Little kids need to be supervised while they’re having a bath, but as babies grow into toddlers and preschoolers, they no longer need to be actively held or within arm’s reach every moment they are in the tub. However, that time you need to spend supervising in the bathroom doesn’t have to be spent idly watching the bubbles dissipate from the bathwater.

Here are some ideas to get you started.

1. Floss your teeth. Flossing doesn’t have to be done just before going to bed or at any other particular time of day, so using the time that the kids are in the bath can help occasional flossers floss more regularly.

2. Clean the toilet. Bath time probably isn’t a good time to do a really thorough bathroom scrub down, but it’s the perfect time to clean one or two areas that need a tidy up. Just make sure that your cleaning supplies are stashed somewhere safe in the bathroom so you don’t need to dash out of the room to get them after the kids are in the tub.

3. Read a novel (either for yourself or aloud to your child). This is a great way for busy families to sneak in some extra reading time or to streamline the bedtime routine by getting bath and reading done at the same time.

4. Play pat-a-cake, this little piggy or other finger plays. Games and songs are especially fun for toddlers who can sit up solidly on their own but still need a fair amount of close supervision and engaged play.

5. Flip through a magazine. Taking a moment to read your favourite magazine while the kids play in the bath may seem like something you might do to pamper yourself, but research has shown that kids who see their parents reading are more likely to read for pleasure themselves. It’s a win-win!

6. Sort out the medicine cabinet. Bathroom decluttering can be done in those short 10-15 minute chunks if you pick a small area to focus on and ditch the expired medicines and cosmetics straight away.

7. Fold laundry. It needs to be done sometime, so why not do it while the kids are in the bath?

8. Do some crunches. As long as you have enough room to lie down on the bathroom floor, you can fit in the time to do a few crunches while the kids play in the bath. And if you’re put off by the bathroom floor itself, throw an old towel down first.

9. Practice kegels. You can even kegel while reading, playing pat-a-cake or folding laundry! As with flossing, linking kegels with bath time can help you form a healthy habit.

10. Knit. A few minutes here are there can add up to something beautiful and useful when they’re spent knitting.

What do you do while your kids are in the bath?