For those of you, who have kids in their household would know how hard it is to always ensure that everything around the house is hazard-free and safe. Like every other place in the house, the same rules also apply to the bathroom. Whether it is your hot iron curler lying around on the countertop and you want it to be out of your kid’s reach, or perhaps, you have just painted your bathroom walls that you do not want them to get ruined by toothpaste splatter, it is important to make your bathroom kid-friendly. It must definitely be a safe place, which is not prone to any hazards for your kid. Conversely, if you are designing a bathroom specifically for you kids, you also need to keep in mind that it must be a space that would motivate them to get up every day in the morning or even take their shower before heading to bed.
The right vanity and toilet height
Bathroom, despite being one of the smallest rooms in the house, are a place for the greatest trouble making for kids. Most parents after having kids might be urge to install mini sinks and toilets for their little ones. Although, they might look cute to many, a lot of people would not want to spend too much on something their kids will outgrow, or perhaps simply do not want to install additional fixtures in the little bathroom space that they have. Hence, a good idea in this case would be to install a taller adult vanity and get a stool for your kid. You tuck it in the closet when it is not in use and can donate it to someone else when you kids get older.
The same idea could be applied in the case of toilets. Although you can find a lot of little toilet designs for little kids, they might seem great for bathroom training, however, may not be practical in the long run. It would be better if you go for a standard-size toilet; even taller toilets might not work. You can use the same stools for your kids to reach. Moreover, kids tend to make a lot of mess so make sure that you keep this toilet space clean and tidy at all times.
Additional storage
The best way to convince your kid to have a bath is to get them loads of bath toys to play with during that time. Although, you might be satisfied after mastering the best technique to get your kids ready for bed, but the clean up after the bath could be a nightmare. A great tip is to have proper storage for bath toys in the bathroom. Get an aesthetic basket which goes with your overall bathroom style or perhaps assign a drawer in the medicine cabinet to your child. Asking them to pick out their bath toys before every bath and to keep them back afterwards from their allocated storage space is also a great way of inculcating a sense of responsibility in your child. He or she must know that they have to put away their toys in a certain place after bath time is over.
Paint and accessories
For those designing a kid’s bathroom, it is important to pay more attention to the paint color you choose and the accessories you want to keep in there. Perhaps, choose a fun color rather than the neutral ones. It will make bath time more fun for your kid. Moreover, add kid-friendly accessories such as a batman shower curtain or a minion’s towel. It is important that you use your creativity with paint and accessories only, but not the fixtures you install in the bathroom as they are generally permanent installation for many. It might be inexpensive to change the wall paint every once in a while, however installing new fixtures can be expensive. You preferably should invest in good ones, which will last longer, even after your child has grown up.
Low hooks
The biggest challenge that kids face when sharing bathrooms with adults is that everything is taller and bigger for them. However, expensive installations such as a sink or toilet especially for your kid might not be the most practical idea, as discussed above. You can instead add other little things to make your bathroom kids friendly. It would great to have lower towel bars or hooks for the kids to hang their clothes. You can use up an empty space in your bathroom; perhaps under a mounter sink or on the door. You can also allocate that specific area to your kid and store their bathroom, bath toys and towels all in one place.
Get some art
You might not want to transform your adult bathroom in to a kid’s play room by changing everything about its design, but you still want to make it a kid-friendly space. Perhaps get some colorful art with little messages like ‘brush your teeth’, ‘wash your hands’ or even a simple ‘good morning’. These will not only brighten up the place but will also provide a valuable lesson for your kid.
Safety precautions
In addition to ensuring that your bathroom design is kid-friendly, you must also ensure that you yourself take all the right safety measures in order to make your bathroom a hazard-free space for your kids. Here are a few things you must definitely remember:
- Unplug bathroom appliances such as curling irons and put away dangerous items such as razors out of your kid’s reach
- Check for water temperatures and preferably install anti-scald devices in the bathroom
- Lock your cabinets to ensure that your kids do not meddle with your medicine or makeup
- Get anti-slip stickers for the bath so that your kid does not slip during his or her bath time.
- Avoid decorative pieces made out of glass or other breakable materials
- Do not leave your kids alone in the bath, especially when the water is running
Kids love to create a mess and have fun while they are in the bath. So, to make bath time more fun for them you should try to follow the tips and tricks mentioned above for transforming your bathroom into a space kids love to go.