Does my kid need a bath?

When you’re a little kid, it’s hard to beat the fun of bath time. After all, when you’ve got splish splashing bubbles and a yellow rubber ducky, it’s like having a mini-water park in your own home.

But for parents tasked with supervising and scrubbing a child, the question often arises, “How often do we really need to have this much ‘fun’?”

Bathing benefits

Even if you don’t see dirt on a child, taking baths at regular intervals is important for reasons aside from feeling fresh.

Mental health is important, and having a set routine gives kids a sense of control over the day and helps them anticipate what’s coming next,” Dr. Huynh added. “Having an after-dinner bath routine helps them unwind and creates a transition between the busy part of the day and when it’s time to settle down and start to get ready for bed.”

Frequency

Bath frequency depends on the age of the child. For newborns, two or three times per week is usually sufficient. Doing it more than this can dry out a baby’s fragile skin. As long as you’re cleaning them well during diaper changes and washing their face with a damp cloth as necessary, your little bundle of joy will be just fine between baths. But remember: It’s important to avoid immersive baths with newborns until after the umbilical cord has fallen off. Until then, wash them with a sponge or damp cloth.

For young children, unless they’re visibly dirty or have been outside sweating, two to three times per week is generally enough for them as well. Children ages 6 to 11 should bathe a minimum of two to three times per week. And daily bathing is always a good hygiene choice for tweens and teens, as their skin produces more oil and is prone to acne and odor.

But getting back to that splish splashing fun, how long should bath time last for little kids?

“About 10 minutes is enough,” Dr. Huynh said. “That’s enough time to get clean and have some fun without drying out the skin and starting to get cold.”