Bath Games, Toys & Stickers Price Comparison
Compare 189 bath games, toys & stickers for babies and toddlers — from bath crayons to squirt toys — and find the best price across top UK retailers.
Bath Games, Toys & Stickers price comparison UK
Bath time is one of the few daily rituals that genuinely doubles as play time — and the right toy can turn a reluctant toddler into an enthusiastic bather. We've looked at 189 products across this category, and what stands out immediately is how wide the range actually is: from simple foam stickers and bath crayons starting at 8 £, through to feature-rich electronic toys that push well past 8 £. The sweet spot for most families sits firmly in the middle of that range.
Tomy and SES Creative dominate the catalogue, and for good reason. Tomy's Toomies line has long been a staple on UK nursery wishlists — their pirate ship and pull-back boats are perennial bestsellers at Argos and Amazon.co.uk alike. SES Creative, meanwhile, has carved out a strong niche with their Tiny Talents range: bath crayons, water-activated colouring books, and natural rubber animal figures that tick both the creativity and safety boxes. Their use of 100% natural rubber is worth noting — it's a meaningful differentiator in a category where BPA-free and phthalate-free claims are table stakes, not premium features.
Material safety is the non-negotiable here. All reputable products should comply with EN 71 toy safety standards, but the detail that separates good from great is mould resistance. Toys with internal cavities and poor drainage — the classic rubber duck problem — become bacterial breeding grounds within weeks. Sealed construction or well-placed drainage holes are the design features we'd always prioritise. Baby bathing tools and accessories more broadly have seen a shift towards antimicrobial materials, and bath toys are following suit.
Glo, Hape, and Green Toys round out the upper tier of the market. Green Toys in particular appeals to eco-conscious parents — their products are made from recycled plastic and carry a strong safety pedigree, though their average price reflects that positioning. Hape's wooden-inspired aesthetic and Munchkin's affordable entry-level sets cover opposite ends of the spectrum. If you're shopping during Black Friday or the January sales, Munchkin sets frequently drop to compelling prices at Currys and Very — worth setting a price alert for.
One thing our data makes clear: the gap between the cheapest and most expensive products in this category is enormous. A single squirt toy can cost 8 £, whilst a VTech interactive bath set can reach multiples of 8 £. For most children under three, the developmental benefit doesn't scale linearly with price — a well-designed rubber dinosaur from SES Creative will hold attention just as effectively as a gadget-heavy alternative. We'd spend thoughtfully, not lavishly. Browse the full range and compare live prices across retailers including baby bath accessories to find the best deal available today.
How to Choose Bath Toys That Are Actually Safe (and Fun)
Most bath toys look harmless enough on the shelf, but the category has more hidden pitfalls than almost any other in the nursery. Mould inside squirt toys, paint that leaches into bathwater, pieces too small for the child's age — these aren't edge cases. Here's what to check before you buy.
Material safety: beyond the BPA-free label
BPA-free is the minimum, not a selling point. The more meaningful question is what the toy is actually made from. 100% natural rubber and food-grade silicone are the gold standard for anything that will be mouthed — and with babies, everything gets mouthed. Avoid soft PVC toys that don't specify phthalate-free status; phthalates are plasticisers restricted in EU toys under EN 71, but enforcement varies. SES Creative's natural rubber dinosaurs and Hape's products are good reference points for what compliant, well-labelled toys look like.
Mould resistance and drainage design
This is the most underrated criterion in the category. Any toy with an internal cavity — classic squirt toys, rubber animals with a hole at the bottom — will accumulate stagnant water and develop mould within weeks unless it has proper drainage or sealed construction. Look for either fully sealed toys (no entry point for water) or toys with large, well-positioned drainage holes that allow complete drying between uses. If you can't see through the hole or shake water out easily, assume it will go mouldy. Some parents seal the hole with a hot glue gun — effective, but it defeats the squirt function.
Age appropriateness and choking hazard assessment
The EN 71 standard defines a choking hazard as any detachable part under 3cm in diameter. For children under 36 months, this is critical. Bath crayons with small caps, sticker sets with tiny pieces, and figurine sets with detachable accessories all require careful age-rating checks. The products in this category range from 0M+ (large, single-piece rubber toys) to 24M+ (crayons, sticker sets, multi-piece figurines). Don't assume the age label is conservative — it's usually calibrated to the smallest piece in the set.
Colour fastness and paint quality
Bath crayons and painted figurines sit in warm, soapy water repeatedly. Low-quality water-based coatings fade within a few sessions and, more worryingly, can leach pigment into the bathwater. Test new painted toys by rubbing them firmly with a damp white cloth before first use — any colour transfer is a red flag. SES Creative's bath crayons are specifically formulated to colour bath surfaces without staining skin or the tub itself, which is the benchmark to look for in this sub-category.
Play value relative to developmental stage
A toy that's developmentally mismatched won't hold attention for more than a session. For babies under 12 months, sensory stimulation is the priority — textured surfaces, squeaky mechanisms, high-contrast colours. Toddlers from 18 months benefit from cause-and-effect toys (squirt mechanisms, pull-back boats) that develop hand-eye coordination. From 24 months, creative play opens up: bath crayons, water-activated colouring books, and sticker sets encourage fine motor skills and imaginative play. Buying ahead of the developmental curve is rarely worth it.
Hygiene maintenance and washability
How easy is the toy to clean between uses? Dishwasher-safe toys (top rack, low temperature) are significantly more hygienic in practice than hand-wash-only alternatives, because parents actually clean them. Foam toys and stickers are generally hand-wash only and should be replaced more frequently. For squirt toys, a diluted white vinegar soak monthly is the standard recommendation to inhibit bacterial growth. If a toy can't be cleaned easily, factor in a shorter lifespan when assessing value for money.
- Budget picks (From 8 £ to 8 £) : Simple squirt toys, foam stickers, and single rubber figurines. Munchkin and basic Hape squirt toys sit here. Good for stocking up on bath-time variety without overthinking it — just check the drainage design carefully at this price point.
- The sweet spot (From 8 £ to 8 £) : Where most of the SES Creative Tiny Talents range lives — bath crayons, natural rubber dinosaurs, colour-changing fish. Solid material safety credentials, good play value, and widely available at Amazon.co.uk and Argos. This is where we'd spend the majority of a bath toy budget.
- Premium play sets (From 8 £ to 8 £) : Tomy Toomies feature sets, Green Toys recycled plastic boats, and multi-piece figurine collections. Noticeably better build quality and longer play life. Green Toys' eco credentials justify the premium for environmentally conscious buyers.
- High-end and interactive (Over 8 £) : VTech interactive bath toys and large feature sets. The developmental benefit over mid-range products is debatable for under-threes, but these make impressive gifts. Watch for discounts during Black Friday — VTech products regularly see significant price drops at Currys and John Lewis.
Top products
- SES Creative Sophie la girafe - Bath crayons with shapes - With firm foam figures of Sophie la giraffe, Age 24M+ (SES Creative) : The most widely available product in this category and a genuinely strong choice — the Sophie la Girafe licence adds gifting appeal, and the foam figures double as bath stickers. Best suited to 2-year-olds; the crayon caps are a choking hazard for younger children.
- Tomy Toomies Pirate Bath Ship Bath boat Multicolour (Tomy) : A perennial bestseller that earns its popularity — the pirate theme holds toddler attention well and the boat floats level without tipping. Not the cheapest option in the boats sub-category, but Tomy's build quality means it survives the inevitable drops and throws.
- SES Creative Tiny Talents Bath Triceratops - 100% natural rubber (SES Creative) : Our pick for safety-conscious parents — 100% natural rubber means no phthalates, no BPA, and a satisfying tactile quality babies genuinely respond to. The sealed construction avoids the mould problem entirely. Slightly pricier than plastic alternatives, but the material credentials justify it.
- Hape E0216 bath game/toy/sticker Bath squirt toy Blue, Orange, White (Hape) : Excellent value at this price point and one of the better-designed squirt toys in the catalogue — the ergonomic shape suits small hands well. Check the drainage hole size before buying; some batches are tighter than ideal, which can make thorough drying tricky.
- SES Creative Tiny Talents Bath book - Colouring with water (SES Creative) : A clever concept — water-activated colour-changing pages that reset after drying, meaning the book is reusable indefinitely. Genuinely novel for toddlers and a good way to extend bath time without screen time. The pages are durable, though aggressive scrubbing will eventually wear the coating.
Related categories
Frequently Asked Questions
Are bath crayons safe for toddlers — do they stain the bath?
Quality bath crayons from reputable brands like SES Creative are specifically formulated to wash off bath surfaces, skin, and tiles without staining. They use water-soluble, non-toxic pigments that rinse away with warm water. That said, cheaper unbranded alternatives can stain grout and acrylic baths permanently — always check that the product explicitly states it's designed for bath surfaces, not just that it's "washable".
How do I stop bath toys going mouldy inside?
The most effective approach is to choose toys with either fully sealed construction or large drainage holes, and to shake out all water immediately after bath time. Stand toys upside down or in a mesh bag to air-dry completely between uses. A monthly soak in a solution of one part white vinegar to three parts water kills most mould spores. If you can see black spots inside a squirt toy, it's time to replace it — no amount of cleaning will fully remove established mould from an internal cavity.
What does EN 71 compliance actually mean for bath toys?
EN 71 is the European toy safety standard that covers mechanical hazards (choking, sharp edges), chemical safety (limits on heavy metals, phthalates, and other harmful substances), and flammability. For bath toys sold in the UK, EN 71 compliance is a legal requirement, not an optional extra. Look for the CE mark on the packaging as confirmation. However, compliance is self-certified by manufacturers, so buying from established brands with a track record — Tomy, SES Creative, Hape — provides an additional layer of assurance beyond the mark alone.
At what age can children use bath stickers and crayons safely?
Most bath crayon sets are rated from 24 months (2 years) upwards, primarily because of small parts like crayon caps that present a choking hazard for younger children. Bath sticker sets vary — foam stickers with large pieces can be suitable from 18 months with supervision, whilst sets with small decorative elements should wait until 3 years. Always check the manufacturer's age rating on the specific product, and supervise closely regardless of the stated age.
Is natural rubber better than plastic for bath toys?
For babies who mouth their toys — which is most of them — 100% natural rubber is generally preferable to soft PVC plastic. Natural rubber is free from phthalates and BPA by definition, has a pleasant tactile quality, and is biodegradable. The trade-off is that natural rubber toys can degrade faster with repeated exposure to chlorinated water and strong detergents, and they're typically more expensive. Food-grade silicone is an equally safe alternative that tends to be more durable and easier to keep mould-free.
Which bath toy brands are most trusted in the UK?
Tomy (via their Toomies sub-brand), SES Creative, Hape, and Munchkin are consistently the most stocked and reviewed brands in UK retail. Tomy and Munchkin are widely available at Argos, Mothercare, and Amazon.co.uk with strong after-sales support. SES Creative's Tiny Talents range has earned a loyal following for its natural rubber products and creative play sets. For eco-conscious buyers, Green Toys — made from recycled plastic — is a credible premium option, though availability in UK stores is more limited.
Should I avoid bath toys with small holes that you can't fully clean?
Yes — this is one of the most common mistakes parents make. Squirt toys and rubber animals with a small hole at the base draw in bathwater (along with soap, skin cells, and bacteria) every time they're squeezed. Without proper drainage and drying, the interior becomes a mould colony within weeks. If you want squirt toys, look for designs with a large, accessible drainage hole or a fully removable base. Alternatively, choose sealed toys that don't take in water at all — they won't squirt, but they'll stay hygienic indefinitely.