Bath time is a great way for babies and young children to learn water awareness. 

It is also often a bonding opportunity between parents and children or siblings as a nightly routine before bed. 

An evening bath is all about timing, it’s important to pick a time when your baby is awake, settled and not hungry. Evening bath routines can also work well as a reset for babies who are experiencing colic, purple crying, or witching hour.  

As primary carers, there is always a need to understand the major risks of injury when your child is in or near the bath. These include drowning and hot scalds. 

Preparing for the bath

• Take everything you need, such as a towel, face washer, bath wash, clothes and nappy into the bathroom, so you can stay with your child for bath time
• Prepare a non-slip bath mat
• Only run enough water to wash and provide playtime. A good guide is roughly your child’s belly button height for children who can freely sit upright
• Check the temperature with a thermometer, your wrist or your elbow before putting your child in bath water. It should not be hotter than 38°C . See Burns for more information.

During the bath

Accidents usually happen when the adult caregiver is distracted or leaves the room to attend to something else. Children can drown quickly, quietly and in just a few centimetres of water. 

Check out these safety tips:

• always stay within arms’ reach of your child in the bath and never leave your child alone in the bath for any reason
• supervise your child at all times while they are in the bath
• ignore distractions such as mobile phones or answering the door whilst your child is in the bath
• if choosing to add more water to the bath, make sure your child is out of the bath and away from the taps - this has a high risk of scalds even if you are turning the cold taps on. See Burns for more information
• don't rely on older siblings or teenagers to supervise younger children during bath time
• if you use a baby bath aid, you will still need to supervise and keep your child within arm’s reach. Baby bath aids are not recommended for use and are not seen as a safe device.

After the bath

• Drain the bath as soon as you have finished - bath time for a baby or young child shouldn’t need more than 10 minutes.