favorite bath toys?

I used to be able to count on my three-year-old son taking really,
really, blessedly long baths -- one of my few chances to sit down and
relax. I think he's bored with his bath toys, though, because now he
just gets in and out. Any suggestions for good bath toys? They can't be

Nikki...

Mine both really like foam soap.

They can't

robgood...

A brother or sister.

That being a tall order, I'll suggest a bath foam that's denser and
more lather-like than bubble bath foam typically is -- but it's MY
"baby" and is awaiting someone to formulate it into a consumer product

anything he can use to drink his bath water, because, well, that's what
he'll do, so no cups, pouring, bottles, plastic sharks with big open

Nikki...

Well shoot. Those are the things mine can play with for hours. They have a
little strainer they really like and he couldn't drink from that. They used

Anonymama...

Oooh, good 'un. I'll hunt around in the kitchen drawers, thanks.

to drink the bath water too but I just prentended I didn't see it, lol.

Anonymama...

Yeah, we did that for a while, but it became... ah... let us say,
obvious.

dkhedmo...

I got a cheap set of three plastic funnels in graded sizes for the
sandbox, work just as well in the pool. In general also check out
pool/sand toys, things with spinners that are acticated by the pouring
sand/water.

Nikki...

I thought of that too since there are some really cool ones but you have to
pour water. Mine drank gallons of tub water and it didn't hurt them :-)
It can't be much worse then river water and I drink that (albeit not on
purpose!).

Anonymama...

I suppose I could just relax and let him gulp away. We had a few days of
drinking a _lot_ of water, including some bubble bath, and then a few
more days of dealing with the trots -- so that's why I don't like it
when he drinks the bath water.

Nikki...

Oh, yuck. That didn't happen to me or I might have re-thought ;-) Mine no
longer like bubble bath and they like the water as high as it can go so
there isn't much soap in it. Mine sometimes are actually thirsty (probably
because we bath after supper) and so I give them a large plastic cup of
clean water on those occasions. Dh is a little more freaked out about the
bath water thing so he used to give them cup after cup of clean water from
the sink to drink. I think they drank more with him though. They are
mostly past that age and don't drink it anymore but they do get mouthfuls to
spit. I pretend I don't see that too, lol.

mouths...

He's had stick-on animals, rubber duckies, a xylophone (so cool!), and a
plastic, magnetic duck and hammer. Any other suggestions?

dkhedmo...

My older son (5.5) has always liked those clear capsules with little
sponge animals inside. The capsule melts away in the bath and out pops
the little dinosaur, etc. They usually come in sets of twelve and we
would make a rule that he could have one each bath. He saves them and
plays with them again and again.

There are more of those stick on things, we've had numbers, alphabet,
trucks, etc.

Bath puppets made out of terry cloth have also been very popular around
here. Frogs, ducks, etc. play many creative scenarios.

For xmas, we got our toddler a pirate ship with various squirting parts
and a pirate and dinghy. Much loved by toddler and much coveted by 5yo.
That was about $20.

Anonymama...

Hmmm. Twenty bucks for my sanity seems fair. I'll see if I can find
something like that. The other suggestions are good, too -- thanks!

loomis1...

If you don't mind a bit of a mess, the crayons made for baths are a lot
of fun (although they can discolor grout if left on too long).

Anonymama...

Ooh! I forgot about those -- he's used them at his grandparents' house,
and liked them. Thanks! (And thanks also for the warning about grout.)

Ericka Kammerer...

Playmobil has a number of boats and other watercraft
that will zoom around the tub and no doubt provide lots of
entertainment.

Best wishes,
Ericka