Bath time is supposed to be fun, but for some toddlers and their parents, it becomes a fraught battle of wills, characterised by tears, tantrums and an absolute refusal to go anywhere near the bath. So how can you help your toddler learn to love bath time again?
Why is Your Toddler Afraid?
Try and work out why your toddler is afraid of bath time. Has something happened to make them fearful of the water? Is it because they dislike water in their eyes? Once you figure out the root cause of their anxiety, you can then look at ways to help them overcome their fears.
Timing Is Everything
Don’t turn bath time into a battle ground. Be firm and explain that it is time for bath and ignore any bad behaviour. For many toddlers, bath time is a precursor to bed time. If this is your usual routine, stick to the schedule and try to keep things drama free.
Make Bath Time Fun
If bath time is fun, your toddler will look forward to having a bath and he will be relaxed enough to go straight to bed afterwards. It may take a while to move from fear to fun, but as long as you don’t try and rush him you should be able to break the cycle.
- New bath toys might help entice him into the water to play.
- Give hair washing a miss if this is the problem – once he feels happier about being in the bath, you can try again.
- Bath crayons are fun for creative toddlers. They can use them to draw pictures on the bath, which should take their mind off their fears.
- Make bath time puppets – one puppet can bath them and the other can play games.
- Try reverting back to an infant bath until he feels more comfortable with having a bath.
- Add lots of bubble bath so the bubbles are climbing the walls and it seems like a magic bath.
- Add colour to the water.
Have a Communal Bath
Some toddlers feel more reassured about the whole bath time experience if they are not alone in the tub. If you have older children, let them join your toddler in the bath and make it a communal bath time. Your toddler is likely to enjoy it more if he can play with his older siblings. Alternatively, give him moral support by climbing into the bath with him. This will make him feel a bit safer.
After Bath Routine
Once bath time is over, wrap your toddler up in Threel cotton towels, dry his hair, and have some quiet time. If your toddler is able to associate bath time with something pleasant such as a story session or a nice cuddle with mummy and daddy, he will look forwards to it a lot more.
Most toddlers do grow out of their bath time fears eventually, so don’t despair if it feels as if every bath time is a major trauma. If it is really awful, skip the baths and give him a sponge bath for a few weeks. A bit of dirt won’t do him any harm.
