Splish Splash, I hate Taking A Bath (But Only When You’re Washing My Hair)
It’s a common conversation occupational therapists have with families:
- OT: Tell me, what is bathtime like?
- Parent: He LOVES taking a bath!
- OT: Great! What about washing his hair?
- Parent: Oh, he hates that part. We usually just rush through it.
- OT: Can you tell me HOW you wash his hair?
- Parent: I tilt his head back, pour water over his head, and try not to get any in his eyes. He fights me, but I go as fast as I can to get it over with.
For many children, bathtime is a time to play, connect, and start the process of winding down after another exciting day of being a kid.
For the sensory-sensitive child, bathtime can also be VERY dysregulating.
The temperature changes, the slimy, smelly shampoo, the loud acoustics, and the feeling that you may fall over in the tub are all enough to make a routine activity potentially agonizing.
This article covers five easy strategies to make bathtime more pleasant and enjoyable for kids with sensory sensitivities. By addressing the unique challenges they may face, you can create a calming and positive experience that works for both you and your child.
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links.
Sensory Input During Bathtime
There are lots of sensations associated with bathtime:
Touch
The rough, soapy washcloth being rubbed on your face or body, often unexpectedly.
The feeling of shampoo running down your face and the race to wipe it (if you can) before it gets near your eyes or ears.
Your upper body feeling cold because it’s not submerged in the water.
Being towel dried with a towel being pressed and rubbed against your body at an unknown trajectory by another person.
Being transported in a warm towel to another room, but then having the towel removed to get pajamas on! Cold! Brrrrrrrr!
Auditory
The loud sound of water filling the tub can feel overwhelming, especially for a child with heightened sensory sensitivities.
Voices, music, and other noises are amplified in the acoustically challenging environment of the bathroom, where hard surfaces like tiles and mirrors cause sound to echo and reverberate.
Even small sounds, like the splash of water or a dropped bottle of shampoo, can feel much louder and more startling than expected, contributing to sensory overload during bathtime.
Vestibular
Sitting unsupported in a bath can make a child feel unstable and that they may fall over.
Tilting a child’s head back can be very scary and provide an unsettling dose of vestibular input.
Your vestibular system is located in your inner ear and provides information about body awareness, head position, and balance. Your vestibular system is your gravity sensor.
You activate your vestibular system when you tilt your head in any direction. When this system gets activated unexpectedly, such as when a caregiver tilts your head back to rinse your hair, it could be very scary for someone sensitive to that type of sudden movement.
And doing that with your eyes closed? Yikes! That could be terrifying!
Smell
Watermelon Shampoo? Shea Butter? Coconut and Hibiscus? Strawberry?
While it may make your child smell absolutely delectable to you, those smells could be a lot for them to take in and process.
Plus, the fabric softener or detergent used on your towels and their clothes adds even more sensory input to the bathtime experience.
Thinking Sensory
Something to think about: While deep pressure input and warmth can be very calming for people, the sensory input at bathtime can also be very alerting.
All of that rubbing and head tilting may negate any attempt to calm your child before bedtime.
Also, the temperature changes associated with bathtime, such as moving from a warm bath to a cold room and clean clothes that feel cold on bare skin, can have the opposite effect from the calming and winding down you intended during bathtime.
Now that you are “thinking sensory,” here are some strategies to consider if bathtime is causing stress or interfering with the nighttime routine.
Bathtime Strategies for Sensory Sensitivities
Strategy #1: Head Down
Tilting a child’s head back can be scary because of the intense vestibular input and postural challenge that movement provides.
However, tilting their head forward (looking down) is less on a child’s core and vestibular system. Tilting their head down will allow them to hold a cloth over their face to protect them from water dripping.
And, If you want to have a real deep sea nautical bathtime adventure, you can even put on goggles!
Strategy #2: One Room for Everything
Cold air hitting the skin after a warm bath can be a jarring experience, especially for kids with heightened sensory sensitivities. This sudden temperature change can overstimulate their sensory systems and make winding down for bedtime much harder.
To help avoid this, consider setting up a cozy post-bath routine within the bathroom. Getting dressed in the warm, humid environment right after the bath prevents that drastic temperature shift and creates a smoother transition to bedtime.
You can keep towels, pajamas, and other essentials within arm’s reach so your child doesn’t have to leave the comfort of the bathroom.
Strategy #3: Support their Core
Bathtubs can be slippery, which might make even confident sitters feel unsteady. Even if your child doesn’t usually need core support, the slippery surface of the tub might make extra support helpful to keep them feeling safe and secure.
From commercial bath chairs to “hacks” you can find online, depending on your child’s age and budget, there are many ways to provide additional sitting support for your child to make them feel secure while sitting in the bath.
A non-slip baby/toddler bath seat that attaches securely to the tub is a simple and affordable way to add extra core stability to bath time.
Strategy #4: Share Power
Can your child rub the washcloth on their own body? Can they wash your arm so you can learn how hard they are pressing? Can they rub the shampoo in their hair?
Having a mirror handy, like this stick-on bathtub mirror, can also be helpful so they can see what they are doing and not just rely on their sense of touch.
There are many opportunities to allow a child to participate in the bathing process. The more control over the sensory input they have, the less stressful bathtime will be.
Also, be curious! Ask them how something feels to them! Ask them permission or give them a heads-up before touching, scrubbing, or rinsing! Get feedback directly from them in the moment, validate what they’re feeling, and find solutions together.
Strategy #5: Timing is Everything
If you feel that bathtime is not calming for your child, consider bathing them at a different time of day rather than just before bedtime.
If the sensory input they receive appears to be revving them up instead of calming them down, consider moving bathtime as far away from bedtime as possible to give their sensory systems a chance to regulate.
Bathtime can still be a positive and enjoyable experience for a sensory-sensitive child!
By validating their sensory preferences and incorporating strategies to reduce dysregulating sensory input, you can transform what might feel like a stressful chore into an opportunity for connection, play, and bonding.
With the right tools and techniques, bathtime can be a moment to build trust and nurture your child’s comfort while also meeting their sensory needs. Not only will they leave the tub clean, but the experience can also set the tone for a calm and regulated transition into the next part of their day—stress-free for both of you.
