classic than a yellow rubber ducky? With a shape and size that’s easy for baby to grasp, your little one will love his new bath time pal. This duck also serves a purpose for parents: A safety disc on the toy reveals the word “hot” when the bath water is too warm for baby — all for a super affordable price!
Weight: 1.76 ounces
Dimensions: 3.62 x 2.76 x 2.91 inches
Best Bath Squirt Toy
The First Years Disney Baby Bath Squirt Toys, Finding Nemo
Recommended age: 6-18 months
Can’t wait to introduce your baby to Finding Nemo? Get started early with this movie-themed toy set, which includes three of the movie's main characters: Nemo, Dory and Squirt. Parents love that these bath toys are small enough for their little one’s tiny hands to grasp and hold, and that they’re made of durable materials.
Just keep in mind that like all squirt toys, the toys in this set need to be emptied after every bath and cleaned on a regular basis to make sure the inner chamber doesn’t get moldy.
Weight: 0.64 ounces
Dimensions: 4 x 2 x 2 inches
Best Boat Bath Toy
Green Toys My First Tug Boat
Recommended age: 6 months and up
Is your baby’s bath toy collection really complete if it doesn’t include a playful tugboat? This one is designed for little sailors who are eager to explore the ins and outs of the seas — which, for the time being, will be restricted to their bathtub.
Parents love that this toy boat is made from 100 percent recycled plastic milk containers and free of BPA, PVC and phthalates. The boat does have crevices, so it will need to be regularly cleaned. A plus, though, is that it’s dishwasher-safe.
Weight: 0.52 pounds
Dimensions: 4.5 x 9.25 x 4.5 inches
Best Bath Toy for Toddlers
Boon Chomp Hungry Whale
Recommended age: 10 months and up
If you’re looking for a toy that will entertain your baby well into toddlerhood, go for this pick from Boon. Babies will have a blast looking at the fun colors and shapes of the whale and three ring-shaped “sea creatures.” Once your child is old enough to control the whale’s mouth, she'll love making it gobble up the other creatures in the bath.
Weight: 2.82 ounces
Dimensions: 4.5 x 3 x 10 inches
Best Baby Bath Bucket
Skip Hop Zoo Stack and Pour Buckets
Recommended age: 9 months and up
Sometimes, the best bathtime solution is a simple one, such as a set of five friendly-faced buckets that let baby splash water around while you get her clean.
These buckets have different holes in the bottom that sprinkle water out, which should keep even the most easily-distracted baby engaged during bathtime. Once the bath is over, dry them off and stack them by the side of the tub.
Weight: 8.8 ounces
Dimensions: 3.4 x 3.6 x 2.9 inches
Best Foam Bath Toys
Loovi Foam Bath Toys Puzzles Animals
Recommended age: 3 years and up
These floating sea creatures will keep baby entertained while you scrub her down. The set comes with 16 underwater friends, such as a crab, seahorse, turtle, starfish and frog, which make for a great educational experience for baby. Parents also love that the set includes a fishing rod and mesh bag, which offers convenient storage (and drains easily to prevent mold).
Weight: 4.8 ounces
Dimensions: 10.5 x 1.7 x 10 inches
Best Book for Bathtime
'Barnyard Bath!' by Sandra Boynton
Recommended age: Newborn to 4 years
Meet the waterproof cousin of the classic baby book Barnyard Dance!, which you might remember from your own childhood. With a simple and easy-to-follow storyline, even younger babies will be entertained by this book. In addition to being waterproof, this bath toy floats!
Weight: 3.74 ounces
Dimensions: 7 x 1 x 7.38 inches
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