Toddlers and Personal Hygiene – What You Need to Know

When your baby becomes a toddler, quite a bit changes. This also includes personal hygiene. Your little explorer wants to touch and explore everything, and a little dirt is unavoidable. While playing and romping, he might sweat more, and where do all the hairs on his head come from? With the development from baby to toddler, it's also time to adjust your little explorer's personal care routine. In this article, you'll learn what changes in hygiene and how to introduce your toddler to daily washing.

How much hygiene does my toddler need?

Showering or bathing (once or twice a week)

As a baby, your child probably enjoyed bathing very much: Most newborns love the feeling of warmth and security that reminds them of their time in Mom's belly. In our article "", you will find everything you need to know about the wet pleasure for your baby. Many things remain the same in toddlerhood: The room temperature should be at least 22 degrees Celsius, and the water temperature should be a pleasant 37 degrees Celsius. Also, keep a pre-warmed towel ready for when they get out of the tub again.

However, some things also change when bathing with a toddler. If they can sit securely, the large bathtub now also invites splashing. Make sure that the water does not reach higher than your child's waist. If they are not yet sitting completely securely on their own, a special bath seat can help. Also, place a non-slip mat in the bathtub and never leave your child unattended. Now that they probably no longer stay still so easily, it is all the more important to ensure that your little water rat does not accidentally hurt themselves while splashing.

Even if it might sometimes be practical: most young children still do not like to shower. As an alternative to the bathtub, you can also wash your young child in a washbasin in the shower. Perhaps your child also suddenly no longer wants to bathe or even has Fear of the water . Then you shouldn't force it to bathe in order to avoid adding extra pressure. Instead, try to convey the fun of water to it. For example, let it splash at the sink first or suggest taking a bath toy or a doll into the tub that it can wash just like you do. Of course, it’s even more fun if Mom or Dad come into the bathtub right away. Bathing together not only gives your child a sense of security, but also shows them that a regular bath is something completely natural. Usually, the fear of bathing disappears on its own after a while. Who knows, maybe you'll soon find it hard to get your toddler out of the tub. ;)

Wash hair (once or twice a week)

Probably your toddler now has significantly more hair on their head than just a few months ago, and you should also wash it regularly. If you combine the hair washing with a bath, wait until the end so that your child's sensitive head does not get cold. Afterwards, dry it with a soft terry cloth towel and comb the hair with a special baby hairbrush. If necessary (for example, if they sweat heavily), you can of course wash your child's hair more often.

Washing and brushing teeth (daily)

Wash your child's face in the morning and evening and their feet once daily with warm water and a washcloth, which you change daily. Your little explorer's teeth should also be brushed in the morning and evening. What to pay attention to when brushing your child's teeth can be found in our article " Tips for dental care with babies and toddlers “. If you incorporate washing and brushing your teeth as a fixed part into your morning or” Evening routine if planned, personal hygiene will surely become completely natural for your child very soon.

Clean diaper area (daily)

You should also continue to gently clean your child's diaper area at every diaper change with a washcloth, warm water, and optionally some cotton wool and almond oil. Also, make sure to change the washcloth daily and boil it regularly. Dry the diaper area thoroughly after each cleaning to prevent irritation. When you're on the go or in a hurry, our are a practical alternative. If your toddler is already potty-free, simply incorporate the care of the intimate area into the daily washing routine in the morning and evening.

Washing hands (daily)

Several times a day, thorough handwashing with soap is also on the schedule. Depending on how independent your child already is, they can wash their hands independently or with your support.

Clean ears (regularly)

Cleaning the ears is a regular task, but not every day. Under no circumstances should you use cotton swabs. Doing so only pushes the earwax further into your child's ear and risks injuring the delicate ear canal. Instead, gently wipe the outer ear and the skin behind the ears with a damp cloth, for example, right after bathing.

What skincare products do I need?

A quick look at the shelves of the drugstore quickly makes it clear that the selection of care products for infants is seemingly endless. The same principle applies here as with babies: less is more. The skin of babies and young children is still much more sensitive than that of adults, as their protective barrier is still developing. Additionally, the sweat and sebaceous glands are not yet functioning as they do in adults, so children's skin is not sufficiently protected by the hypolipid film of water and fat. Because of this, it is more sensitive to external influences and dries out more quickly, requiring special protection.

• For daily washing and hair care, water is usually sufficient. If your child has once again turned into a little dirtball on the playground, you can also use a gentle shampoo. gentle cleaning for use on skin and hair.

• For swimming, you can use a fettiger Badezusatz add water, for example almond oil. This is especially recommended in winter so that the delicate toddler skin does not dry out during bathing. You can simply massage in the excess oil after the bath, so no additional care is necessary.

• For facial care, a recommendation is suitable. gentle cream specifically for children's skin. Make sure to only use as much cream as the skin can absorb.

How can I make daily personal hygiene fun for my toddler?

When it comes to your toddler's personal hygiene, it's not just about cleanliness and getting them as clean as possible in the shortest time. Rather, they can now learn to wash, brush their teeth, and more as a daily ritual step by step. The more independent your child becomes, the more they can already help with. We have put together some tips on how you can involve your toddler in daily personal care.

• Leading by example: The more often your child observes you showering, bathing, or (hand)washing, the more likely it is that they will see daily personal hygiene as completely natural.

• Make it a ritual: Integrieren Sie Körperpflege in Ihre tägliche Morgen- und Abendroutine, damit es für Ihr Kind zur zweiten Natur wird.

• The right environment for helping out create: With a non-slip stool in front of the mirror, the sink, soap, and toothbrush are within your child's independent reach. A washcloth and a towel at toddler height also encourage independent washing.

• Encourage to help: Please have your child actively help: "Can you please lift your foot so I can wash it?" Depending on how independent they already are, your little explorer can also take over washing the body parts they can reach — if they’re not quite able to do it on their own yet, you can always offer your help. Your child can also actively participate in diapering after washing or bathing: The practical LILLYDOO Kids Pants can be easily pulled up and are perfect for young children who want to help actively.

Even though your child should naturally learn that cleanliness is important, the fear of dirt should never limit their sense of discovery. So if you're wondering how such little feet can get dirty so quickly or where the remnants of breakfast behind your child's ear come from, take a deep breath and just relax. ;) We wish you and your little explorer lots of fun with your daily care routine!