You and your little one may love spending your day together, but when it comes to bathtime, chances are, your toddler may turn your entire house upside down. This may sound funny, but we bet most parents will relate to it. In fact, a simple hair wash routine may turn into a battlefield, with your toddler making it impossible to accomplish the task with their scream, struggle, or constant attempt at fleeing. You may also feel totally out of energy after this activity and want to leave everything at hand, and just hit the sack.
But you know what? Washing your toddler’s hair doesn’t have to be so difficult. We have all the tips that will help you make your toddler’s bathing experience more pleasant and spare you tons of energy. Easy tricks, such as using a shampoo that doesn’t irritate your little one’s eyes or trying the right bath accessories that prevent the water from trickling down their face can make hair wash fun for your toddler, or at least a bit easier if you struggle to get it done.
12 Useful Tips For Washing Your Toddler’s Hair
Tip 1: Select the right timing
Wash your toddler’s hair either at the beginning or at the end of the bath. If your toddler loves to play in the tub, they might be willing to tolerate a hair wash in the beginning, in the hope of the fun coming next. But if that’s not the case, get the hair wash done in the end and then immediately wrap your little one in a towel like a burrito!
Tip 2: Use appropriate bath accessories
If your little one makes a lot of fuss during bathtime, you should get some bath accessories to keep them engaged and distracted. Bath accessories can also include useful items that protect your little one’s eyes and ears from water, as the water trickling down is one of the major reasons why your child feels uncomfortable and scared.
- Use earplugs to prevent the water from entering your toddler’s ears
- Use a sun visor or swimming goggles to protect your little one’s eyes during hair wash
- Give your toddler interactive bath toys or squishable toys while you wash their hair. This will keep them distracted and also help them associate hair washing with fun!
Tip 3: Prevent stimulation
Sometimes, the sensation of shampoo trickling down their scalp can be too stimulating for your toddler. Hence, instead of directly pouring the shampoo on their scalp, pour shampoo on your hands and then massage it to their scalp.
Tip 4: Always use a tear-free shampoo for your toddler
Washing your toddler’s hair can be an experience in itself! Hence, make sure that the shampoo you are using is mild, and doesn’t irritate their delicate eyes. Always opt for a shampoo that uses a tear-free formula, such as a natural strengthening shampoo with plant-based ingredients like curry leaf oil, rosemary oil, aloe vera, and hibiscus extracts. All these ingredients are gentle, promote better scalp health and hair growth, and do not irritate your little one’s eyes in any way.
Tip 5: Make them tilt forwards or backwards
You can ask your toddler to tilt their hair backwards while rinsing off their hair. You can consider putting some stickers on the ceiling to keep your little one occupied during this time. If this method isn’t working for you, then try making your toddler lean forward with a dry cloth over their eyes. This will give them a sense of control while rinsing and prevent them from crying.
Tip 6: Keep their eyes shut
Make sure your toddler keeps their eyes closed during the hair wash. You can either ask your toddler to close their eyes or blow on their eyes gently. When they close their eyes, finish your task as swiftly as you can.
Tip 7: Get creative
While some toddlers love the feel of water being poured over their heads, others may prefer only a trickle of water. So try to get creative while washing your toddler’s hair and see what works best. If all methods fail, use a wet washcloth to rinse your toddler’s hair. Just squeeze out the extra water and run the washcloth through their hair until the shampoo gets completely washed off.
Tip 8: Get a mirror
Some toddlers love to watch themselves in a mirror while getting a bath. So you may consider installing an unbreakable mirror near the bathtub to let your toddler watch themselves while you wash their hair. This will keep them engaged, and also give them a sense of security, and prevent fear.
Tip 9: Keep stress away
Yes, even after trying out different methods, your toddler might make a huge fuss during bathtime. But do not stress or get angry at them, as it will only agitate them more and make the entire task a lot more difficult. Instead, try to keep things light and fun. As a fun activity, you can try practising hair washing on your toddler’s favourite toy or doll first. This will demonstrate that hair washing is safe and fun, and help your toddler get more comfortable with it.
Tip 10: Limit their wash routine to 2-3 times a week
Your toddler doesn’t need a hair wash every day. In fact, doing so may make the activity boring to them and they may create a lot more fuss, making it difficult for you to deal with them. Hence, limit their hair wash to twice a thrice a week. Doing so is more than enough for most toddlers.
Tip 11: Apply petroleum jelly to their forehead
If your child absolutely cannot tolerate the feel of water trickling down their face and entering their eyes, you may consider applying petroleum jelly to their forehead before rinsing their head. This will prevent the water from entering their eyes, and keep them comfortable and happy.
Tip 12: Most importantly, provide comfort
Finally, the last and the most important tip—offer comfort to your child, because no matter how hard you try, you may not be able to prevent all the tears. Hence, calm your little one during the bath and say encouraging sentences to them. Also, after the bath, wrap your little one in a warm towel, and hold them close to you.
While your child may enjoy bathtime, keeping things under control while washing their hair may be quite challenging for you. However, don’t worry, as things will get better once you start using the tips that we have mentioned above. Most importantly, be patient, and try different methods to see what keeps your child comfortable the most.
Also read:
Best baby hair oils: Check out this list to know the amazing benefits of baby hair massage and the best baby hair oils to buy.
Featured Image: Freepik.com
