For some children, bath time is the worst time of day. Maybe it’s because they know it is nearing the dreaded bedtime hour or maybe they just like being stinky.
Like brushing teeth, bath time is not something that can be avoided. Being a parent sometimes takes a heck of a lot of creativity to get things done. Broccoli is easier to feed to a kid when he or she thinks its miniature trees, so you have to think in terms of making things a lot of fun when you need to get some not-so-fun things done.
Here are some bath ideas that will get any child to jump on in.
Make It a Game: Bringing toys into any activity will increase the level of enjoyment for any child. Make it fun. Buy a bunch of little rubber ducks and 
throw them in the bubbles with your kids. You can play while washing. See how many ducks you can push under water at once. Line the little ducks up like a train and race them around the parameter of the tub. Have your little guys wash each ducky then wash himself or herself afterward.
Keep a basket or plastic container in your bathroom cabinet to store your ducks and other toys in. Be sure to dry the ducks thoroughly before putting them away — even that can be a game!
Use Color: Life is downright boring without color, and that goes for bath time as well. Avoid giving your kids a plain old bath. Bring in some exciting Technicolor. Many non-toxic coloring products are available on the market that you can use to color your water. Just drop a color tab in the water and ta-da: your little kiddos are swimming in the magical green waters of the rain forest, the deep blue colors of the ocean or Aladdin’s mysterious purple pond. You can do the same thing with bubbles. Now boring old bath time becomes a world of colorful fun.
Hunt for Treasure: Ahoy…calling all pirates! You will be hard pressed to keep your kids away from a nice juicy pirate 
treasure hunt. The only rule is that once the treasures are found, your little buccaneer has to wash up, as to not get any dirty pirate ship germs into the rest of the house. All you need is a dive mask or goggles, coins or any toys that will sink to the bottom, and a little net bag that you can secure to the bathtub faucet to keep their treasure in. Fill the tub up with bubbles and spread out all the goodies, then let them in to have some good clean fun.
Art School: Put some bathtub finger-paint soap in your children’s hands and watch them grow. This fun product lets children paint while also getting clean. Install a tiny suction cup mirror so they can see their handy work. They can even begin to tap into their imagination and draw and tell you a bedtime story. Now you are multi-tasking, spending quality time with your child, feeding their creativity, getting them squeaky clean and checking the bedtime story off your list.
Fun with Bubbles: Playing with bubbles is a silly, fun way to get clean. Be sure you add a couple extra caps of bubble bath so that there are plenty of suds to play with. You can make crazy hairstyles, beards and outfits with the bubbles. Design animals and shapes on the walls, make mountains or simply blow them around the room. Bubbles are a great way to have some good old clean fun.
Painful bath time routines are a thing of the past. With a little extra creativity, your little guys will be begging for tub time. So, get ready for some wrinkly fingers and toes and sweet smelling kids. Because bath time may just become their favorite time of day.
Angelo DiGangi is a Home Depot sales associate in the Chicago suburbs and a writer on bathroom decor tips for Home Depot’s website. Angelo’s interests in the home improvement arena include providing advice to homeowners on bathroom accessories, faucets and vanities.