Fun and Easy Ways to Play With Purpose in The Tub!
Bath time is a great opportunity to work on some important and therapy targeted skills.
For some kiddos, the bath can be overwhelming and for others it’s a favorite time of day. We’ve put together some awesome activities and ideas for those kids both working through the challenges of bath time and the ones who could soak for hours!
Before you implement any of these great suggestions remember to always be aware of your child’s personal preferences. Things such as the sound of the tub filling, the temperature of the water or the feeling of certain clothes or sponges may be overwhelming – take your cues from your kiddo and find what works best for them!
Build Vocabulary
Bath time is a great opportunity to build speech!
- Identify all the objects they see in the bathroom
- Identify body parts as they wash
- Talk about the steps we take when we bathe
- Create a story with the toys in the tub
- Encourage describing words – talk about how the water feels, what the bubbles smell like, what toys do they see in the water, etc.
Play With Tactile Input
Use a variety of textures, toys and extra fun to give kiddos some great touch input!
- Place adhesive spots on the bottom of the tub to reduce slipping and give some tactile input
- Use a variety of bath toys with varying shapes, textures and weights
- Add bubbles
- Place a wet, warm washcloth around their shoulders while they bathe
- Encourage your kiddo to “go under” and submerge themselves in the water
Talk About Important Life Skills & Personal Hygiene
Bath time allows for important conversations about body care and independence!
- Discuss the reasons it’s important to keep our body clean and safe
- Talk about other ways we care for our bodies; brushing teeth, eating healthy food, exercising, etc.
- Allow your child to choose which part of their body to wash first, then next and so on, and practice early body autonomy.
Practice and Pretend Using Some Big Movements
The tub is a great place to work some of those large, and small, muscle groups!
- Use bath foam or shaving cream and have your kiddo write their letters with their fingers on the wall
- Fill a spray bottle and let them “clean” bath foam off the tub working those fine motor finger muscles
- Use a water koosh ball, or washcloth, to squeeze and wring out all the water
- Use foam blocks to make a pattern on the wall and have your child copy the pattern
- Pouring water from one cup to another
One of the best things about what we do at Beyond Speech, playing with a purpose, is that it’s easily do-able in your everyday life! Turning bath time into targeted play time gives you so much opportunity to work on important skills and behaviors.
Have some extra tub-time fun tonight and try a few new activities!