Ways to Make Bath Time More Fun

Does the idea of bath time send your child running in the opposite direction? With some creative planning and a few exciting accessories, that daily stint in the tub can actually become one of the most enjoyable times of the day for your little one. Add some pep to the "splish" and the "splash" of bath time by boosting the fun.

If your child is resistant to bath time, make it fantasy time instead with a storytelling session. Meg Akabas, author of "52 Weeks of Parenting Wisdom," recommends using removable wall stickers or toy animals to animate the story. "Let her assist in telling the story," she said. "The story can be ongoing to entice your child to eagerly get into the bath to hear the next installment."

Jazz up the scrubbing and soaking with a sing-along. You can choose a favorite tune from a cartoon or an old favorite from your childhood. Encourage your child to sing along as you bathe him, said Akabas. "You can sing anything and enhance [it] with scrubbing, clapping and splashing to the music."

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Transform the tub into a theater with character play. Prompt your child to act out her favorite story and incorporate the bathing into her performance. Or bring toys into her make-believe world. Tell her that her doll or plastic character also needs a bath, and ask her to wash it as you bathe her, suggested Akabas. "Toddlers love to pretend they're grown up, so they'll enjoy going through all the same steps of giving a bath."

Keep your child spotless as well as smart with fun educational activities during bath time. Use wall stickers with numbers and letters to keep the school lessons going while splashing around in the tub. Akabas suggests taking turns, giving each other fun word and number problems to solve between scrubs.

Encourage your child to express his creative side with bathtub paint or shaving cream. Break out the paint brushes or have him dig right in with his fingers and decorate the tub with the easily rinsed paint. "Allow your child to paint his own masterpiece, or challenge him to draw specific shapes and letters or words on the bathtub walls," said Amanda Mathews, pediatric occupational therapist.

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Hardly anything will make your child giggle like a silly game of beauty shop in the tub. Rid those fears of hair washing by creating a sleek Mohawk or crazy spikes with shampoo suds. Mathews suggests having a mirror handy so your kiddo can check out the hilarious styles. "This will ideally help your child to be more willing to have her hair washed," Mathews said.

If the sun isn't shining, throw a pool party in the bath. With a swimsuit, beach balls and a beach bucket, you can turn bath time into fun without the sun. All beach parties include splashing, so prepare your floor with a dry towel. "This helps your child to see that it's not a scary experience," said Mathews.

A child is often comforted by his toys, so gather his waterproof playthings, toss them in the tub with your little one and make bath time entertaining. You can interact with the toys and your child or even have a water fight with squirt toys to ease your little one's fears of the tub. "Squirt toys also allow your child more control over the situation, which can help him to feel more comfortable," said Mathews.

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No matter what their age, "if parents make bath time a fun and pleasant activity, children won't fight it," said Akabas. Regardless of how you make bath time fun, always make your child's safety the number one priority. Never leave your young child unattended even for a moment. If your child is getting older and requires some privacy, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises a shower instead of a bath.