Among everyday objects, what could be more miraculous than a bathtub? Empty, it's little more than a big shiny bowl. But fill it up, and suddenly it's the world's most compact waterpark, a 3- by 5-foot aquatic playground that's open year-round, in good weather and bad. What's more, the waters of your average family tub, if not exactly healing, are certainly transformative. Immersed in a warm bath, kids who cut their teeth on interactive CD-ROMs and video games are capable of becoming completely transfixed by a kitchen funnel and a set of plastic measuring cups, staying in the tub until the water plunges to arctic temperatures and fingers and toes take on the texture of brain coral.
Which leads to the Basic Bathtub Paradox: While it's tough to coax kids out of the tub, it's a major challenge to get them into it in the first place. Below are several ideas aimed at generating a wave of bathtime enthusiasm--from bathtime sponge buddies to a soda bottle boat--all designed to encourage reluctant bathers to take the plunge and enjoy some good clean fun.
Bath Craft
Build Barbie her own clever catamaran from plastic bottles
Sink the Titanic
Recreate history with a cork vessel and bath foam "icebergs"
Spongee Bungee
Get squeaky-clean with these bungee-jumping bath pals
Rainbow Soap Balls
Put those little "nubs" of soap to good use in a colorful way
Tic-Tac-Tub
Play on the bathtub tiles with colorful foam X's and O's
