Dessert on board your boat – a Toddler Trick for bath time.

We love bath time but some days it just can’t come fast enough!  My mum, an awesome multi-tasker, used to put my twin sister and I in the bath with our dessert.  Not only is this a fun departure from the everyday, it is a no mess way for your toddler to eat fruit and cuts down the time between dinner, bath and bedtime on those crazy ‘had enough’ nights.

 You will be surprised at how well your average plastic child’s plate will float. If you put bite sized fruit that they love to eat on it, your toddler will manage eating the contents themselves with minimal spillage.  Raisins, apricots and other dried fruit also work well and they don’t  break-up if they do get the odd dunking.  This idea works just as well in summer out in the paddling pool. Dessert on Board Your Boat is great for over summer when juicy berries and stone fruits can make quite a mess of clothes, high chair and the floor.

This toddler trick is best for older toddlers or those that sit very securely in the bath.

What you need:

• Bath or paddling pool

• A plastic plate with reasonably high sides that floats on water (good to test it out in

the kitchen sink first)

• A bowl of fruit that your toddler likes to eat -  fresh or dried – cut up into bite sized pieces

How to play:

1. Place your toddler’s favourite fruit , in a bowl, cut into bite sized pieces.  Take it into the bathroom or put it beside your paddling pool, alongside a plastic plate that floats well (preferably a bowl or a toddler’s plate with high side)

2. Run their bath like usual and get your toddler in.

3. Place the plate in the bath in front of your toddler.  Put a few pieces of fruit on-board your plate  and take the first piece off the plate and give it to them to eat.  If you make the connection between the floating plate and the yummy things on it your toddler will very quickly get the idea of eating their dessert on a boat.  You may need to keep a steadying hand on the plate in the first instance.

4. I generally don’t use bubble bath but if you do be sure to let the bubbles settle before placing your toddlers dessert in the bath – just be aware if the dessert gets a dunking it might taste a bit odd.

5. When the dessert is all gone, encourage them to have some water play with the bowl while you do the ‘washing up’ of your toddler.

A few more things you should think about:

·  Safety is foremost.  So never leave your toddler unattended even for a second while they are in the bath…particularly with food involved.  They should always be sitting upright and  an approved bath seat could be a good idea.  Never let them eat from the plate when they are lying down in the bath.

· “Dessert on board your boat” remains untested with any dessert other than fresh and dried fruit.   If you try it with other food options please let me know what else  you find works well.

·  Don’t attempt this with foods your toddler isn’t confident eating outside of the bath environment – keep it to the tried and true.

·  Be careful not to overload the plate or you will have a submarine not a boat that floats!

·  If you have older children who bath with your toddler, they will love  this too but make sure everyone has their own plate – this is most important for twins and triplets too!

And finally, this should be a treat – so don’t do it every night.

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