Not so long back Hector went through a stage of really hating having a bath. His resistance started approximately a week before we were due to go on holiday to Italy and then continued for about three weeks before petering out as quickly as it had begun.

I’m not going to lie. It left Ste and I utterly bewildered as to where this near phobia had come from and how long this phase was going to last. At least we hoped it was a phase because with all the will in the world it was going to be nigh on impossible to keep Hector clean without a shower or bath being involved in the equation somewhere along the line.

I panicked a bit. Well A LOT. For those three weeks, it was pretty much a torture for both Hector and for us as we battled to soap away the day’s activities from him. And don’t even get me started on the hair washing. We’d gone from a total water baby to a child that would start kicking off as soon as the taps started running. In the hopes of trying to make his bath that little bit more fun I spent a couple of evenings on the internet scouring for toys to put the joy back into our end of day routine.

Whether it worked, I’m not sure. He was sceptical about the various contraptions I bought for him initially but now he’s back to his water loving ways and plays with them with aplomb. In case any of you mamas were experiencing the same scenario I thought I’d share some of the toys I bought and some which I’ve subsequently found (which look pretty awesome!) in the hopes of helping you out.

Let’s get started…

Skip Hop

One of the first things I bought to help with the dreaded hair washing was this Whale themed jug by Skip Hop and available at John Lewis. It’s been an absolute godsend in that Hector likes to play with it for hours (we did have a stage where he was lobbing water over the side of the bath which wasn’t such a good idea) and it’s especially handy when rinsing shampoo out of his hair. That said I wouldn’t say it was completely foolproof at keeping water off his face but the curved rim definitely makes things easier.

These pouring and stacking buckets from the same brand are decorated with five different animals and between them have three different sprinkle effects which I know Hector would love. Use them individually to pour water into each other or stack them up to make an animal totem pole once playtime is over.

ELC

Staying on the water sprinkling theme I spotted these seaside themed pour and play toys from ELC which incorporates four different toys that squirt and spin by attaching onto the side of the bath with suction cups. You can squirt water with the duck, fish and frog, pour water onto the sun to watch it spin and scoop water into the funnel, turn the valve and watch it pour out again. Plenty of fun to keep the kids entertained for minutes at a time!

Tomy

I’ve literally just invested in this Tomy set of Octopals for Hector and I’m eagerly awaiting its delivery through the front door.

Apparently this colourful bath toy is several bath toys in one! Octopals features a parent floating octopus that acts as a pouring cup and her eight numbered babies provide even more fun in the tub as children stick them to the sides of the bath or tiles.

Each individual mini octopus acts as a water squirter and features a different number that corresponds to a number on the base for number matching. Educational and fun to boot!

Plui at Archie’s Boutique

The lovely Becky bought this cloud shaped toy as a gift for (a much younger) Hector back when he was small and he’s always been entranced by the magical rain drops that flow out of the bottom.

Beautifully simple and made from durable plastic, its design allows for easy cleaning as it snaps into half to allow you to scour away any mould that has accumulated inside. Placing your finger over a small hole at the top can be used to stop and start the flow of water which keeps littles entranced for hours!

Munchkin

Munchkin seems to have cornered the market in bath toys; I was pretty much in my element when I stumbled across their site and they have everything from Bath Crayons to mermaid dolls. I’ve tried to restrain myself though and limit this post to three items but you really need to check out their site for more inspiration.

I’m so tempted to buy Hector the bath crayons which apparently can be used to draw on tiles or bath porcelain and which easily wash off once playtime is over. My only fear though is that he’d be tempted to continue the fun on the bedroom walls too…

The shape sorter really is such a brilliant idea for keeping toddlers entertained whilst learning new things too. The set includes five colourful shapes to sort, scoop, pour and strain and teaches little ones their colours, numbers and shapes all whilst floating in the bath. We love it!

And lastly the mermaid I mentioned? Well apparently she really swims. All you need to do is to pull back her crown and she will flap her tail to swim away. Amazing! Why didn’t they make toys this cool when I was small?

Meadow Kids

Lastly who doesn’t want to play dress up in the bath? Well now you can using these clever bath stickers designed by Meadow Kids. Including two ‘dolls’ with thirty fashion accessories including everything from hairstyles to tennis rackets, these foam shapes float on water and stick to the bathroom tiles when wet. The set comes complete in a net bag for easy storage when not in use.

And that’s it? Have any of you experienced a fear of the bath with your littles? How long did it last? And are there any bath toys we simply must know about? Why not tell us more in the comments box below…

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