When my son was born, I was excited to receive a gift of bath toys. He loved the animals and rubber ducks, but soon they became moldy. And no matter what I tried to clean them, I was never satisfied. Like most children, my son put his toys in his mouth and even thought it was fun to drink the water. Did you know black mold exposure could make you seriously ill? As a momma, I could not relax until I figured out a solution to this problem. I started by throwing out those moldy toys, but I didn’t know what to do next. What could I use instead? I found out there are actually a lot of great alternatives to traditional bath toys that are mold free and easily cleaned. Before you buy another bath toy, take a look at this list!
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Mold-free Squirt Toys
When I looked for new bath toys to buy that would be easy to clean, I was disappointed because there weren’t many options for squirt toys. My son loves squirt toys! I knew that he would be sad I threw out his old toys if I couldn’t find a good replacement squirt toy. Thankfully, we found these on Amazon. They are still shaped like animals, and they come apart so that you can clean them thoroughly. And best of all, they can shoot water so well it can go across the bathroom. My son tested it out while trying to give water to the dog. Both my son and my dog approved!
Bath Crayons
You can buy bath crayons, or you can also make your own out of shredded soap, food coloring, and water. We’ve made the homemade ones, and my son loves them. He also had a great time making them with me! We used silicone molds in fun shapes like paw prints. They clean well off the side of the tub; after all they are mostly made of soap. One downside to the homemade version is that your child may get a little color on their hands as they use them. However, since they are in the bathtub, that color cleans right off too. Just be sure to store the bath crayons in a closed container or in a drawer. If you keep them in the shower, the steam and water spray from the shower will quickly soften the homemade crayons.
Boats
Pitchers, cups or bottles
If you are a parent or spend time with children, you know that sometimes the best toys aren’t really toys at all. They’re just everyday objects that your child can use to mimic everyday life or re-imagine creative new uses! Of course something with a large opening will be easier to clean. But with a good bottle brush, these toys should be just fine even with a narrow mouth. My son likes cups, pitchers, and even scoops or ladles.
Funnels
Any old funnel will do, but there are a number of options these days that are specifically designed for the tub. They may include pipes, water wheels, and suction cups to hang on the tub wall. All those fancy components and colors can bring a lot of fun; just make sure it is easily cleaned. Either it should come apart or the water should be able to drain well from all the components.
Foam sheet cut into animals
Did you know that a basic foam sheet will stick to the tub wall when wet? You can pick up a pack of foam sheets for less than the cost of most bath toys. Then, turn them into all kinds of animals, characters, or vehicles to match your child’s interests. My son loves animals, so we have made a Noah’s ark set. I’m no artist, so we used a set of cookie cutters to get the shapes for the animals. You could also use a print out as a pattern. Just trace it on, cut it out, and play! These allow for a lot of imaginative play, and they don’t take much space to store which is another bonus. If you child is old enough, they may even enjoy making these together with you!
What if your child just can’t let go of traditional bath toys?
If your child still likes rubber duckies like mine does, just play with them outside of the tub. He has a whole little duck family, but we play with them on dry land. And he’s been just fine with that.
Now go throw out those moldy bath toys, and replace them with a Mold-free toy from this list. Do you have a favorite Mold-free Bath toy you think should be included in this list? Comment below or email me at [email protected]. I would love to hear from you!
