Ages: 12 months and up

All the world's a stage, but the tub rim makes an especially good one when you pull the shower curtain aside for an impromptu performance. To create a handful of bath-friendly finger puppets, wash a pair of rubber gloves (to remove any powdery residue from the packaging), then cut off the fingers and use permanent markers to draw a face, hair, and other details. Allow the ink to dry, then let the show begin. (For safety, be sure little kids don't put the finger puppets in their mouths.)

Instant Activities: Fun in the Tub

Ages: 18 months and up

With water and a little imagination, kids can turn a bevy of kitchen castoffs -- plastic funnels, measuring cups, squeeze bottles, a plastic baster -- into a tubful of terrific toys. Check out these ideas for inspiration.

Fill 'er Up: Learning to fill and empty a plastic baster and squeeze bottle offers plenty of good, clean fun for the littlest bathers. Once your child gets the hang of it, see if he can fill an ice cube tray with the baster or the squeeze bottle with a funnel and a measuring cup.

Target Practice: Draw a bull's-eye on the side of the tub with a bath crayon, then have your child test his aim with the baster or squeeze bottle. For a bigger challenge, he can try propelling a floating object, such as rubber duck, across the water.

Aquatic Volcanoes: To create your own water fountain, slap a plastic funnel large-end down on the bath's surface and watch as a plume of water comes shooting out its spout. Just be sure to have some towels nearby.

Materials

• Pair of rubber gloves
• Scissors

• Permanent markers

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Find more about:

• Bathtime Fun |
• Toddler

Related Categories:

• November 2009 |
• Bath Crafts |
• Toddler