Bath time is playtime for babies. You will find that as your baby gets older, she'll enjoying splashing around in the water even more, and may even like the addition of some bath toys and books.

Many bath toys are made with #3 plastic, or polyvinylchloride (PVC), which is not only damaging to the environment in its production but may expose kids to lead and other neuro-toxic heavy metals and phthalates. Plastic bath toys also generally contain phthalates in order to make them more flexible. Look for bath toys that are made from healthy materials such as organic cotton or PVC-, BPA-, and phthalate-free plastics. Try the Original Natural Rubber Duck by Rich Frog (www.thesoftlanding.com), Organic Cotton Bath Toys from EcoExpress (www.ecoexpress.com), or Sassy Count and Spell Bath Appliqués (www.thesoftlanding.com). These toys are all BPA-, PVC-, and phthalate-free. But your baby won't care about that. He'll just love that they make bath time such a blast!

Cleaning Bath Toys

The damp environment of the bath can be a breeding ground for dirt and mold buildup, especially in bath toys that are difficult to keep dry. To keep your bath toys clean and mold-free, soak them in a mixture of water and white distilled vinegar for at least ten minutes, rubbing gently to remove dirt and grime. Rinse with water and let dry completely. If mold is present, soak toys in vinegar overnight, scrub, rinse with water, and let dry completely.

Squirty toys, which will probably be very popular in your baby's bath, have a tendency to grow mold inside where they are difficult to clean. To keep the mold out, clean them regularly by squeezing out all of the water and filling them up with straight vinegar. Squeeze out the vinegar and let the toy dry completely. If mold is present, soak the toy with vinegar overnight. In the morning, squeeze out the vinegar, refill, and repeat until you no longer see gunk coming out.