Showers, baths, bubble baths, bath bombs, foot baths, sponge baths – for adults, bathing options can feel endless. For toddlers and young children, on the other hand, a warm (but not hot!) bath in three or four inches of water can seem like the only safe option. Your toddler is growing up, though, and they may be ready to start exploring the wider world of bathing – including showers!
Toddler shower safety
Shower safety for tots has a lot in common with bath safety – supervision, for example, is still absolutely key. Toddlers should never be out of their parents’ sight – or ideally, out of their parents’ reach – during bathing or when there’s water in the bathtub. Showers come with their own unique set of challenges though.
- If you have a bathtub with a detachable shower head, you can start by giving your toddler mini-showers in the tub – you’ll have more control over how clean they get too.
- Showers are slippery, and so are wet toddlers, which is why putting slip-proof mats or decals down on the tub or shower floor is key. But even with slip-proof mats or decals installed, it’s a good idea to encourage your little one to sit down while they get clean. Toddlers are still relatively new to standing, at least in comparison to adults, and slippery shower floors are not the best place for them to practice.
- Once they start taking showers, your toddler may be entering new realms of the bathroom, so it’s important to make sure that potentially dangerous toiletries like razors, soaps, and anything electrical are totally out of reach.
- Set the heat of the water yourself, and test it before you let your child into it. If they can reach the faucet, make sure you’re always close enough to stop them from getting their hands on it. It’s also a good idea to get a soft cover for the faucet, since corners can be dangerous if a toddler standing in the shower slips and falls near them.
- If your shower door is glass, make sure the glass is shatter-proof, and consider installing rails or grab bars for balance.
Showering can be a fun way to mix up bath time, especially for toddlers who are resistant to hair washing or dipping their heads in water. A safe toddler shower follows a lot of the same rules as a safe bath, but it never hurts to review exactly what that means, especially as your little one continues getting bigger.
Sources
- “5 bathroom safety tips for infants and young children.” HealthyChildren. American Academy of Pediatrics, January 24 2017. Retrieved March 22 2018. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/Bathroom-Safety.aspx.
- “Bathroom safety – children.” MedlinePlus. U.S. National Library of Medicine, January 12 2018. Retrieved March 22 2018. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000154.htm.
- “Bathtub and shower safety.” Nationwide Children’s. Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Retrieved March 22 2018. https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/cirp-bathtub-and-shower-safety.
