Tub Tunes - 3 in 1 Music Island by ALEX BRANDS

The 3-in-1 Music Island includes three real instruments for the tub on a fish-shaped floating island. It's part of the famous Tub Tunes' line of bathtub musical instruments for toddlers. The Island includes a drum, xylophone and Octopus Jingle Shaker. It also comes with two mallets, music sheets and a music holder.
— “Alex is where it is at for bath toys. We sell at least two a week,” said Alison Cox, owner of Animal Quackers in Raleigh, N.C.
— “Alex bath toys do well, all of them. We especially do well with Tub Tunes,” Patricia Masing, co-owner of Tree Town Toys in Ann Arbor, Mich., told TDmonthly in March 2008.
— Five of 37 retailers cited the Tub Tunes' line as a hot-selling bath toy with customers in spring 2007. Thirty percent of 40 retailers who spoke with TDmonthly in March 2008 singled out this item as the best-selling bath toy in their stores.
— Want this? As of 05/06/2011, this product was available for purchase at Hardware Toys.

Rub a Dub Draw in the Tub by ALEX BRANDS

Colorful works of art can be created on someone’s tummy, or on the bathtub wall, using this set of six bathtub crayons. A duck-shaped sponge is provided to erase the “canvas” and start anew. “This is one of our top bath items,” said Elin Kabo, director of communications for Alex.
— Cons: May stain some tubs (especially tile grout). Crayons disintegrate quickly in the water. One user said the crayons were much smaller than indicated on the package, due to being encased in a misleadingly long plastic holder. (Reviews from Amazon.com)
— Ten of 64 retailers named the Bathtub Crayons from Alex as a top-selling bath item, citing monthly unit sales of anywhere from six to 80 per month, in March 2009. Nearly 70 percent of the respondents named the Alex line in general, or a particular product from the range, when discussing best-selling bath toys.
— Eight of 39 retailers named this product a best-selling bath item in March 2010. Nearly 67 percent of retailers cited Alex as their No. 1 manufacturer for bath toys.
— Want this? As of 05/06/2011, this product was available for purchase at Doodlehopper 4 Kids. 

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Shaving in the Tub by ALEX BRANDS

This shaving set comes with a 7-oz. can of Foaming Body Soap, plastic play razor, shaving brush, comb and an unbreakable, child-safe mirror. Awards: iParenting Media Award; Parents Magazine Best Toys of the Year, 2004.
— Retailers have been telling TDmonthly that Shaving in the Tub is a best-selling bath toy since 2007. Other Alex bath toys have been best-sellers in their category for several years as well.
— Shaving in the Tub was specifically named as a best-selling bath toy by three of 39 specialty toy retailers in spring 2007. Only six of 37 retailers surveyed didn’t mention Alex when asked about best-selling bath toys. In March 2009, four of 64 retailers told TDmonthly this product is a best-selling bath item in their stores, selling anywhere from half a dozen to two dozen units each month. Nine of 39 retailers cited it as a best-selling bath product in March 2010.
— As of 4/19/2012, this product had 4.5 out of 5 stars from 5 reviews on Amazon.com. Pros: Fun for younger kids; rinses easily; nice bonding activity for fathers and their kids. Cons: One reviewer said her child had fun with it once, but not a lot of creativity is involved and he lost interest the next time.
— Want this? As of 05/06/2011, this product was available for purchase at My Imagination Station.

Yookidoo Flow “N” Fill Spout by INTERNATIONAL PLAYTHINGS LLC

Suitable for ages 9 months and up, this automatic spout affixes to the bathtub and draws up an ongoing stream of water that causes a shower when it goes through the tumblers, turns a propeller, and brings a floating friend to the surface. The tumblers can be used alone or stacked for bathtime play.
— Three of 39 retailers told TDmonthly in March 2010 that products from the Yookidoo line sell best in the bath category.
— 17 percent of retailers surveyed by TDmonthly in Spring 2011 named the Yookidoo Flow "N" Fill as a best-seller in the bath category.
— Want this? As of 05/06/2011, this product was available for purchase at Playthings Toy Shoppe.

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Tugboat by GREEN TOYS INC.

Designed for ages 6 months and up, this toy for bathtubs and mud puddles is made in the USA of recycled plastic milk containers. It floats, is equipped with a spout on the front for scooping and pouring water, and is free of BPA, PVC, phthalates and external coatings. It comes in packaging made of recycled or recyclable materials and featuring soy inks. Launch date: March 2010.
— In an April 2012 survey about bath toys, two of eleven retailers told TDmonthly the Tugboat from Green Toys was their best seller.
— Kristen Dolle, Manager of Playthings Toy Shoppe in Louisville, Ky. named the Green Toys Tugboat as a best-seller in the bath category when surveyed by TDmonthly in late Spring 2011.
— Want this? As of 05/06/2011, this product was available for purchase at Playthings Toy Shoppe.

Spa Science by SCIENTIFIC EXPLORER

With this indulgent kit, girls can transform a bath into a frothy fizzing sea of color and fragrance. They can make colorful, fragrant bath soaps, fizzers and oatmeal scrub while learning the science behind gels, fragrance and more. This kit “is not about being a stick figure or a beauty queen, but rather about relaxation and learning….While mixing and matching custom fragrances, kids can learn about the science of smell. While whipping up a fizzy bath ball, kids learn about how acids and bases react,” said Elizabeth Rives of Scientific Explorer, who created the kit for the company while still a college student.  Launch date: February 2003.
— Mary Porter, owner of science center The Curiosity Zone in Ashburn, Va., told TDmonthly, “Our best-selling toys are our science kits [from Scientific Explorer], especially Spa Science.”
— “Scientific Explorer. Anything at all sells well,” Carolyn Meyer, owner of Blue Turtle Toys in Dayton, Ohio, told TDmonthly. 
— “The line we do best with is Scientific Explorer, because it's a complete kit and it's easy to understand,” said Greg Bonner, owner of Heights Toy Center in Little Rock, Ark.
— Annie Ricks, owner of My Imagination Station in Hattiesburg, Miss., told TDmonthly her best-selling item for tweens is, “Spa Science, by Scientific Explorer.”
— Want this? As of 05/06/2011, this product was available for purchase at Magic Box Toys.

Rub a Dub Shapes For The Tub - Abc & 123 by ALEX BRANDS

These soft foam shapes stick to the tub or ceramic tiles when wet. Includes two multicolored sets of alphabetical letter and the numbers 0-9. There are 62 pieces in all. Kids can learn that ABC's and 123's while playing in the bath.
—Kim Emigh, VP of e-commerce at Growing Tree Toys in State College, Pa. named Rub a Dub Shapes For The Tub as a best-seller in the bath category when surveyed by TDmonthly in late Spring 2011.
— Want this? As of 05/06/2011, this product was available for purchase at Growing Tree Toys.

Rub A Dub Hoops In The Tub by ALEX BRANDS

This set includes a basketball net and three squirting balls. A suction cup rim and mesh net allows the product to be mounted easily to a smooth surface for bath-time fun.
—Margy Peine, owner of Tree House Toy Shop in Cumberland, Md. named Rub a Dub Shapes For The Tub as a best-seller in the bath category when surveyed by TDmonthly in late Spring 2011.
— In an April 2012 survey about bath toys, five out of 11 retailers named Alex as their best selling brand.
— Want this? As of 05/06/2011, this product was available for purchase at Tree House Toy Shop.

Rub a Dub Star Crayon by ALEX BRANDS

These chubby, star-shaped bathtub crayons are fun and easy for children to hold. The crayons come in six bright colors, and can be used to create bath time art on shower wall, tile surfaces, or on children.
—Annie Ricks, owner of My Imagination Station/ Head over Heels LLC in Hattiesburg, Miss. named Rub a Dub Star Crayon as a best-selling bath toy when surveyed by TDmonthly in late Spring 2011.
— Want this? As of 05/06/2011, this product was available for purchase at My Imagination Station.

Dirty Dishes by ALEX BRANDS

Kids can pretend to clean their dishes in the tub. When the dishes are dipped in the warm water, the "dirt" disappears. This 10 piece set includes a dish rack that can be suctioned to the wall and a sponge.
—Mike DiAndrea, owner of Hardware Toys in Paoli, Pa., told TDmonthly in late Spring 2011 that he sold five Dirty Dishes each month.
— Want this? As of 05/06/2011, this product was available for purchase at Hardware Toys.

Writer's Bio: Justina Huddleston graduated Magna Cum Laude from Emerson College with a BA in Writing, Literature, and Publishing in 2009. After graduating she was the on-site director of the Boston Children's Museum gift store for a year, selling educational, developmental, and creative activity toys that tied in with the museum's exhibits. Justina also interned at children's book publisher Candlewick Press before moving from Boston to Los Angeles, where she is now Editorial Director of TDmonthly Magazine. Read more articles by this author