Calming Bath for Kids
What’s inside: A simple, effective calming bath idea that can help your kids relax and sleep better.
It’s the age-old paradox of bath time — kids love it, but sometimes it actually riles them up instead of calming them down!
My girls LOVE their nightly bath, especially my 2-year old. We’re talking jumping up and down, squealing (or shrieking) with joy, clapping hands…the works.
And I’m glad…
Except for one thing…
While exhuberantly happy, what I described is not exactly a calm child winding down for bed time.
I figured out a a way to create a calming bath time routine that my girls enjoy and helps get them ready for sleep.
Calming Bath Routine for Kids
Known in our house as the “calm-down bath” or “relax bath,” the purpose is simple: clean kids + slow things down before bed. And it WORKS!
Here’s what we do:
- Add 4-6 drops of lavender essential oil to running bath water
- Add 2-4 drops “Breathe” essential oil to running bath water (optional, but helps relieve congestion during winter months or allergy season)
- Play soothing music
- Speak in “relaxing voices” (lower volume)
It’s a simple routine, but surprisingly effective! My girls love any type of routine that they can participate in and count on, so they wholeheartedly embrace the “relax bath.”
In fact, by the end of the bath, they are both reclining against the side of the tub, “just relaxing.” (Their own words!)
Benefits of Lavender Essential Oil for Children
We use lavender essential oil in our calming bath because it’s been shown to help
- promote restful sleep
- reduce anxiety
- sooth skin from irritation caused by acne, eczema, and burns
I purchase all of my essential oils through dōTERRA because they source Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils AND they pay their farmers and workers fair wages (both of which are important to me).
If you’re interest in trying essential oils, I highly recommend purchasing a Starter Kit like the Home Essentials Kit because you get a selection of the most versatile oils for household use and save over buying them individually.
CLICK HERE to read more about why I purchase all of my essential oils from DoTERRA and how you can save money on oils for your home too!
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Bath time is great! I also have read that more time spent in the tub, helps kids be comfortable in the pool and learn to swim easier.
You absolutely cannot add straight essential oils to bath water… oil is not water soluble (heard of oil and water not mixing, right?), so it floats at the top. Add baby skin (or any skin for that matter) to undiluted essential and you get ouch!