You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (2024)

You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (1)

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

We updated this article in October 2022 to add more information about the featured products. We also added new selections and answered a few common FAQs.

Getting your little one in the bath at the end of the day can be an uphill battle, but the right bath toys can have even the least enthusiastic kiddos looking forward to their nightly routine. Whether you're looking for something to increase their creativity and spark a little artist, or just a few classic floating toys, there's something for every type of kid. We've got you covered with toys for 1-year-olds, toys for 2-year-olds, toddlers, older kids and beyond. We won't judge if you've still got a rubber duckie for your own bath time.

Our experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute have tested everything from the best strollers to the best new toys on the market, and know everything there is to know about picking out the right parenting products for each family. Bath toys can help your kids' development, make it easier to get them in the tub and, of course, be very fun. While picking out our favorite toys, we scoured the internet to read reviews from top products and brands that our experts and real parents love.

Our top picks:

Head to the end of this guide to learn more about how we chose our favorite bath toys, but first, the best bath toys of 2022.

1

Best Overall Bath Toy

Green Toys Ferry Boat with Mini Cars

You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (8)

Pros
  • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (9)Easy to clean
  • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (10)Made from 100% recycled milk jugs
Cons
  • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (11)Not all components float well

Kids can use the tub as a backdrop for their next sailing adventure with this boat set. The ferry comes with two durable mini vehicles, and we love that it's made in the U.S. from 100% recycled plastic milk jugs. Our testers note that this boat is exceptionally easy to clean and help avoid mold growth, and also love how there aren't any small pieces to come apart and that the little cars can actually roll around. Kiddos can have fun playing with this toy both in and out of the water. But, not all the parts float well, so things may sink down. If you're more into underwater machines, their submarine bath toy is also super fun.

Ages 3+

2

Best Value Bath Toy for Babies

The First Years Stack N Count Cups

You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (12)

You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (13)

Pros
  • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (14)Good for number recognition
  • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (15)Safe for babies as young as 6 months
Cons
  • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (16)If you misplace one it makes stacking in order difficult

Great for the bath or the beach, these multi-color cups offer lots of imaginative play, plus they're safe for babies as young as 6 months old. Each cup is numbered so kids can practice their counting, and come with unique holes in the bottom that let the water filter through and offers exciting play. However, this does mean that if you lose one cup, fitting them all back together can be troublesome. One parent we spoke to said their little ones love how much fun these toys are at both the beach and the bathtub and found their filtering abilities great for water playtime. Each set comes with eight cups of various colors with large numbers on the bottom to help encourage number recognition.

Ages 6+ months

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Pros
  • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (18)Easy to clean
  • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (19)Stick to walls
Cons

    Help avoid the inevitable bath toy mold with these fun, colorful pipes that are easy to clean and won't trap any water inside. One parent we spoke to noted that she loved these toys because hers didn't grow mold inside, unlike a lot of bath time favorites, like the classic rubber duckie. Not only are they a fan favorite amongst the parents we spoke to, but they help little ones tap into their creativity while learning about building and water flow. Each set comes with five pipes in various colors that suction cup to the wall so your kiddos can play around without water getting all over your bathroom floor.

    Ages 12+ months

    4

    Best Fishing Bath Toy

    Munchkin Fishin Baby and Toddler Bath Toy

    You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (20)

    Pros
    • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (21)Makes fun noises
    • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (22)Provides extended game play
    Cons
    • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (23)Can be difficult for toddlers to use on their own

    Bring the joy of the lake to your bathtub with this adorable fishing bath game. Each set comes with a magnetic fishing rod and three floating toys that will inspire endless fun in your household. This bath toy for 2-year-olds and up is great for developing hand-eye coordination. The pole makes a fun clicking noise while reeling in little fishy friends and the floating toys are great for playing with or without the game. Since it requires quite a bit of coordination, this toy can be difficult for little ones to manipulate entirely on their own at first, but after a few tries they will get the hang of it.

    Ages 24+ months

    Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

    5

    Best Bath Book

    QEB Publishing Color Me: Who's in the Pond? Bath Book

    You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (24)

    Now 10% Off

    Pros
    • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (25)No mess art
    • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (26)Can be used inside and outside the tub
    Cons
    • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (27)Can't color on the front and back covers

    Not only can the pages in these books handle water, when they do get wet, the playful illustrations change color. Our testers love how beautiful the artwork is and note that these books are also great for no mess arts and crafts time since kids can grab a brush and water and "color" the pages outside of bath time, or just dip the book in the bath to watch the colors emerge. Our testers note you cannot use water to make colors appear on the front and back covers of this book and need to stick to the inside pages. Kids can become more familiar with a variety of animals through this toy, and if they're not particularly interested in pond dwellers, there's also an ocean version and rain forest version, amongst other options.

    All ages

    Pros
    • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (29)Inspires game play
    • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (30)Develops hand-eye coordination
    Cons
    • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (31)Only comes with a few rings

    This cute octopus comes with rings that are meant to be tossed on his tentacles. It's a great way for kids to play and develop hand-eye coordination. One parent we spoke to loved how well this toy kept her little one engaged all throughout bath time. The bright colors and fun designs keep kids entertained while helping them learn about shapes and animals. Each floating octopus comes with three rings in the shape of a star, fish and life preserver. While this toy can be great for a few kids at the same time, since there are only three rings, each round of ring toss may not last very long.

    Ages 18+ months

    Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

    7

    Best Creative Bath Toy for 3-Year-Olds

    Crayola Color Bath Dropz

    You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (32)

    Pros
    • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (33)Value with 60 tablets
    • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (34)Fun colors
    Cons
    • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (35)Can stain kids' hands a bit

    Both creative and fun, this set of bath dropz will ensure your little artist has the time of their life while not ruining your bathtub. Bath Dropz let you turn bath time into a science experiment by mixing colorful pellets to teach kids the difference between primary and secondary colors. (Note from our testing they might stain your and your child's hands a bit.) Great for older kids, it gives your kiddos the chance to redecorate your bathtub without creating too much of a disaster. Let the creativity begin!

    Ages 3+

    8

    Best Educational Bath Toy

    Click N' Play Bath Foam Letters & Numbers

    You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (36)

    Pros
    • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (37)Helps kids learn alphabet and numbers
    • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (38)Sticks to walls
    Cons
    • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (39)Takes longer to dry than plastic counterparts

    This 36-piece foam set comes with the letters of the alphabet and the numbers 0-9 that can stick to baths and wall tiles when wet. Perfect for a bath time spelling bee! Our testers love how this set makes learning fun and gives kids a chance to practice spelling their name and other words while scrub-a-dub-dubbing. Each set comes with a mesh bag for easy storage, but it's best if they're left out to dry flat since they can take longer to dry than some of their plastic counterparts.

    Ages 12+ months

    Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

    9

    Best Bath Toy Accessory

    Skip Hop Moby Bath Spout Cover

    You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (40)

    Pros
    • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (41)Protects against bumps to the head
    • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (42)Cute design
    Cons
    • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (43)Can't be moved around to play with

    The quickest way to end bath time is with a bop to the head. This cute whale easily fits around your tub spout to prevent bumps against the faucet. We appreciate that it's dishwasher-safe, making it easier to clean, and looks cute while doing its job. While it's not exactly a toy your kid can engage with and move around, according to online reviewers, this cover gives them great peace of mind knowing that their family is safer from bonks against the spout and found it very easy to install. Some little ones even get in on the fun and name him!

    All ages

    10

    Best Bath Toy for Multiple Kids

    Green Toys Tea Set

    You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (44)

    Now 10% Off

    Pros
    • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (45)Great for multiple children
    • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (46)Can be used in or out of the bath
    Cons
    • You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (47)Features many small pieces

    If you've got more than one kid, turn bath time into tea time with this adorable set. One of the parents we spoke to said their little ones adore making "hot drinks" in the bath, and recommends that you add bubbles to the water for an extra bit of fun. This set comes with a teapot, sugar bowl and lid, creamer container and four cups, saucers and teaspoons. While there are so many pieces great for playing with, this means there's also quite a few little bobs and bits to keep track of. Not only will your kids be able to engage in endless imaginative play, but they'll be using their fine motor skills along the way. Plus, the set is easy to pop in the dishwasher and clean.

    Ages 3+

    Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

    How we chose the best bath toys

    You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (48)

    The Good Housekeeping Institute reviews parenting products of all kinds, from the best baby books to the changing pads. To create this guide, our experts tested a variety of bath toys and spoke with real parents to look at the top toys and brands. We look at each toy's ease of cleaning, price, how much fun they are and more to choose our favorite picks. We also considered toys for all different kids from babies to older kiddos. These picks consist of our product pros' favorites, reviews from parent testers we spoke to and popular brands with five-star reviews.

    What to consider when shopping for bath toys

    You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (49)

    One of the most important things to consider before purchasing new bath toys is how easy they are to clean. While we all love the classic rubber duckie, toys with small openings can cause problems.

    Carolyn Forté, the Executive Director of Good Housekeeping's Home Care & Cleaning Lab, notes that "typical rubber duckies can be problematic" since the hole in the bottom of them can lead to trapped water inside and eventual mold growth. "Plastic toys are the easiest to clean, but what's most important is that they're solid and not hollow inside with holes in the bottom," she explains. "Those toys trap water inside and if not removed and thoroughly dried, mold can form." She also suggests sanitizing toys in a solution of bleach and water to ensure they're properly cleaned.

    Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

    Why trust Good Housekeeping?

    You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (50)

    The Good Housekeeping Institute provides expert reviews and advice on everything a parent needs, including bath toys. Rachel Rothman is the Chief Technologist & Director of Engineering at the Institute. For more than 15 years Rachel has put her training in mechanical engineering and applied mathematics to work by researching, testing and writing about parenting products. She has been a judge for the Good Housekeeping Parenting Awards since its inception as well as other industry awards, including the Best of Parenting at CES and JPMA Parenting Awards. Plus, as a mom to three kids under five, she's personally tested many of the products we recommend in real life. She vetted many of the products above.

    In her role as Parenting & Pets Reviews Analyst, Jamie Spain brings years of experience to the Institute, having reviewed products for Good Housekeeping such as hands-free breast pumps and jogging strollers, as well as BuzzFeed, and previously worked in the parenting sphere at People. She updated this guide to include the latest and greatest bath toys.

    Jamie spoke with Carolyn Forté, the Executive Director of Good Housekeeping's Home Care & Cleaning Lab, to understand more about the easiest materials to keep clean when it comes to bath toys.

    You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (51)

    Rachel Rothman

    Rachel Rothman was the chief technologist and executive technical director of the Good Housekeeping Institute for over 15 years, overseeing testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also managed GH's research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems.

    You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (52)

    Jamie Spain

    Parenting & Pets Reviews Analyst

    Jamie (she/her) is a parenting and pets reviews analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she spends her time testing, researching and writing about pet and family products. Prior to starting at GH in 2021, she worked at BuzzFeed and People, covering a combination of product reviews and lifestyle content. She's a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and psychology and a master’s degree in journalism.

    You and Your Kids Will Love These Easy-to-Clean Bath Toys (2024)

    References

    Top Articles
    Latest Posts
    Recommended Articles
    Article information

    Author: Chrissy Homenick

    Last Updated:

    Views: 6296

    Rating: 4.3 / 5 (54 voted)

    Reviews: 93% of readers found this page helpful

    Author information

    Name: Chrissy Homenick

    Birthday: 2001-10-22

    Address: 611 Kuhn Oval, Feltonbury, NY 02783-3818

    Phone: +96619177651654

    Job: Mining Representative

    Hobby: amateur radio, Sculling, Knife making, Gardening, Watching movies, Gunsmithing, Video gaming

    Introduction: My name is Chrissy Homenick, I am a tender, funny, determined, tender, glorious, fancy, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.