Wash the letters

What you need

• Foam bath letters
• Soft nail brush or bath-only toothbrush
• Washable paint dot or smear of safe mud (optional)

Missing something? See the full shopping list.

How to play

1. 1You: Wet the tile and stick 4–6 letters at arm height — spell their name or random, no quiz. They: Help press letters flat or pick which ones go up.
2. 2You: Show once — one tiny dot of washable paint on a letter, then scrub in circles with the brush until it runs clean. They: Watch the dirty-to-clean loop.
3. 3You: Hand them the brush. They: Re-dirty and re-wash — the loop is the play.
4. 4You: When interest fades, letters go back in the mesh bag; wipe the tile once with the washcloth. They: Help drop letters into the bag.

If it flops

Paint feels like too much? Use a dry-erase marker on tile (test a corner first) — same scrub loop, wipes off with the washcloth.

More plays from this guide

• Pour and measure →

  Nested measuring cups in the tub — pour from big to small, then small to big. You demonstrate once; they repeat until the water cools.

• Baster squirt →

  Turkey baster sucks and squirts tub water — aim at cups, letters, or the drain. Cause-and-effect without squeeze toys that mold inside.