A pretend play “doll bath station” will keep your little ones entertained and cool for hours this summer! It’s one of our favourite warm-weather backyard activities.
Water play activities are always a hit here in my home daycare. In particular, the toddlers and hooligans love it when I set up a baby care station for them to play with.
Setting up your doll bath station for play:
I used a dollar store kitty-litter basin for the baby-bath, and set up a tray with everything the Hooligans would need to bathe their babies.
The tools:
I set out sponges, baby wash cloths and hand towels, toothbrushes, spray bottles, a soap pump (filled with soapy water) and a couple of travel shampoo containers filled with watered down shampoo and conditioner.
I also added a stainless-steel “bar of soap” (it’s actually for used to remove garlic odours from your hands when cooking).
Where can you find hard bodied, plastic dolls for water play?
I get this question a lot actually! Apparently hard-bodied dolls aren’t easy to find.
I found our plastic dolls at second-hand stores. If you have trouble finding them locally, check out the ones listed below on Amazon. (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases): Â
- Melissa & Doug Annie – 12″ Drink and Wet Doll
- Kidoozie Bathtime Baby
- Corolle Mon Premier Bebe Bath Boy Doll
Add colour for extra fun!
I filled the basin with warm, soapy water and sprinkled it with a few drops of food colouring just to make it a little more interesting. What fun!
Fine-motor and co-ordination
Squeezing the bottles, sprayers and sponges is a great way to develop motor skills and hand-eye co-ordination.
It took a lot of strength to squeeze the shampoo out, and to get the conditioner (they pretended it was toothpaste) onto the toothbrushes, and to get the sprayers spraying in the right direction.
It was challenging to hold the baby WHILE aiming and pumping the spray bottle so this little one enlisted some help from a friend.
And our youngest Hooligan was fascinated by the dripping water.
It was sweet to see them caring for their babies like they were real little mommies and daddies.
They washed their babies with care.
And brushed their teeth.
They shampoo’d their hair.
And rinsed their dolls clean.
And then they would gently towel them dry.
All of this led to assorted other water play as well:
They youngest children played in the bowl of rinse water that I’d set out.
And I made a bubble patch in the grass for the kids to squish their feet in.
What a simple pretend play idea for a hot, summer day! We’re going to be doing it all over again today. 🙂
More Pretend Play Ideas:
Boredom Busters for Kids!
Print off our checklist of 100 Fun Things for Kids to Do at Home. Stick it on your fridge, and they’ll never be bored again!
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Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.
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Melissa (@ChMuffinTree)
This is so great. Lately my 5 year old daughter naturally plays in our dish bubbles and I let her play in the bathroom sink washing her small dolls. I don’t know if most parents would appreciate the mess, but I don’t mind. I definitely see the value in this or I wouldn’t let my own daughter do this.
You are such a fabulous caretaker/teacher….I wish there were more like you.
Sara
What great fun! I was reading this post and my 3.5 year old came and asked me for a bucket of water to wash his dirty trucks! He didn’t see this post, he just had the idea at the same time. So I rounded up much of the same materials you had here, only subbing dirty trucks for babies! He’s out back having a blast with his little sister. I have a feeling this will be repeated many times in the months to come. I can’t wait to try it with dolls too.
happyhooligans
Great minds think alike! We did a car/truck was today (with lots of real mud). I’ll be posting it soon. You really can’t go wrong when you hand your child a bucket of water and a scrub brush can you? Have fun when you try it with the dolls!
Stephanie G
Thanks for adding this comment, I was just thinking how I’d love to try this but wasn’t sure if I wanted to do the dolls, adding the cars/trucks will make it even more of an awesome idea for the toddlers!
Jane @ Mama Pea Pod
Oh, I used to spend my summers doing this as a kid – love your more elaborate set up! We spend lots of time here washing the zoo animal figures and such, but I have have kept their baby bath just for this purpose. Think I’ll go set it up right now as I hear tears in the next room – time for some water play!
happyhooligans
Ah, lucky you, Jane. I don’t think I ever did this as a kid! I’ll bet the tears dried up quickly when you put it all together!
pauline@lessonslearntjournal.com
I love the words “super easy”. They look like they had a ball. Love your pics too. So glad you shared this at the Weekly Kids’ Co-op.
babytoys
Really super blog.Thanks for sharingBaby Bath
Ann
Love, love, love this!
jdaniel4smom
What a great play activity! The babies even got their teeth brushed.
Rebecca
Oh my gosh! We are having a “heat wave” in the Bay Area and this would be perfect! What a great way to entertain and have fun! Thanks for posting!
http://thisfineday.com/
Stephanie G
I love this idea, it’s super cute! You did a great job with the photography too and I like how it’s expected that more washing will ensue so we don’t have to worry about what happens when they’re bored with the dolls–they get to be creative! I’m going to try this with the toddler group at Cousins Camp, incorporating the cars/trucks that were previously mentioned in comments as well!
happyhooligans
Thanks, Stephanie! I hope you guys have fun with it!
Auntie Angela
I’ve done this with sponges and wash cloths but not tooth brushes. What a fun idea, thanks!
happyhooligans
Oh yes, pull out the toothbrushes, Auntie Angela! They’re always a huge hit!
Perry
Lovely Collections !!! I love it.
Thanks for posting. Keep posting more articles.
happyhooligans
Thank you, Perry! I’m glad you’re enjoying our ideas. This activity is a favourite around here.
Julie
I love all the activities that you post and my daughters are loving them too, thank you so very much!
We have these dolls from target, this is the link to the small one, but they sell a bigger one too, hope it helps someone:
http://www.target.com/p/circo-mini-bath-baby-gift-set/-/A-13783384#prodSlot=_2_15
happyhooligans
Thanks so much, Julie! And I’m glad you’re loving my activities!
AC
Awesome idea! I still have a baby bathtub. We are doing this today!! Thanks!
happyhooligans
Yay! Have fun!
Hampton Swim School
This is an activity both my son and daughter love doing and would keep them busy for hours. My son would only briefly wash a doll before it turned into washing all his cars but my daughter would wash and rewash all her dolls followed by a mini makeover.