Einstein in the bathtub
The time your child spends in the bath can be a pleasant experience for both of you. Colette du Plessis shares a few games and activities that can turn bath time into a fantastic learning experience
THE BATHROOM IS a wonderful classroom. During bath time your baby feels focused and relaxed. This is the ideal time to develop your baby’s sense of touch, because it is not often that they are completely naked. Bear in mind that a bath during the afternoon is the start of your baby’s bedtime routine, so keep everything calm.
1SWIM SALLY, SWIM!
From the age of three months old, allow your baby to swim in the bath. Let him do backstroke by supporting his head and his body with your arm. Let him wriggle around. These actions will help develop his fine motor skills, while the gentle swoosh of the water will have a calming effect.
2USE A CUP
Use an old plastic cup in the bath. This is fun for scooping up water and letting it run out again. Your baby will enjoy his own little waterfall. Place his hands under the running water so he can experience the feeling or pour the water over his tummy. He will love the sensation!
As time goes on he will reach out to pour the water himself. This is a great exercise for developing his shoulder muscles. Use a mug that is light enough for him to handle easily. Another kitchen tool you can use is a sieve. He will wonder how it’s possible for water to seep through the sieve.
3FOAM, BUBBLES AND SHAVING CREAM
The bathroom is the perfect place to expose your baby to foam and bubbles. Scoop up some foam in your hands and gently blow it in his direction. Blow bubbles and watch him keep a close eye on the bubbles until they disappear. This is great for exercising the muscles in his eyes. Later on he will reach out to catch the bubbles, exercising his arms.
Use Dad’s shaving cream (with his permission of course!) and spray it along the edge of the bath or on the wall. Let your baby touch it to experience what it feels like.
Bubble bath with a pleasant smell (like lavender or camomile) will stimulate his sense of smell. An added benefit is the calming effect. Use baby-safe products.
Use the opportunity to play hide and seek. Hide Daisy the Duck or Freddy the Frog in the foam and encourage your baby to find them. You can start playing this game when he is nine months old. By then he will begin to grasp that things that are not within his sight do in fact continue to exist.
Note: Bubble baths are bad for children with eczema. It can also cause irritation around the genital area. But if your child enjoys his bubble bath and does not experience any problems, play on!
4 DUCKIES!
Your child’s first animal sound does not have to be “woof”. It could be “quack” if Mother Duck and her little ducklings are regular visitors during bath time. Your baby will enjoy playing with a bath toy that floats away, and one that he can pull back in his direction. This will develop the muscles in his eyes. Slippery bath toys will also stimulate his sense of touch.
5BATH BABY TO BOOKWORM
Buy a few plastic books to read in the bath. In this way you develop a love for reading and books. Remember to clean and dry the books properly afterwards as they can become mouldy.
6GRAFFITI
Let him use bath crayons to draw on the walls or on his little body. You can draw pictures and then point to them as you tell him a story. Drawing stimulates the senses in his face and hands, giving his fine motor skills a boost.
7B FOR BATH
Even though your baby is too young to learn his ABCS, alphabet sponge letters make great bath toys. The bulky letters are perfect for those chubby little fingers to hold.
8HOP IN!
You don’t have to be high and dry while he takes a bath. Hop in and join him! A small baby will love the skin-to-skin contact. Place him on your lap and combine bath time with a gentle massage. This makes for great bonding time too.
9DEEP- SEA DIVER
Older babies will enjoy playing with goggles in the bath. If you have a pair, let him use it. Show him that the goggles fit over his eyes. Soon he will learn how to use them. Stick bath stickers to the bottom of the bath. Encourage him to look into the water to see the stickers.
10 FREE REIN
Give your baby free rein by buying him his own face cloth and sponge. Opt for different textures. Don’t expect him to thoroughly clean himself just yet, though. Use the time to teach him about his neck, arms, tummy, elbow, legs, feet and toes. YB
SLIPPERY BATH TOYS WILL STIMULATE HIS SENSE OF TOUCH