My son Levi is just shy of 18 months, and for a while now, he dreads bathtime. Me, well, I dread it too, if I’m honest. He hears the faucet start to turn-on and all of a sudden, Levi is nowhere to be found. We have to coax him into the bathroom, and once he hits the water, magic happens. He is fine.

Many little ones have fears of bathtime as they grow older. Taking a bath in a strange place, strange floating specs, and cold water can cause any toddler to have a meltdown. Anyone else been there? My daughter went through a phase where she was afraid to take a bath anywhere but at home. This was not a fun scenario while visiting our family out-of-state. Many little ones are also fearful when it comes to washing their hair and having water poured over their heads. Remember you are there to take care of your little one, so it’s important to figure out what the problem is.

While I am no expert, here are some practical ways to keep bathtime fun.

Spice It Up
For my family, this is a big success. My kids fuss way less when they take a bath together. There are less tears when a child isn’t over-tired, hungry, or done for the day. We try to take a bath before bedtime, but sometimes we just need to mix-it-up. Offering a morning bath or afternoon splash can sometimes help. I try to play with my kids while they are getting clean. Sometimes this means getting bubbles on me, as well. Get creative! If mommy always gives a bath, let daddy do one occasionally.

Toys, Toys, Toys
You can never have too many bath toys, in my opinion. Cycle them out. Kids get bored with the same bath toys after a while. We keep new ones in the closet for just these nights. Squirty toys are fun, but remember the water can stay inside and cause mold. We have a little bubble machine we use sometimes. Try investing in a couple nicer toys like this cute seaplane by GreenToys. This sport boat would be a huge hit with my Levi.

Keep Fears at Bay
Ease into a bathtime routine if you know your little one will not be happy. Sing a silly song as they get undressed. If your little one is afraid of getting their hair washed, do it at the end. Many companies make baby bath hats and visors to shield bubbles from shampoo. If your little one is scared of the bathtub drain, let the water out after they are dried off and dressed. Do what you can to make it stress free, since you know your child.

Bathtime is a necessary part of life, so it’s important to make it fun and something your child enjoys. I am looking forward to the days when I turn on the faucet and Levi comes running with a big smile on his face. It’s coming. I know it is.

Karyn Meyerhoff is a mom of two in Northeast Indiana where she lives, writes, and bathes her kiddos with lots and lots of bubbles.