I was tickled when Elisabeth wrote about the re-issue of Patrick Ryland's lauded "Fish" (which won the Duke of Edinburgh's Design Award in 1970) because an original is sitting in my bathtub. It belongs to my husband and my mother-in-law had saved it all these years. It got me thinking about why certain designs endure over time and hold as much appeal today as when they were created. Then I started to wonder which bath toys from today have enough timeless appeal that I might one day want to hand them down to my own grandchildren.
My mother-in-law thinks she bought the Ryland fish at Cambridge's legendary and now defunct Design Research store which showcased the best of international design. The Fish design is simple yet elegant, a hallmark of many enduring designs. With this criteria in mind, I rounded up some bath toys currently on the market that I think have a shot at being collectible and revisited by future generations of children. I included the classic rubber ducky which I don't love, but whose popularity never seems to wane.
Do you have any to add to my list?
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I LOVE bath toys. They are the best gifts. My brother and I loved bath books. Bit of an odd concept, and they can go horribly moldy but we still refer to them to this day so they do endure!
http://ducklovesrooster.blogspot.com.au/
The fishing boat by Ambi Toys is a success here with my two kids. I have my eye on the duck family now (http://www.amazon.com/Bathtub-Toys-Duck-Family-Bath/dp/B00005BHMK)
I doubt your grandchildren will one day play with the squirters shown above though (I banished squirters, too much yucky mold)
The Ikea stacking cups might be a contender.
http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/80021008/
I picked up some Crayola bath crayons for my friend's toddler and they've been a big hit. They're animal shaped and float and draw on the side of the tub nicely and she really gets a kick out of them (though you'll get drawn on too). I don't think they get many design points, but they're super fun.
Bath crayons and little rubber squirter toys are about the only bath toys I'll buy. Why? Because anyone who was ever a kid who took a bath will happily tell you that the best bath toys were Barbies, action figures, Happy Meal Toys, random cups and junk around the house. Same way a lot of cat people will tell you they'd never waste money on cat toys when bottle caps and aluminum foil in the pantry are essentially free, kids' imaginations are all the toys they'll need. You don't see the world as toys but they still do.
My little girl is nuts for the Skip Hop stacking ducks - she actually loves getting her hair and face washed now. So, best bath toy ever as far as I'm concerned.
I agree with you, retain some safe "toy" from the kitchen.....funnels! stacking measuring cups and a collander to collect them all. The child can learn about these items that you use. It's a way to teach repurposing an item also. Oh, put a bowl in = floting when too much water put in it.......SINKS INTO THE COLLANDER .HAVE FUN
I am referring to JMH 26 I must not know the system to replying
I am referring to JMH 26 I must not know the system to replying
I've never seen this fish bath toy, but love it. I remember the tug boat and still think it's fun today. The mold is an issue as everyone said above. I absolutely love the duck family. They are wonderful. Like the idea of repurposing kitchen items. Some kitchen things comes come in great shapes and colors for kids.
I had a ton of bath toys for my first child and found that most of them got disgustingly dirty/moldy and generally nasty, and then unfortunately they are all now thrown away. Now both my first and second child love anything to play with in the water but mostly stacking cups and foam letters. I have also found they don't get as nasty and are easier to clean. I'm not a dirt freak or anything but dirty bath toys really gross me out. I won't buy any squirter toys or anything that water can get in now at all. I find my kids usually are perfectly happy with bubbles and cups to pour water in and out of and on each other.
We have the Skip Hop Duncks, and they're a hit with our 13-month-old daughter because she's always trying to grab the rinse cup... and now when she does, I have the ducks as backup. When she wants the duck I have, there are two others (plus the abandoned rinse cup) for me to use. Win win! Plus they're cute.
I know this post is getting old, but I'm hoping people still see my comment.
We have 4 boys and when our second was about 18 months old he was playing in the tub with his older brother. I had recently thrown out a few squirty toys (a few at a time so the kids didn't notice) and put the standard kitchen items in the tub for them. I put a funnel in and while they were playing our 18 month old fell and landed on the funnel, on his butt. It was about 1/4" from his anus.
The thought of the damage that could have caused still makes my skin crawl today. He's almost 6.
I was right there. We don't allow them to stand in the tub or have too much horse play (with 4 boys you can't cut out all horse play).
Please don't put funnels in your kids bath.
*Shudder* Thanks @Angus for sharing your cautionary tale.