Your child needs to develop physical literacy in four different environments: on land, in the water, in the air, and on snow and ice. This simple bathtub activity provides an early start for your toddler in the water.
Setup
Run a warm bath and ensure that the water is not too hot. Remember, infants and toddlers have greater sensitivity to heat than adults. What feels only warm to you may be scalding to your toddler.
How to play
- During bath time, simply encourage your toddler to splash in the water by kicking.
- Remove items from near the bathtub if you do not want them wet.
- Have your toddler kick while sitting or reclining in the bathtub. (Support their head if necessary.)
- Also encourage your toddler to splash with their hands by pushing the water with their hands as paddles.
- Challenge your child to make big splashes!
This simple activity literally helps your child to develop a feel for the water, as it develops their tactile sense of being wet and their kinesthetic sense of how the water reacts to the movement of their limbs. This basic familiarity with water will help them later when they start to learn how to swim.
Suggested age
1-3 years
