How often should kids take a bath?

Question

How often do you give your kids (babies, preschoolers, and elementary age) a bath? I don't think everyday baths are necessary before puberty. What do you think?

Answer 1

I would say it depends on the season. In the summer most children who are mobile will need a bath or shower almost every day, especially toddlers and preschoolers, and those that swim in chlorine pools. I don't like to do that because of the drying effect of soaps on the skin so I usually do a "sprinkler shower" every other day, or just skip it. If they are dirty or have chemicals (like sunscreen, bug spray, or chlorine) on their skin, you have no choice, they must be washed. Hand and face washing is extremely important to staying healthy too, so make sure they learn to do that year round. In the winter I like to do showers every third day depending on the state of the child. You really will have to use your own judgements based on the dryness or other irritations your child's skin is prone to as well as your child's hygeine habits and activity level, all of which can change on a daily basis. I have one child that plays quietly with books and legos some days, stays perfectly clean. Other days he just climbs into a mud puddle and hangs out in it all day, or so it seems. My youngest (toddler) seems to need a bath every ten minutes. I just keep a wet rag handy and swipe at him as he runs by on his way to creating his next mess. I always do showers or baths in the evening before bed, part of the bedtime routine. I have never found the need to bathe a baby(less than three months) more than twice a week in winter, and three times a week in summer. I always preferred wiping the baby down if one of the other children got something on him, and I found it easier to wipe out folds when baby was nursing. Baths always had my newborns throwing fits during and shaking like a leaf afterwards(shivering, even with the towel), which unnerved me considerably. When they became big enough to distract with toys or face games the bath became easier for me, and it seemed easier for them too. Once the child is old enough to decide when to take his own baths or showers you will still have to remind them. I still don't understand how people don't know they stink, but there it is lol. Good Luck

Answer 2

A baby should not a get a full bath everyday. Of course you wipe them off and keep them clean, but bathing a baby everyday is no good for their skin. It can dry their skin out. Even our Pediatrician told us not to give our baby a bath everyday.

For toddlers I'd say the same thing. Again, washing hands and face is important everyday, but you don't want to dry out their skin. In both stages, I bathed my daughter every other day.

Now that she's a pre-schooler and we are doing different things, and it's summer time, it's been more frequent. She's had a bath almost every day, but that's b/c we've been outside and she sweats, or we've been to the lake or pool.

Once she goes to school, I'll probably do every day as well. She'll be a little older by then.

Answer 3

Elementary school age kids should have baths everyday. They are at school around germs and need to be bathed everyday. Babies such as newborns need them only every other day. But preschoolers and elementary school kids need baths everyday. Be clean not lazy!

Answer 4

Giving a child too many baths including once a day can be harmful for thier skin. It removes alot of their essential oils. I think every other day is perfect unless your child is filthy. Giving a wipe down before bed or periodically during the day is just as good and wont dry out their skin. Up until they are old enough to bathe themselves, then they can make that decision to bathe everyday. Alot of children have skin issues that frequent bathing just makes worse. My kids get a wipe down before bed everyday and a bath every other day (unless they are filthy).

Answer 5

I bathe my boys every other day or so unless they did something particularly dirty that day. Many children have sensitive skin or even skin problems, IE atopic dermatitis, and bathing every day or twice a day irritates such conditions.
My guys would be raw if I bathed them twice a day. There are natural oils on your skin that are beneficial to healthy skin.
Of course, washing hands and maybe face is something that can be done many times a day, but I don't think it is necessary until puberty.

Answer 6

my doctor actually told me to bath my daughter as infrequently as possible...she has bad exzema in the winter and I bath her like every 2-3 days unless she gets dirty, in the summer though she is outside all the time, but at the same time she plays in the water alot so if she was dirty or we were going somewhere I would do it every day if need be but , to answer your question no they absolutely do not NEED a bath every day...even after puberty you dont need to, I am an adult and usually every other day for myself...kids skin is very sensitive and overbathing them can really aggravate any kind of skin irritation.

Answer 7

i have friends who give every other day, unless their kids r out playin and get sweaty or dirty!
I on the other hand give mine one everyday!
Just depends on the parent! I dont think there's anything wrong with every other day or whatever ur preference is!
It's all up to the parent! I also have a sis in law who gives her 9 month old one once a week, and her 4 year old 2 times a week! who knows! like I said it just depends on the parents!

Answer 8

You have to be careful not to bath everyday. A lot of soaps, including anti-bacterial, shampoos and chemicals have things that take away from what our bodies and skin naturally creates and needs. Believe it or not, medically speaking some germs we need. Every other day, unless they are absolutely dirty is best.

Answer 9

i did everyday, sometimes a couple (only if real dirty). no, we don't have to every day, so i didn't feel guilty if my kids missed a day from time to time, but that would be on a day that they didn't go outside...cause they always got dirty then! it's not good to keep the babies too clean either, because they don't build up a natural immunity to the environment!

Answer 10

Bathing everyday is important. Baby's, toddlers, and kids touch a lot of things they don't know that have germs. Especially if they go to school.