“And at the end of the day, your feet should be dirty, your hair messy and your eyes sparkling” (Shanti).

Establishing bathtime rituals for your children helps them relax and prepare for bed. Aside from cleaning away the day’s germs, bathtime also provides a fun way to connect with your child. Incorporate some of these bathtime rituals into your daily routine:

  • bath time ritualsBuy 2-3 pool noodles and cut each one into smaller pieces using a bread knife. Kids will have fun stacking them, sorting them by color and swimming with them in the water.
  • Make homemade bath paint. Ingredients include ¼ cup shampoo or body wash, ¼ cup cornstarch, 1-2 tablespoons water and 3-4 drops food coloring. Combine the cornstarch, shampoo and food coloring. Add water ½ a tablespoon at a time until it reaches a good consistency. Store in an airtight container. Let your child “paint” with a paintbrush on the bathtub wall for a creative way to unwind at the end of the day.
  • Create a kid-friendly detox bath. Detox baths promote good health by flushing out toxins, strengthening the immune system and promoting sleep and relaxation. For children under 60 pounds, add ½ cup of epsom salt, ¼ cup baking soda,1 tablespoon coconut oil and 4 drops essential oil to a standard bath. Let your child soak for about twenty minutes and make sure he or she drinks plenty of water afterward.
  • Make bath time foam faces. Items needed include assorted colors of craft foam sheets, scissors and a hot-glue gun (optional for layering pieces). Simply cut-out eyes, noses, mouths, hair, ears from foam sheets etc. Let your child add water to the back and stick them to the bath wall to design funny foam faces.

After some fun playing in the tub, cleansing child’s hair and washing his or her body from top to bottom, bathtime will almost be complete. Dry off your little one and moisturize his or her skin for a relaxing end to the day. Your child’s dirty feet and messy hair may be clean, but his eyes will still sparkle after a special bathtime.

(Note: For safety reasons never leave a child unattended in a bathtub.)