Getting my 3-year-old son, Tom, on board for bath time was never easy. But after testing a dozen or so bath toys, we found four that get him into the tub -- and keep him coming back.

Pirates of the Tub

Pirates of the Tub contains a treasure trove of almost 40 toys: squirting pirates, a cannon, sea creatures, foam pieces that stick to the bath wall for an elaborate backdrop, and rafts and islands that float. A mesh bag is included to keep the whole crew together.

Ages 3 and up. $18, Alex -- Naomi Adler Dennis
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Bathtime Shower

With the press of a button, the Bathtime Shower pulls water from the tub up a tube and out of the attached showerhead. Tom giggles over the instant rain falling into the bath, but not as much as when he turns the showerhead on me!

Ages 3 and up. International Playthings, $15 -- Naomi Adler Dennis
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Tooting Tugboat

The bright red Tooting Tugboat doesn't need batteries to provide bells and whistles. Just hold the handle (fashioned to look like steam) and run the boat over the water. Air escapes through the windows and sounds just like, well, a tugboat!

Alex, $10 -- Naomi Adler Dennis
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Foam Letters and Numbers

Colorful 3-inch-high Foam Letters and Numbers turn the bath into alphabet soup. Tom likes to stick these soft alternatives to fridge magnets on the wall (especially the T), and I like that they sneak in a little learning.

Ages 3 and up. Little Tikes, $6 -- Naomi Adler Dennis
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And, as long as we're talking about water...

Classic Waterworks

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. This is clearly what toy executives were thinking when they recently reissued Classic Waterworks, a 1970s plumbing-themed game. Playing the game is another story, however, since it is broke, and you must fix it. Two to four players bust each other's pipes with "leak" cards as they race to complete their own pipelines from valve to spout. Make repairs with the correct card drawn from a bathtub-shaped holder -- or use one of the miniature die-cast metal wrenches, which my kids take to be the raison d'tre of the entire game. They also love the hydro-vandalistic thrill of leaking everybody's pipes -- "Take that!" we all cackle, "I leak your elbow joint!" -- but it's always more dastardly than mean-spirited, making good-natured Waterworks the perfect introduction to competitive games.

Ages 6 and up. Winning Moves, $14 -- Catherine Newman
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