The secret to making kids enjoy the bath? Fun bath toys—from soft animals that squirt water to floating ships like the 3 Bees & Me Magnet Boat Bath Toys. I was thrilled when I got the chance to test out the set of four ships. I enlisted the help of a dear friend and her 2-year-old nephew. Read on to see if these boats make for smooth sailing or choppy seas.
Design: Cute and kid-friendly
These boats are the perfect size for little toddler hands, and the vivid primary colors and cheerful faces add to their allure. The best part, though, is the built-in magnets, which allow the boats to be connected in a line and pulled around the bath. This feature elevates this boat set from a fun toy to a fantastic one. Manufactured in China, the toys consist of soft (certified BPA-, phthalate-, and lead-free) plastic tested to U.S. and international safety standards.
Entertainment Value: Smooth sailing
What’s not to like? Bathtime becomes fun time with these 3 Bees & Me bath toys, which come as a set of four boats. Kids can float, sink, plop, crash, and link the seacrafts. My tester was gleeful as he splashed, tossed, and motored these toys in and out of the water. He enjoyed racing the boats, dropping them from a foot or so above the water to land with a splash, and making waves. He especially liked lining them up like ducks and pulling the attached boats around the perimeter of the bath. This feature was a huge hit, and I found it really added to the possibilities of playtime. I think the cheery faces on each boat also make for more fun and help turn each boat into more of a playmate than a thing. Overall, he had a blast with these boats and routinely request them at bathtime.
Educational Value: Hands-on play
The set is designed with bright primary colors, with numbers one through four and pictures of sea creatures on the sides of each craft. In this way, the toy naturally introduces colors, numbers, and animals, and can inspire imaginative play.
Age Range: 2 and older
This product is designed for kids aged 2 and up. My 2-year-old tester thoroughly enjoys these boats and seems to come up with a new way to play each time.
Ease of Cleaning: Simple
These boats are waterproof and designed to withstand prolonged time in the water. The ones we tested have held up very well and look like new even after numerous baths. Cleaning is easy: Just wash with dish soap and warm water and let air dry. A few customer reviews online have commented that the toys leak or retain water. This is not the case with the ones I tested, nor with most other reviews I’ve come across. However, in those cases, the company says it will either refund the purchase or exchange them for new boats. The manufacturer also offers a 60-day money-back guarantee, so you’re covered even if you just decide you don’t like the product for any reason.
Price: Affordable
The 3 Bees & Me Bath Toys set retails for around $15. This is a good value for four boats. There are many similar boats on the market, some of which cost about the same price or less for six boats. Meanwhile, others sell at around the same price or more for just one, two, or three toys. This product comes in around the middle price range, but I think it’s a better value considering the added bonus of built-in magnets. Also, the 3 Bees & Me product is backed by a satisfaction guarantee.
Competition: 3 Bees & Me Bath Toys Set vs. FunLittleToy Baby Bath Toys
Both of these bath toy boat sets. The 3 Bees & Me set has four floating boats, while the FunLittleToy set has 7 pieces, 6 squirter boats and a larger windup boat that has a crane holding a rubber duckie and can move around the bath without the need of batteries. Both sets are around $15 and feature bright, colorful boats made with child-friendly plastics, which conform to U.S. safety standards. As we all know, these boats are going in little kids’ mouths so safe materials are a must. The FunLittleToy product has the plus of squirting water and more items, while the 3 Bees & Me set offers magnetized boats, which can be pulled along in the water in a line. Both options are super fun and I’m sure would be a bathtime hit with any kid. I’d go with the 3 Bees & Me boats if only because the magnetization feels a bit more unique, and I like the friendly faces on the boats. The 3 Bees & Me Magnet Boat Bath Toys are fun and simple and a great addition to any bathtime toy chest. They make for engaging, long-lasting playtime in the tub.
