How to Make a Bathtub Play Mat for Baby

All moms know the routine: as soon as you try to do anything alone in the bathroom the baby screams and needs your attention right away. That makes putting on makeup, styling hair, or doing other bathroom things a little challenging. No mom wants her baby crawling or lying on the bathroom floor so what’s a mom to do? Make a play pad for the tub and your baby will be happy and quiet.

Measure the bathtub to determine how much fabric you will need. Obviously, if you have a gigantic tub, it will require much more fabric than if you have a regular size. Measure from about halfway up on one end to halfway up on the other end. Then measure from halfway up the side to halfway up the opposite side. You will need two pieces of fabric, each one this size.

You can make the pad oval or rectangular, that’s up to you. Cut the two pieces of soft fabric and stitch them together, leaving one portion open for stuffing. The stuffing can be poly, foam, cotton or other stuffing materials. Stuff well to give your baby a nice, comfy spot to play and lie.

After stuffing the play pad and stitching it shut, put a stitch here and there, all over the pad, so that the back and the front are secured to one another. Throw the pad in a clean, dry tub and let baby have his or her fun. Toss some toys in the tub, too, so baby will have something to do while you take care of business in the bathroom.

To keep from taking toys in and out of the tub for baby, try stitching some elastic loops onto the front of the pad, with toys strung on the elastic. Simply slide rattles and other toys onto a piece of elastic and stitch the ends of the elastic to the top of the pad. Or, knot a piece of ribbon around the neck area of a stuffed animal and slide the elastic through the ribbon to secure.

When playtime is over simply fold the pad, toys and all, and tuck away somewhere. The pad takes up little room, is easy to make, and will give your child hours of fun. And, they don’t have to use the play pad strictly in the tub. Throw it down on the living room floor for baby while you’re watching tv or doing household chores.