The Best Bath Toys

If you’re familiar with bath toys, then this won’t come as a surprise: They tend to get grody fast. And it’s no wonder—many have design features that make them hard to clean, or they have holes that let water in but not completely out. Plus, their natural habitat is a tub or a shower, where the constant moisture, residue from soap products, and traces of bodily fluids provide the perfect breeding ground for mold and bacteria.

The good news is that most kids probably won’t get seriously ill from yucky bath toys—though the risk is higher for those who are immunocompromised or have a mold allergy. “It’s mostly just the ick factor,” Jennifer Foersterling, a pediatrician at Premier Pediatrics in St. Louis, Missouri, confirmed.

With that said, some water-trapping bath toys—such as plastic squirters—could harbor potentially nasty creepy-crawlies. Bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus aureus, as well as the fungus Exophiala, could all cause infections if they got into open wounds or eyes, Foersterling said. So it’s best to steer clear of these types of toys entirely.

If you’d prefer for your child to bathe surrounded by items that don’t make your stomach curdle, the toys in this guide can help. They’ll also last a lot longer than their mold-attracting counterparts. “I see no reason to throw away [bath] toys that can be easily cleaned and do not hold water,” Foersterling said. “We had bath toys that lasted through all [our] kids—at least eight years!”

Green Toys makes some of our favorite toys for land, and this company’s tub game is just as strong. The Green Toys Tugboat stands out for its perfect dimensions—at about 9 by 5 inches, it fits comfortably in smaller hands, while still feeling substantial. This tub toy also has a handy pour spout, so it can double as a hair rinser. It’s made of thick, BPA-free plastic with a high-quality feel; it’s also dishwasher-safe and comes apart, so the inside can be cleaned. If you’re interested in building a full-on armada, my daughter is a fan of the (much larger) Green Toys Ferry Boat and the Green Toys Disney Baby Mickey Mouse & Friends Linking Boats, a trio of smaller vessels with removable Disney character captains.

I had some initial reservations about the Skip Hop Zoo Light-Up Baby Bath Toy Unicorn—should I really put anything that lights up into my kid’s tub? But I was quickly won over by this guileless, approximately 4-inch plastic unicorn and its sweetly rounded features (there’s also a dinosaur version). As promised, when this bath toy gets wet, it lights up—or, rather, it glows gently, in different colors—thanks to water-activated sensors on its base. (This toy is fully sealed, to keep out water.) The magic of an illuminated floatie never got old for my daughter, but given the simplicity of this toy, it’s probably best for younger kiddos.

Note: After about a year, our unicorn went permanently dark, but since it costs less than most deli sandwiches, I’d still consider that a pretty good run.

No bath-toy review worth its Epsom salt would be complete without this classic entry. The Wild Republic Rubber Zebra Duck fits the, er, bill because it’s fully sealed (essential for keeping out water), yet it’s capable of floating without tipping (floating toys without holes often lack buoyancy and balance). This bath toy is made of a hard, smooth plastic, and it’s stayed like new for more than a year. Though natural rubber sounds good in theory, the floating toys we tested made from that material (including Kala the Whale and the Oli & Carol Origami Boat) turned slimy fast and then developed mold. Admittedly, this unconventional zebra-duck design might make waves with rubber-duckie traditionalists—as would Wild Republic’s equally disruptive peacock duck, cobra duck, T-rex duck, and zombie-duck.

The Boon Fleet Stacking Boats are simple yet well executed. The fleet consists of five streamlined boats (6 by 2¾ inches each) in refreshingly non-kiddie colors, like navy and eggplant—so adults might not mind having them docked indefinitely in their bathrooms. On the tops of the boats, small holes (in varying patterns) create a pleasing rain-shower effect with the bathwater, and the rims work well for more-serious scooping. (Multiple Amazon reviewers noted that they use these boats as rinse cups.) The boats can be nestled on top of each other, though they must be placed in the correct order to achieve a flush stack—a fact that my toddler found either frustrating or rewarding, depending on the outcome.

There are tons of stacking cups out there. How different could they possibly be? Well, the starfish-shaped Green Toys Stacking Cups seemed promising, but thanks to deep internal crevices, they also proved to be mold magnets. Ditto for the Mushie Stacking Cups—though they were chic and brimming with Danish hygge, they had an infuriating hollow lip that kept gathering gunk. The Skip Hop Multi Zoo Stack & Pour Buckets were just right, though. These five handled buckets are blissfully free of ridiculous crannies, and they’re made from smooth, hard plastic that wipes clean. Each bright, 3-inch-tall vessel has a cheerful animal face and a different perforated pattern on its base that drains water—entertaining during bath time and useful afterward in helping the buckets to dry.

I adore these funky little scoopers, which look like Darth Vader helmets that have been sunnily upcycled for the Light Side. The Bilibo Mini Primary Colors Combo Pack by Moluk set has become one of my go-to birthday and holiday gifts—it appeals to kids of various ages and interests, and it’s unusual, in a good way. (These scoopers are also available in a pastel set, as well as in a larger, 16-inch size, which we recommend in our guide to gifts for 2-year-olds.) The Mini Bilibos are made from a tough, non-bending plastic; each one measures about 5 inches in diameter. (All six scoopers can be stacked together, and in summer, you can keep them permanently stashed in a beach bag.) The Mini Bilibos defy categorization—their exact purpose is unclear—and, as a result, they remain fresh and continue to invite imaginative play. My daughter pretends hers are tiny hot tubs for other toys to enjoy, and sometimes she uses them as cookware—she once used them to “bake” a blueberry chocolate cake in the shower.

Granted, the Boon Pipes + Tubes + Cogs Bundle is pricey for a bath toy—but once you take inventory, there’s a lot to discover. This set contains 13 pieces and is essentially a combination of three other sets. (If you’d prefer a smaller assortment or want to add even more pieces, they’re sold separately as Boon Pipes, Boon Cogs, and Boon Tubes.) All of the components have suction cups, so your kid can stick them to slick surfaces. Some of the pieces have internal spinners, and many can be connected to one another to create an elaborate system. Part of the challenge is figuring out how they work together (or don’t). Though the manufacturer recommends this toy for children 12 months and up, I think kids will get more out of it as they mature. Also, although we didn’t have any issues with this set, some online reviews have complained of certain parts not spinning as they should or of insufficient suction (which could be related to the tub or tile surface).

If I could choose only one bath toy, it would be the Haba Bathtub Ball Track Set. The concept is simple: Create a “course” by suctioning three track pieces and a paddle wheel to a vertical surface; then send a ball down the run. The included ladle can be used to launch the ball or for other bath-time business. This set had my fourth-grader suddenly taking decadently long showers as he experimented with new configurations (we found it works best when you’re standing). The track set also left me wondering how I’d survived so many decades of bathing without it.

I do have a few small gripes. The set comes with only one ball, which is easy to misplace, and it’s more fun to deploy multiple balls down the track in quick succession. (Suggested remedy: Haba also makes the Bathing Bliss Waterslide, which comes with four balls. It’s a tad snoozy on its own, but when it’s combined with the Ball Track Set, you have a dream team.) Also, after about a year, the suction cups on (just) one of my track sections began developing dark mold spots. And there have been complaints—online and from a fellow Wirecutter editor—that the suction could be stronger.

“Junk,” I thought to myself when I first laid eyes on the Fat Brain Toys Waddle Bobbers Bath Toy. With its flimsy-looking suction slide, “iceberg” landing pad, and five hollow-headed penguin sliders—reminiscent of shot glasses you might get at a theme restaurant if you ordered peppermint schnapps—this set felt destined for a landfill. But dang-it if it hasn’t granted us hours of entertainment (and stayed mold-free—nothing sticks to that slick plastic). Like our Haba Bathtub Ball Track Set pick, this is a toy that makes things go zooming downhill. But the Waddle Bobbers are better for younger kids because there’s basically no room for human error: The slide always delivers. Plus, the cartoony penguins are beguiling; my daughter likes tucking them into their iceberg divots, stacking them high, and filling their small noggins with soapy water.

Just look at this ridiculous thing: The Boi Bath Toy by Moluk is a 4¾-inch-tall piece of plastic that vaguely resembles a Canada goose, by way of Plato’s cave. Once it’s in your orbit, though, it’s hard not to be charmed. The Boi toy seems perpetually optimistic and up for anything. It’s not afraid to be the butt of the joke: When you stick its silicone “beak” to the shower door, it’ll hang there indefinitely. In water, it bobs with uncertainty, unable to fully hoist its tummy to the surface. On land, it’s a modern-day Weeble that wobbles but doesn’t fall down, spinning and swerving like a drunken prima ballerina. It’s fully sealed, so there’s nowhere for water to sneak in or mold to camp out. What does it do? I’m still not entirely sure, but my daughter spent a year putting this toy to work as both her shampoo bottle and her cellphone.

Mudpuppy Ocean Life Stickable Foam Bath Shapes are the only foam toys that made the cut for this guide. Some dark sorcery managed to keep them pristine while all of their foam brethren—including the Blockaroo Magnetic Foam Blocks, Nuby Bath Tub Alphabet Set, and Lakeshore Learning Design & Build Water Blocks—became mold-speckled. For foam shapes, they’re a bit on the thin side; perhaps that’s part of the key to their success (but for kids who bite or play rough, they may be too flimsy). They’re also adorable, printed with vibrant images of uncommon sea creatures (a blowfish, an oyster). And if marine life isn’t your jam, other themes include bugs, unicorns, and letters. Bonus: They come with a mesh storage bag that suctions to the tub; this keeps them from getting mixed together with other toys and helps them dry out between uses.

Families come in all shapes and sizes. In the case of the Oogi Family by Moluk, it’s a silicone brood with featureless heads, comically long arms, and squat, arched legs. Their suction-cup appendages cling mightily to flat, slick surfaces and to one another—when you try to pull them apart, the Oogis stretch until they can stretch no more, and then they emit an entertaining “pop!” as they release. It’s difficult to look at them without smiling or feeling amused. (They’d make good fidget toys for a grown-up’s desk—or so I’ve heard.) The four Oogis we’ve been testing are all still looking good, but should you ever lose one to mold—or get a hankering to add to your brood—they’re also sold individually in different sizes and colors, including baby pink, beige, and glow-in-the-dark.

The Haba Bubble Bath Whisk stirs up good, clean mischief. The roughly 10-inch-tall yellow-and-orange plastic gadget (there’s also an aqua-and-green version) works like a rotary egg beater. When the crank-style handle gets turned, the paddle within the whisk spins surprisingly fast, dishing out an instant lesson in cause and effect—and a whirlpool of sloshing waves. (Just to manage expectations: Your kid should know that this won’t create new bubbles as much as it will relocate existing ones.) If the whisk is used too exuberantly or too close to the edge of the tub, the situation can get out of hand pretty fast—our daughter’s babysitter has emerged from bath time looking like she just visited the splash zone at SeaWorld. But the pure glee this whisk elicits is (usually) worth it. And you can always give it a time out in the play kitchen.

The Green Toys Tide Pool Bath Set is a treasure trove of aquatic delights. If you’re just starting a collection of bath toys and looking to scale fast—or if you need a stash to bring on vacation or keep at a relative’s house—this assortment is not overly expensive, and it offers a nice variety. And it comes with its own sturdy, handled storage basket. The set includes three shells and a starfish, but the true premium items at this seafood buffet are the squid and jellyfish: Their legs spin, and their hollow heads can be dunked and drained upside down or right side up. Like other Green Toys products, these are made from a thick, pleasing-to-the-touch plastic that’s BPA-free and dishwasher-safe.

Why not encourage delusions of grandeur in a small child? The Pluï Rain Cloud by Moluk is a 3-by-4-inch hollow plastic toy that lets my daughter control the weather in our bathtub. With great power comes great responsibility: To create this micro-climate, she must fully submerge the rain cloud in water and wait patiently for it to fill up; then she has to manage the flow of the downpour using a small plug hole at the top. (Pulling all of this off is no small feat, so it’s a win when it happens.) The cloud comes apart in two pieces, for cleaning and drying.

As Wirecutter guides go, this one is a bit of an odd (rubber) duck. Before deciding on the criteria for the best bath toys, I had to focus on the absence of something: mold and bacteria.

Why do certain bath toys turn vile in a matter of weeks, while others stay spotless for years? After a decade of dealing with my own kids’ (often horrifying) bath toys, I had some theories to chase. I sought out expert advice and scientific studies, combed customer reviews, watched nauseating videos, and fell down Reddit rabbit holes.

The consensus: Plastic squirt toys are public enemy number one because they’re a breeding ground for cooties. Those were obviously out, along with any other toys that trap water.

Beyond that, I considered the following factors:

Materials: Certain materials are more resistant to fungus than others; in particular, I looked for toys made from hard plastic and silicone, since they tend to fare better than softer, more porous ones.

Design: A toy’s shape, features, and functionality all impact how easy it will be to keep clean and how hospitable it will be to microorganisms. I tried to zero in on toys with qualities that would be helpful (for example, if you could open them and clean their interiors) and to steer clear of toys with likely trouble spots (nooks and crannies).

The fun factor: Hygiene is only half the battle—a bath toy also has to be delightful, or else what’s the point?

In the fall of 2022, 53 bath toys arrived at my house—to the excitement of my 2-year-old daughter and 9-year-old-son, and to the dismay of my minimalist husband. I labeled the assortment and divided everything up among three bathrooms, where we regularly take baths and showers. Then I periodically rotated the toys, to account for the locations’ differences in ventilation, humidity, and drainage. I made sure my daughter interacted with every toy at least once, but I allowed her to focus on favorites.

As for cleaning and maintenance, I opted to do the bare minimum. If I noticed something sketchy brewing on a toy, I’d give it a quick wipe with a cloth or a scrub with my grout brush. The toys stayed in the tub or shower—definitely not recommended—where they were perpetually subjected to moisture. I made no effort to dry them between uses, though they were kept in storage containers with good drainage. (My favorites were the Skip Hop Moby Stowaway Bucket and the Ubbi Freestanding Bath Toy Organizer.) I figured this approach would help surface the true superstars, and it’s also exactly what I’ve always done.

Nature took its course, and fungus claimed one toy after another—sometimes piecemeal, other times en masse. (About six months into testing, we had our very own Red Wedding.) And yet, some of the toys defied the odds, emerging from this steamy gauntlet virtually unscathed—after more than a year—to become our picks.

I didn’t use any special measures to clean the bath toys I tested for this guide. But it’s a good idea to keep your toys spick-and-span. And doing so will likely prolong their lifespan.

Manufacturers offer care recommendations for individual toys. But, in general, hard plastic toys (like our Green Toys picks) and silicone toys (such as ones from Moluk) are dishwasher-safe in the top rack.

If a toy develops dark splotches or specks, the following cleaning methods may salvage it. Alas, some toys are past the point of no return, and it’s best to dispose of them.

Vinegar-soak method

• Fully submerge toy(s) in cleaning vinegar; soak for at least 30 minutes.
• Rinse thoroughly, and allow to dry fully before returning to the bath.

Bleach method

• Place toy(s) in a dilution of one part bleach to 16 parts water for one to five minutes.
• Rinse thoroughly to avoid accidental ingestion of bleach, and allow the toys to dry fully before returning them to the bath. Also note, bleach may fade the colors or patterns on toys.

This article was edited by Amy Miller Kravetz and Kalee Thompson.