Searching for exciting bath activities for toddlers to keep your little one busy? Then you’re going to love this mega-list of fun ideas for bathtime!

As a mom myself, I know firsthand the importance of making every moment count with my little ones, and this list of bath activities for toddlers can save your sanity and give you quality time opportunities too! Bath time has always been one of my favorite moments to spend with my kids.
Not only is it an opportunity to bond with them, but it’s also a great place for them to learn and develop new skills. I really have discovered that bath time can actually be transformed from a simple hygiene routine into a fun and engaging experience for toddlers.
With a little bit of creativity and some simple DIY toys, you can turn your child’s bath into an exciting adventure that will have them looking forward to their nightly routine.
So today, I’ll be sharing my favorite bath time activities that have made my kids’ bath time routine a fun and educational experience.
From pretend play to science experiments, there’s something for every little one to enjoy in the tub.
Let’s dive in –
Bath Time Games for Toddlers
Here are some of our favorite fun bath time games for toddlers:
- Alphabet Soup – Fill the bath with foam letters and let your child fish them out and spell words.
- Ice Fishing – Freeze small toys in ice cubes and let your child fish them out with a net.
- Road Sign Recognition – Use small toy road signs and have your child identify them while driving toy cars in the bath.
- Farm Animal Match – Use plastic farm animals and have your child match them with their corresponding sound.
- Bathtub Water Wall – Use pool noodles and plastic cups to create a water wall for your child to pour water down.
- Pirate Treasure Hunt – Hide small toy treasure and let your child search for it using a map.
- Bath Time Bowling – Use shampoo bottles as bowling pins and a small ball to play a game of bowling.
- Rubber Duck Races – Use plastic containers to create a race track for rubber ducks.
- Bubble Bath Foam Party – Use a plastic handheld mixer to create a foam party in the bath.
- Water Balloon Toss – Fill water balloons with bath water and play a game of toss with your child.
- Splash and Catch – Have your child catch objects thrown at them in the bath.
- Basketball – Use a small ball and a toy hoop to play a game of basketball.
- Musical Bath Time – Play music and have your child dance and sing along in the bath.
- Soap Boat Races – Use a bar of soap and a straw to create boats and race them in the bath.
- Color Matching – Use different colored plastic cups and have your child match objects to their corresponding color.

Pretend Play In The Bathtub
Pretend play is a fun and engaging way for toddlers to use their imagination and creativity during bath time. Here are 20 pretend play activities that your little one will love:
- Pirate Adventure – Use toy ships and pretend to sail the high seas, looking for treasure.
- Tea Party – Use plastic teacups and pretend to have a tea party in the bath.
- Hair Salon – Use toy combs and brushes to pretend to give each other haircuts.
- Underwater Exploration – Use toy sea creatures and pretend to explore the depths of the ocean.
- Firefighter Rescue – Use toy firetrucks and pretend to rescue people and animals from the water.
- Doctor Visit – Use toy stethoscopes and pretend to give check-ups and make your child’s toys feel better.
- Safari Expedition – Use toy animals and pretend to go on a safari adventure in the bath.
- Zoo Visit – Use toy zoo animals and pretend to visit the zoo in the bath.
- Beach Day – Use toy sandcastle sets and pretend to build sandcastles at the beach.
- Fishing Trip – Use toy fishing rods and pretend to catch fish in the bath.
- Dinosaur Adventure – Use toy dinosaurs and pretend to explore a prehistoric world in the bath.
- Astronaut Training – Use toy spaceships and pretend to train to be an astronaut in the bath.
- Circus Show – Use toy circus animals and pretend to put on a circus show in the bath.
- Superhero Training – Use superhero capes and masks and pretend to train to be a superhero in the bath.
- Racecar Driver – Use toy racecars and pretend to race around the bath.
- Chef’s Kitchen – Use toy kitchen utensils and your plastic food set and pretend to cook and bake in the bath.
- Fashion Show – Use toy dress-up clothes and pretend to put on a fashion show in the bath.
- Music Concert – Use water-safe toy musical instruments and pretend to put on a concert in the bath.
- Garden Tea Party – Use toy flowers and pretend to have a garden tea party in the bath.

Artistic Bath Activities for Toddlers
Artistic activities can be a great way to engage your toddler’s creativity and imagination during bath time. Here are some fun creative, artsy bath activities for toddlers:
- Bath Crayons – Let your child use bath crayons to draw and color on the bathtub walls.
- Homemade Bath Paint – Mix food coloring with shaving cream or bath gel to create a colorful paint that your child can use to create art on the bathtub walls.
- Foam Letters and Shapes – Use foam letters and shapes to spell words and create designs on the bathtub walls.
- Handheld Mirror – Give your child a handheld mirror to use to create self-portraits or to explore their own features.
- Glow Sticks – Turn off the lights and add glow sticks to the bath water for a fun and artistic glow-in-the-dark experience.
- Ice Painting – Freeze ice cubes with food coloring and let your child use them to paint on the bathtub walls.
- Sponge Boats – Create simple sponge boats by cutting sponges into boat shapes and letting your child decorate them with markers or stickers.
- Shampoo Bottle Art – Fill empty shampoo bottles with water and food coloring to create a colorful spray that your child can use to create art on the bathtub walls.
- Bath Foam – Add bath foam to the bath water and let your child use it to create sculptures and designs.
- Jeweled Rose – Use craft jewels to create a rose design on the bathtub wall.
- Alphabet Soup – Use foam letters to create words and sentences on the bathtub walls.
- Foam Sheets – Cut foam sheets into different shapes and let your child use them to create art on the bathtub walls.
- Legos – Let your child use Legos to create sculptures and designs on the bathtub walls.
Bonus Ideas for Reluctant Bathers
If your little one isn’t a fan of bath time, try incorporating these fun activities to make the experience more enjoyable:
- Glow Party – These little glowing bath toys are what started my whole obsession with bath time fun! They are little cubes that light up and glow and change color in the bath. They only glow when they’re submerged, so my son absolutely loves taking them up, putting them back in the water to watch them light up, fishing them out with this little net, and trapping them in these fun little lidded cups.
- Pool Noodle Bath – Cut pool noodles into small pieces and let your child use them to build and create in the bath water.
- Technicolor Bath – Add a few drops of color to the bath water to make it more visually appealing and fun – while there are tons of different bath coloring products out there, I like these bath bombs the best because they’re non-toxic.
- Turkey Baster – Give your child a turkey baster and encourage them to use it to squirt water and make bubbles in the bath water.
- Farm Animals – Bring in some plastic farm animal toys to make bath time a fun and imaginative experience. Be sure to choose a set that is solid, without any holes to prevent mold from growing inside.
- Road Signs – Use toy road signs to create a fun and interactive roadway on the side of the bath for your child to play with.
- Soup Ladles – Give your child a few soup ladles to use in the bath water to make bubbles and experiment with water flow.
Lastly, make sure the bath water is at the right temperature to ensure your child is comfortable and happy and keep a warm and dry towel nearby to quickly dry your child off after the bath, making the experience more comfortable and enjoyable.
The Best Bath Activities for Toddlers
As a busy mom, I know firsthand how bath time can sometimes be a struggle with reluctant or cranky toddlers. But with the right activities and tools, it can quickly become a favorite and exciting part of your child’s day!
From spray bottles to squirt guns, sponge boats to bathtub water walls, there are endless simple ways to make bath time a fun and engaging activity for your toddler. Incorporating fun bath time activities such as DIY bath toys, bath time science experiments, and Lego bath bombs can help stimulate their imagination, develop their physical coordination and hand-eye coordination, and even encourage their artistic side.
And the best part is, you can easily find many of these items on Amazon, making it convenient to introduce new toys and activities to your child’s bath routine. So next time you’re looking to add some extra fun to your toddler’s bath time, try out some of these great ideas and watch them enjoy their warm and bubbly little Picasso time while creating their own stories with the little ducks, farm animals, or even road signs. Happy bathing!
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