Bath Time

Gia loves the water and that fact alone is enough to convince me she's not actually my kid -- because I hate water. I don't like to swim, I hate the rain, I hate to wash my hands, and I don't even really love the shower. No fear, I do the last 2 things all the time. Even though I hate them, I know what good hygiene is :) 

 So, my little water baby just amazes me. She loves everything to do with the water--pools, the ocean, bath time, water tables, and she even loves to wash her hands. I frequently find her in our bathroom, standing on the tiny garbage can, washing her hands. And, on her first day of school, the director of her preschool had to shut off the water supply in her classroom because Gia couldn't stay away from the child-height sink they have in there. She washed her hands 2 times before I even left!

A few months ago I was in Babies R Us buying a gift and I bought Gia a pack of Bath Fizzies. They color the bath water and I knew she'd get a huge kick out of that. But the package said "not for consumtion". They also contain something that makes them taste bitter to discourage consumption. So in the garbage they went. There is no way I can completely keep Gia from putting the bath water in her mouth and who knows what chemicals are in these things if they aren't supposed to be consumed.  (Yes, I know it's gross. We're working on it.)    So I thought, why not use food coloring? And the Green Bath was born.

Gia had so much fun. I put three drops of food coloring and some water in one of those little cups that come with liquid medicine and let her dump it in the water. I didn't make the water too dark because I didn't want to turn her skin green.    

  A few days later I got even more creative. I made blue food colored ice cubes. And now we put a few of those in the with the green bath water. INSTANT bath time fun. The best part is these are way cheaper than buying the special fizzy things and you don't have to order them or go to a baby store to get them. You probably have food coloring around the house.  

      Here are some other awesome bath time fun ideas:  

1. Give your kids shaving cream to play with.

2. Give them different sized spoons and a variety of containers. Gia loves to stir her bathwater. It keeps her very busy.

3. Get them a cheap strainer and let them make it rain. 

4. Change up the toys. Let your kids bring in things that aren't "bath toys" but can still get wet. 

What are your favorite bath time things to do?