For many little ones, bath time is part of their nightly wind-down routine. But how well equipped is your bathroom for the younger members of the family? Does your bathroom space stand up to scrutiny when it comes to storage and splash-conscious design? If your baby is about to turn into a toddler, now’s the time to start thinking about making toddler-friendly changes to your bathroom space. Here are some suggestions for features and improvements you may not have considered.
Tiered Storage
How many bath toys do children really need? Quite a few, it seems. And unless you want to spend the downtime you get in the tub battling with rubber ducks for space, it makes sense to get some smart toy storage. A shower tidy, a bath toy organiser or one of those scoop things you stick on the tiles – they’ll all come in handy for stashing bath books, tug boats or bubble making frogs. Don’t forget to keep your bath toys clean too.
Along with adding toy storage to your bathroom, there are also a few health and safety issues to box off. From medicines to shavers and face creams you’d like to stay intact, having tiered storage at different height levels will help you keep items out of reach of small fingers.
A Well-Fitted Bath
A hardwearing bath such as these examples from Bathdisc that can accommodate play is a definite must in a family bathroom and it needs to be well fitted too. You may also want to think very carefully about the style of bath you choose, including the panelling around the bath. Wooden panelling can deteriorate if getting wet regularly. All those toddler bath toys encourage plenty of splashing. If the seal around the bath needs renewing or there’s a little gap between the end of the bath and the wall, you can be sure that water will be trickling down there. This can, of course, result in problems with your bathroom flooring or the ceiling below. The solution? Keep your bath well maintained and take a proactive approach to plug those gaps.
Splash Zone Protection
No matter how many times you try to explain that water really ought to stay in the bath, splashing happens. It pays to be prepared with some good quality bathroom mats to absorb any spills and help to prevent water damage and slipping. Cushioned bath mats provide extra padding and a comfortable place to sit when it’s time for little ones to get undressed or to dry off.
Extra Sink Space
Having an extra sink in your bathroom has become a popular trend in recent years. It’s mainly touted as a cool feature for couples who would like to get ready efficiently in the morning. Men are reported to spend 23 minutes per day in the bathroom and women 29 minutes. But a toddler who doesn’t want to brush their teeth can clock up significantly longer in the bathroom each day. With this in mind, extra sink space can be handy for little ones too – particularly if you have more than one child. It makes it easier to supervise teeth brushing as you do your own. Don’t forget to leave space around your sink unit for some toddler steps – they’re essential for encouraging post-toilet hand washing.
Smart Laundry and Linen Choices
Toddlers like to be able to do things themselves when the mood takes them, so it can be smart to keep a laundry basket and towels at their height in the bathroom. This way, they can help to clear away their dirty clothes or grab a bath towel of their own. Having a laundry basket in the bathroom is also helpful for those occasions when an activity gets messier than expected and you need to strip the child and pop them in the bath straight away. There’s no pile of dirty clothes to sort out later and there’s less risk of getting the rest of the house dirty too.
Safety is usually the number one priority when making the bathroom toddler-friendly, and quite rightly so. But there are plenty of ways you can make your bathroom space more fun and functional for little ones too. Giving them a dedicated cupboard shelf they can reach where items like their flannel and soap can be stored can help them to exert their developing independence and be just as valued as the set of toddler steps that help them reach the sink.
Which features in your bathroom does your toddler love? Do they have a favourite bath toy that has to be in the tub with them?