Bathing and swimming are a great opportunity to develop skills, strengthen the bond with your child, and above all, water is an almost endless source of fun for nearly all kids. Choosing the right water games and toys can turn ordinary bath time into an unforgettable experience and support a healthy relationship with water.
Why is bathing beneficial?
Water naturally attracts children. Bathing and swimming significantly contribute to a child's psychomotor development — in water, kids can more easily practice coordination, improve balance, and strengthen muscles without stressing their joints. Regular splashing around can even boost immunity and support respiratory health.
The aquatic environment also has a positive effect on children's mental well‑being. Water soothes, helps release tension from the whole body, and naturally tires them out, which can support better sleep. Shared moments in the water deepen the bond between parents and children and allow for spontaneous connection that everyday household routines can easily lack.
Getting acquainted with water early on is crucial. A child who has positive experiences with bathing tends to be more confident when learning to swim later. Toys can make this adjustment easier — they lure the child to the water rather than causing stress or fear.
Babies and the first steps toward swimming
You can take babies into the water very early — in a safe setting and with the right aids. First steps toward swimming are mainly about a sense of security, closeness, and gradual familiarization with water. It's important not to rush and to watch how your little swimmer responds to the water.
Water toys by age — how to pick the right ones
For babies, choose simple, light, easy‑to‑grip toys — ideal are rubber figures, squirting animals, or floating balls. It's important that they don't contain small detachable parts.
Toddlers will enjoy cups for pouring water, little boats, or water wheels. We recommend one of our water tables, which can encourage experimentation while strengthening fine motor skills.
Preschoolers love joining in more complex games and slowly learn to swim — foam mats, bath books, and swimming aids such as goggles, arm bands, inflatables or rings are ideal in our view.
For school‑age children, we recommend swimming aids (kickboards, larger rings, foam noodles), diving toys (diving fish) and sets for group games — such as water pistols or balls for water tag.
Outdoors or at home — ways to enjoy water play
Bath time can be fun at home, in the garden, or at a water park. In the bathtub you can create a playful environment even with minimal space — all you need are a few well‑chosen toys: colorful cups for pouring, singing and squirting LED animals, or wall‑mounted bubble makers.
An outdoor paddling pool offers more room for bigger games. It's worth having water pistols for battles, diving and floating toys, and inflatable mattresses at the ready.
If you’re heading to the water on vacation, choose light, packable toys — such as silicone collapsible buckets, soft fish, or a small inflatable ring. They fit in a bag and you can play with them in the sea or in a pond.
The most popular water games for kids
Try different water games. Popular activities include drawing in the tub with bath crayons, plastic animal figures, pouring water between different containers or a shared hunt for diving toys.
For more children or larger spaces (paddling pools, gardens), go for team competitions — who can catch a floating object the fastest, throw into a water basket, or swim to a toy animal. Story‑based play is also fun (pirate ship, underwater expedition) with floating boats or figures.
Bathing and swimming are among children's favorite activities. Water can cool them down, entertain, motivate movement, and naturally tire them out. Time spent in the water often brings joy not only to children but also to parents. To spice things up, choose safe, fun, high‑quality toys that elevate bathing to an experience. Get inspired at Kidero.com, where you’ll find a wide selection of proven products for every child and every water occasion. Involve the whole family, experiment, and create shared memories.