One thing that has proven to be a good bath toy (and toy in general) are the plastic reusable ice cube balls. Originally purchased for my son's first birthday party since it was a circle/ball theme, but they have proven to be a very versatile toy.
I have found that these ice cubes are fun for them to take in and out of the freezer, he likes to feel them when they are very cold and see how they take time to melt. We stick them in our salad spinner and he likes to watch them whirl around. We've put them in the back of his dump truck and he takes them to the "dump" and they roll out of the truck into the garbage pit easily.
I like the color ones more than the clear that are also available.
Then, they have come in to our bathtub. They are fun to thrown in while frozen or they float when they are thawed. My son uses his bath net to scoop them up, which is a good hand eye coordination skill.
Photo credit: Amazon.com
I can't seem to find the exact ones that we purchased on Amazon, but here are some clear ones in the shape of balls and some colored cube ones. While doing a quick Google search, I came across so make different types of plastic reusable ice cubes that would also be really fun and good options like: goldfish, stars, fruit, flowers, etc. So have fun!
The other nontraditional bath toy in our house, is the shower caddy from my college days. I can't believe this thing is still around my house, but it has been a fun toy in and out of the bathtub. I like the totes where the handle is fixed, so it is easy to grip and maneuver for little ones. I also like the totes that only have some holes, so only a little water goes in and out at a time, allowing for more play and discovery.
Here is one I found on Amazon, where it is currently a solid piece, but could easily drill several holes in and around the top of the tote.
Photo credit: Amazon.com
Out of the bathtub, it acts as a boat or Noah's ark since it holds a lot of stuffed animals. I love when toys are simple home items!
