Because bath toys have inevitably become an important part of your baby’s bath routine, it is just reasonable that you take good care of his bath toys.
First tip: Clean the bath toys regularly. Even though bath toys gets to have a bath too when your kid does, it doesn’t mean they shouldn’t get their own time slot for cleaning. Oftentimes, when your kid takes a bath and plays with his bath toy, there are soap residues left in the bath toy that you may not be able to rinse out because of course, it’s your baby who’s needless to say is the star of the show and whom you’re focused on.
So after your baby’s done with his bath, don’t forget to wash the bath toys with water thoroughly to rinse out any soap residue. Clean water-retaining toys at least once a week with a mixture of one part chlorine bleach to fifteen parts of water. Be sure to rinse thoroughly to avoid bacteria build-up that can cause infections.
Second tip: Air dry the bath toys or dry them under the sun. Especially those that are made of cloth should never be left lying around all wet and cold. Not only would they acquire an unpleasant smell, the dampness may cause for it to accumulate mildew and bacteria which you certainly don’t want to reside in any of your kid’s toys.
Third tip: Disapprove any untoward behavior towards the toy. Frown on activities that involve chewing, banging or throwing around the toy. Even though your baby may be too young to understand the value of his possessions like his toys, it’s not too early to begin to discipline him.
When he starts to bang his toy or try to bite the head off his Octopus Bath Puppet, what you can do is to gently take the toy away and then firmly say, “No, don’t harm your toy.” If he cries, don’t just give the toy right away and let him do it again. Repeat taking away the toy and saying the same thing until he gets that you mean what you say. If you see that he treats the toy differently, be generous with praises and hugs and kisses to reinforce the proper behaviour.
Fourth tip: Alternate different bath toys so that they would not be easily worn out. If you give your kid the same bath toy over and over, not only would he be bored with it eventually but it will also fray the toy more easily.
Fifth tip: Store the bath toys properly. Don’t leave them lying around where your dog can bite on them or your baby’s older siblings can go get them. Store them in a mesh bag or a dry container.
Taking care of your baby’s bath toys is important to ensure that they stay in top shape and enjoy more baths with your little one.