11 Fun Montessori Bath Toys for Toddlers & Preschoolers

You've read plenty about how to incorporate Montessori into various spaces in your home, but what about bath time? Are there bath toys that align with the Montessori philosophy?

In this article, you'll get some information on the importance of bath time for a child's development and what makes a bath toy Montessori-aligned.

You'll also get 11 great ideas for Montessori-aligned bath toys that will help make bath time a lot of fun in your house.

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The importance of bath time for children

Bathing, of course, is a necessity for everyone. Did you know, though, that bath time has developmental benefits, too?

While your child is playing in the bath, there's more than just free play happening. There's storytelling, conversations, and a number of other activities taking place.

Here are just a handful of benefits!

• language development
• self-care skill development
• fine-motor development
• bonding between child and caregiver

Bath time is also great for sitting back and observing your child engage in independent and imaginative play.

What makes bath toys Montessori-aligned?

Since there's no such thing as a Montessori toy, parents and caregivers who follow the Montessori philosophy tend to choose toys that allow for open-ended play and that help to develop mental, emotional, and physical skills.

Montessori parents tend to forgo toys that are considered educational by traditional standards; we don't focus on academic learning before a child shows interest and readiness.

While the focus of this article is on Montessori bath toys, there are plenty of other items you can introduce at bathtime that are not toys.

You may already use these items for your child's bath, but the idea is for you to show your child how to use them and then give them an opportunity to do so.

Here's a short list of some Practical Life items for bath time:

• nail brush
• washcloth
• pump dispenser

11 fun Montessori bath toys for toddlers & preschoolers

Duplos

If you've never thought about bringing Duplos into your child's bathtub, you should give it a try!

Collect a handful of Duplos to dedicate as bath toys and let your toddler or preschooler have a blast. Your child will be able to bring their creative building projects into bath time while working on their fine motor skills.

You'll, of course, want to shake them out and let them dry in a mesh bath toy bag or something of the like.

You can also use q-tips for helping to keep the interlocking parts dry.

Green Toys Stacker

Stacking toys are Montessori-aligned and work great as bath toys. This Green Toys stacker is safer for bath time than many other bathtub stacking toys because it doesn't have a center post.

The pieces can also be used for pouring work, which little kids enjoy.

This bath toy is made from recycled materials, so, although it's plastic, you can feel good about buying it.

Boon Pipes

If you haven't heard of Boon Pipes, you are going to want to look into them. These are some of the neatest bath toys.

My kids have enjoyed their set for years!

Bring a plastic cup into the tub and watch your toddlers marvel at what happens when water is poured into the top of the pipe maze you've built for them.

Preschoolers and older children can construct their own pipe maze to make the water flow the way they want it to.

This is a great bath toy that encourages problem-solving skills and concentration.

Munchkin Falls Baby and Toddler Bath Toy

Munchkin Falls is similar to the Boon Pipes in its function, but it's a bit simpler and more toddler-friendly.

This set comes with a cup for pouring. Your toddler pours water into the top piece and creates a fun chain reaction.

Boon Gear Toy

The Boon Gear Toy is another fun Montessori-aligned bath toy.

This toy has essentially the same function as the previous 2 toys on this list but is a bit more interested to children who are interested in gears and the movement of water.

Bath Crayons

Bringing art supplies into the bathtub is a great idea and, fortunately, there are crayons made specifically for the bathtub.

There are great for children who are interested in writing and are great for fine motor practice.

Honey Sticks bath crayons are non-toxic and are super easy to wash off your tub and walls.

Bathtub Fingerpaints

With bathtub fingerpaints, you can bring process art into your child's bath routine.

Bathtub fingerpaints are a huge hit in my house and my kids often incorporate paintbrushes and sponges when they use these.

Ubbi Squeeze and Switch Bath Toys

No good bath toys list would be complete without squeeze toys.

These are great for fine motor development, schematic play needs, and have an element of sensory feedback that many young children crave.

The Ubbie Squeeze and Switch toys are unique because they come apart so they can be properly cleaned – yay!

(Everyone knows how gross these toys get!!)

Bath Stickers

Bath stickers are fun bath toys that align with Montessori. Bath stickers promote literacy and language development through creative story-telling.

Eric Carle Bath Time Books

Bath books are so fun for kids, but it's hard to find ones that are Montessori-aligned.

We were delighted to find out that there are Eric Carle bath-safe books!

This also comes with suction cup stick-on toys so your toddler can recreate and expand on the story!

Boley Farm Animal Figurines

Animal figurines allow for tons of imaginative play and creativity in the bathtub. Having a set of little animals allows for tons of pretend play scenarios during bath time.

Are any of your favorite Montessori-aligned bath toys missing from this list?

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