The Best Mold-Free Bath Toys For Babies and Toddlers
There’s no doubt that cute and colorful toys make bathtime even more fun. But, the fun ends quickly when you find mold in your child’s favorite bath toy! That’s why having mold-free bath toys is crucial.
When you find fun bath toys that don’t mold, your child will be able to enjoy them for much longer. Plus, you won’t wonder if the toy is still safe for your child to play with!
In this article, you’ll find the best options for mold-free bath toys and answers to questions like how to keep bath toys from becoming moldy.
Let’s get started!
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The Best Mold-Free Bath Toys
1. Sealed Rubber Duckies
Rubber ducks are a classic bath toy, but many rubber duckies have holes in the bottom that allow water to get trapped inside. That’s why it’s best to get sealed rubber duckies.
This White-Hot Bath Duck will likely be one of your baby’s first bath toys. Because the bottom of the duck has a safety thermometer to let you know if the water is too hot, it’s a popular toy to have for newborn baths.
If you have older children, these bath dinos are another fun option. Like the white-hot duck above, these dino toys don’t have any holes that allow water to get in.
2. Boats
Boats are another classic bath toy; what better place to pretend-play with boats than the bathtub!
We love this pack of six boats because they are all different colors, they have numbers on the tops of the boats to practice counting and ordering, plus they are incredibly budget-friendly! Not to mention, the boats can scoop up water so your child can practice pouring.
3. Pouring Cups
Speaking of pouring, bathtime is an excellent time for your child to practice their pouring skills. There is much less chance of making a mess!
My son has had these Munchkin Falls bath cups for over a year and a half, and they are one of his favorite toys. This mold-free bath toy is fun because it comes with one pouring cup and three cups that can attach to the wall.
These cups never get old because your child can arrange them to create a chain reaction in many different ways. Plus, the cups have cute little faces to look at.
4. Ring Toss Octopus
In addition to pretend-play bath toys, it’s fun to have simple games to play in the bath. This ring toss octopus is a great example!
This floating octopus toy comes with three rings that you try to toss onto the octopus’ tentacles. While the game aspect of this toy is perfect for toddlers age 18+ months, even younger babies can play with the octopus as its tentacles are easy for them to grab onto!
5. Foam Letters and Numbers
Foam letters and numbers are great mold-free bath toys for toddlers who are just starting to learn them. Your child can arrange the letters and numbers in the water as they float, or the foam toys can also stick to the tub’s walls when wet.
6. Waddle Bobbers – Fat Brain Toys
If you’ve read my 12-month-old toy gift guide, you know I love Fat Brain Toys. These toys are always well made and a ton of fun! The Waddle Bobbers are no exception.
Waddle Bobbers are these cute little penguin cups that slide down their own water slide. Your child can fill the floating penguin cups with water or even stack them; they are so much fun!
7. Clean Squeeze Squirt Toys
Squirt toys are the biggest culprit when it comes to developing mold. Unfortunately, squirt toys are always a massive hit during baths! That’s why these Clean Squeeze squirt toys are so fantastic.Â
This pack of bath squirts comes with four cute, ocean-themed characters. These squirt toys screw together, ensuring that you can completely dry and clean them. Not to mention, your child can mix and match the characters however they like!
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8. Bath Books
Waterproof bath books are a unique way to bring simple stories to bathtime. If you’ve never seen bath books, they are soft and squishy, waterproof books durable for use in the bath.
This bath book by Baby Einstien is a fun story that can help teach your child about colors.
9. Wind Up Penguin
Wind-up bath toys are a lot of fun for babies and toddlers to watch. We got this Wind Up Penguin for our son when he was around 9 months old, and he absolutely loved it!Â
Another great thing about wind-up toys is that they promote visual tracking and hand-eye coordination.
10. Stack and Strain Cups
Stacking cups bring so much entertainment outside of bathtime; why not have some that are designed for the bath?
These stacking cups also have different patterned holes in the bottom of each one to act as strainers. Plus, you can connect the cups to make an adorable caterpillar!
11. Boon – Chomp
Like a fishing net, the Boon Chomp whale collects little ‘creatures’ in his mouth.
Your little one has to use their fine motor skills and developing hand muscles to squeeze the whale’s tail to make the mouth open. Then, they will use their hand-eye coordination to catch all three creatures!
12. Boon – Marco
Next up on this list of mold-free bath toys is the Boon Marco toy. Marco is probably one of the most unique bath toys for toddlers on this list.
Marco is an exciting light-up bath toy. Once you put Marco in the water, a color-changing light turns on, and the toy bobs around in the water. Then, when bathtime is over, you take Marco out of the water, and the light turns off.
Marco definitely gives a new level of fun to bath time!
13. Bath Cogs and Pipes
If your child loves problem-solving and creating different structures, they will love these bath cogs and pipes!
These unique, no-mold bath toys have suction cups that attach each piece to the bathtub walls. Your child will have so much fun creating fantastic designs and watching how the water flows through the tubes and cogs differently. They are perfect for teaching cause-and-effect!
14. Fishing Pole
There are many fishing pole bath toys out there, but this one is the best. This fishing pole comes with three ‘fish’ for your child to catch, and the hook is weighted, so it quickly goes into the water.
When playing with a fishing pole toy, your child will use their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. Not to mention, they will practice patience and focus as they try to get the rings on their hook!
15. Munchkin Float and Play Bubbles
The Munchkin Float and Play Bubbles are perfect bath toys for babies; they are easy to hold and entertaining!
These mold-free bath toys are designed to float in the water while the character stays upright. Plus, these toys make rattle sounds that babies love!
Why do bath toys get moldy?
After all this talk of mold-free bath toys, you might be wondering why bath toys even get moldy. Many people wonder how a bath toy can mold when constantly in soapy, bubbly water.
The answer is that many bath toys have small holes that allow water to get inside but are next to impossible to dry thoroughly. Even when you always squirt all of the water out of a squirt toy, they don’t allow enough air inside to dry completely.
So, when the bath toy is always damp inside and never properly dries, it creates an excellent environment for mold to grow.
How do I keep my bath toys from getting moldy?
Mold can be scary when it comes to being on your baby’s toys. That’s why taking the extra step to prevent bath toys from becoming moldy is crucial. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Avoid Sealed Water Squirting Toys
You can tell from the list of mold-free bath toys above that you don’t want any toys that trap water inside. Water squirting toys are the worst for trapping moisture no matter how many times you squeeze the water out!
So, if your child loves water squirting toys, make sure you find some like these ones that can come apart to completely dry.
Air Dry
Another way you can prevent bath toys from molding is to ensure they are thoroughly dried in between baths. Whether you lay the bath toys out to dry on a towel or store them in a well-ventilated container, you want to ensure no water is trapped.
Regularly Clean in Vinegar
Cleaning bath toys is great for preventing mold growth, but it’s also excellent at preventing calcium or soap scum build-up on toys!
To clean bath toys with vinegar, I use equal parts water and vinegar and let the toys soak for at least five minutes.
If there is some calcium build-up on the toys, I check to see if it has been dissolved. If it has, then the toys are done soaking. But, if the calcium build-up is still there, I scrub the toys and then let them soak some more. Once they are done soaking, I ensure they get a good rinse and let them air dry on a clean towel.
To get more tips for cleaning baby and toddler toys, check out this post!
What’s the best way to store bath toys?
You’ll want to store bath toys as well-ventilated as possible, as I mentioned above. Here are the top-three bath toy storage options:
1. Basket
Having a basket to store bath toys in is very beneficial. We have this basket for our son’s bath toys, and I love that it sits over the bathtub. The water can drip off of the toys and into the tub, leaving virtually no mess.
I also love that this bath toy basket is easy to reach, so my toddler can pick whatever toy he wants to play with on his own. Plus, we’ve had this basket for a couple of years, and it’s held up well!
2. Toy Scooper
Up next for bath toy storage options is the toy scooper. This unique option hangs on the wall for easy access. When bathtime is over, you can grab the scooper, scoop up the bath toys and hang it back on the wall.
The scooper allows the bath toys to drip dry right back into the tub like the basket option. Plus, the mesh part of the scoop provides plenty of ventilation for the toys to air dry.
3. Hanging Net
The last popular storage option is a hanging net. Like the toy scoop, a net gives the toys plenty of air to dry.
A net, like this one, is great because it can hold a generous amount of toys, and it has two suction hooks to hang the net on the wall. Plus, its great reviews and budget-friendly price makes it a fantastic option.
How often should you throw out bath toys?
When it comes to bath toys, you may notice that they get dirty or worn out faster than regular toys. To be safe, you’ll want to throw out bath toys at the first sign of damage.
For example, if you notice that a rubber toy has developed a hole in it and can now trap water, you’ll want to get rid of that toy. This will minimize any risk of mold developing.
And there you have it! I hope you found some new favorites for your little one while having the peace of mind that they are mold-free. I’m sure your child will love any of these fun bath toys!
Before you go, check out these related articles:
- Everything You Need To Know About Newborn Bathing
- How To Calm Your Newborn During Bath Time
- The Best Tummy Time Activities By Age
- Fun Activities 12-Month-Olds Will Love!
- How To Create The Best Bedtime Routine For Your Child
What were your favorite mold-free bath toys from this list? I would love to know in the comments below!
