Why should kids should waste precious water immersion time to try to
read books , or race cars , or build blocks on water?
Or most unnerving - squeeze out ear-piercing squeaks that get amplified into jet engine blasts in the bathroom - while irremovable mold is silently growing inside? Yuck!
Most of the bath toys I researched are just adaptations of land toys - not made for water play! Here's my advice for maximizing bath time adventure with minimal effort...
Every bathtub is a well-equipped indoor laboratory.
With just water and soap, the bath tub is where kids can investigate the mysteries of floating, pouring, spilling, bubbles, and vacuum.
What could be better than actually being immersed in water for great scientific experimenting?
I still remember the fascination of watching tiny bubbles cling underwater on my knees, and dislodging them one by one to float to the surface...
Here's some of my simple, bare-budget collection that provides fun in the tub for GrandKids of all ages: a casually curated collection of emply bottles, leaky sippy cups with straws, leftover tea set cups, and, my favorite, a sand spiller adapted for tub use...
And I store them hanging out of sight to dry in a self-aerating laundry bag, until next time...
So in my 'GrandGifting Search and Find' for bath toys only a few items rated better than these...
Here are my recommendations for adding to your collection:
'Water Works': A Real Water Toy!
Don't panic when the pieces arrive unassambled in this box!
The value of the Water Works construction kitis that the kids get to arrange the water wheel, pouring cup, and reservoir tank with 6 various twisty, straight, and stair water chutes to create continual variations of their own water cascades.
Caution: I saw one customer complaint that the chutes didn't fit together, so they thought it didn't work. Unfortunately they missed the point which is that the challenge, and the fun, is for kids to create cascades of water as illustrated in the picture above.
From Customer Reviews: "My son has had this toy for over a year and it's still his favorite bath toy. There are endless ways to play with it, and its design is brilliant... Even the shut-off valve still works after being banged and thrown and otherwise abused by my "Bam Bam" son. He enjoys figuring out all the different ways to create "water rollercoasters" and mixes them in during play with other bath toys. Definitely worth every penny! ($19.99)
I find that sand toys make some of the best water toys because they encourage repetitive, mesmerizing 'small water play'. (In contrast to 'big water play' involving huge splashing and flooded floors )
As I mentioned in Tub Time 3: Toxic Free Fun, I'm excited that the company Green Toys, who make all their fantastic toys in the US, out of 100% recycled milk cartons, have introduced their new tugboat water toy.
I love the design: It is easy to grasp, fill, and hold while full - it floats beautifully and has a wide spout to scoop and pour water easily. And there's no BPA, PVC, phthalates or external coatings. Click on the picture to enjoy this quick video - Seeing toys in action is so helpful!
, or race cars 
, or build blocks on water? 
that get amplified into jet engine blasts in the bathroom - while irremovable mold is silently growing inside? 
Yuck!
Caution: I saw one customer complaint that the chutes didn't fit together, so they thought it didn't work. Unfortunately they missed the point which is that the challenge, and the fun, is for kids to create cascades of water as illustrated in the picture above.
)
Best wishes for getting maximum advantage of the kids' bath tub playtime with minimum floods and cleanup! 