3 Bedtime Bath Teas for Kids

Would you like to help your children detox from  a long day of school and homestead work with a nice, hot bath? We show you simple, herbal bedtime bath teas to use daily or give as gifts. (Tip: these bath teas are great for the grown ups, too!)  Here are three combinations for the best bedtime bath teas from herbs you can purchase or even grow!
Also below are 23 more Quick Homemade Gift Ideas!

What Are the Benefits of a Tea Bath for Kids?

Bath teas are a great thing to include in your bathing rituals and they’re simple to put together. Teas for the bath are just what they sound like: herbal preparations to add to your child’s bath to soothe them and prepare them for bed.

We outline the benefits and uses of three herbal bath tea combinations below:

1. Lemongrass & Rosemary
2. Lavender & Basil
3. Mint & Thyme

Each herb has its own property and benefit and we cover that below. It’s also good to bear in mind that bath time itself can be an important ritual. (If you’re a new parent or grandparent, we have a section towards the end that will help you establish healthy, wholesome bath time rituals for kids!)

Can You Take a Bath With Tea Bags?

Yes, you can! You make a tea bath the same way you make a cup of tea – with herbs and hot water. The only difference is that your bath tub acts like a tea cup holding your herbs and hot water.

If you have tea bags that contain herbs safe for skin and for children, you can start with four tea bags for a tub half full of hot water.

Follow the directions in the “How Do You Make a Tea Bath?” section below for more direction. If you don’t have tea bags, don’t worry – we explain how to have an herbal bath without them!

The following are some tips and herbal combinations that will make the simple ritual of bath time a special one that will calm tired children (and adults), and even administer to health when everyone is full of sniffles.

To create more cozy family times that bring you closer together, join our newsletter and download your copy of our Homestead Hygge Workbook. Hygge is the Danish concept of turning our homes into sanctuaries of light, love, and peace through simple homespun activities like natural crafts, wholesome recipes, and simple pleasures. 

Herbal Combinations for Bath Teas

Here are some suggestions for herbal combinations you can use at bath time by growing zone. Instructions for use will follow, FYI. If you’re not growing these, perhaps your neighbors are. Or, you may also order them online.

As always, be sure to do your own homework when it comes to herbs, their safety and your child. Here’s my standard disclaimer:

Lemongrass & Rosemary

Growing zones 9-11 – Lemongrass and rosemary will grow well and easily in your zones. Both are highly aromatic and cleansing. Their light, invigorating scent will clear droopy spirits, while helping everyone feel clean and ready for a good night’s sleep. Add a few hibiscus flowers for a dash of color.

• To learn to grow lemongrass, please visit this article from Attainable Sustainable.
• For growing rosemary, here’s an article by Joybilee Farm.

Lavender & Basil

Growing zones 6-8 – Lavender and basil make a rich combination for bath time. Lavender is miraculously both good for waking up and going to sleep – how does it do that?!

Basil vapors can help soothe an irritated stomach. You don’t drink bath tea, of course, but the skin is your largest organ and there is a certain amount of absorption of these herbs into the body.

If you have it available, a dash of lemon or orange peel added to this bath tea combination would make it that much more heavenly.

• For growing lavender, here’s an article by Lovely Greens.
• To learn more about growing and using basil, please visit this article:

Mint & Thyme

Growing zones 3-5 – Mint and thyme are your herbal friends in colder climbs and both make happy additions to the bath time hour. Also soothing to the stomach (basil is a cousin), mint is probably the most commonly known herb, so it will be a familiar scent to your child.

Thyme can stimulate circulation and is especially useful if your little one has a cough. For fun, toss in a few rugosa rose hips and you just might get orange or pink tinted water.

• To learn to use thyme for wellness, please visit this article by Homespun Seasonal Living.
• For everything you need to know about rugosa roses, please visit this article. 

By the way, all of these herbs will often survive down to zone 2 with heavy winter protection.)

All of these herbs will happily grow in pots and even indoors (except the rugosa rose – way too big), if you’re unable to grow them outside in a garden plot.

To learn more about each herb, and for further ideas, I suggest the simple but thorough book, The Complete Book of Herbs, by Leslie Bremness. This was one of my first herb books and I still love and use it all the time especially for cosmetic, gift and craft ideas.

How Do You Make a Tea Bath?

Don’t worry, this is NOT complicated. There are printable instructions available in the gift giving section.

1. Put a measure of bath tea herbs into a clean, cotton sock, or a sachet bag. This sock or bag may get stained, FYI. 
2. The measurements don’t need to be precise but if you’d like a guideline, use one spoonful of each herb per bath. If you’re using fresh herbs, use two spoonfuls of each herb.
3. Place them into a hot bath to steep for a few minutes prior to entering the bath.
4. Have your child climb in and enjoy.
5. Squeeze the bags once or twice to agitate the ingredients and release more beneficial properties from the plants and additives. 
6. Be sure to launder your bag well and compost the tea when finished.

Skin Sensitivities

Do be conscious of potential allergy problems. For example, some people with ragweed allergies can have an adverse reaction to chamomile. So, watch for rash and, if irritation occurs, have your kiddo hop into a shower and wash with oatmeal soap.

Speaking of oatmeal, you can add some to your herb sachet (fancy word for the sock) to keep skin soft and supple. To further soothe your child you can also add some Epsom or sea salt to the bath. Salt can be especially helpful if they have achy muscles or are unwell.

Bag for Bath Teas

You can purchase muslin bags for your bath time teas, or you can learn to make your own without too much effort. To help with that, below is a tutorial for an herbal sachet bag. This tutorial is to make a line drawer bag, but you can easily use it in the bath. Click here to learn how.

To use up the herbs but avoid mold re-use your bath tea for a few days in a row before removing the contents and composting them. 

To Give Bath Teas as Gifts

For birthdays or holidays, these herbal bath teas make great gifts. To assemble a gift bag of bath teas, include:

• The bath tea secured in an air-tight container like a bag because this will prevent the herbs from losing their essential oils before use.
• Place this into the sachet you’ve sewn (as above) or into a purchased muslin/cotton bag with a draw string.
• Include instructions for how to use the bath tea.
• You may also wish to purchase a thick, fancy bath towel in the child’s favorite color.

Bath Time Teens?

If you have older children or teenagers, these bath teas will still be enjoyable for them because all kids become ill or stressed. 

Teens also appreciate skin care products which you can make yourself to gift with these bath teas. You can make any holiday or birthday special by customizing what you make to fit their needs. To give you some ideas about what you might make, the following are a few fun products:

• Cinnamon Latte Whipped Sugar Scrub from The Artisan Life
• From Joybilee Farm here are Soothing Oatmeal and Lavender Bath Bombs
• Pumpkin Spice Face Mask from Pistachio Project

Growing Your Own Herbs

If you’d like to grow your own herbs on the homestead, planning and planting an herb garden doesn’t have to be complicated. Books like Mareitta Marcin’s Herbal Tea Gardens can help inspire and educate you on planting herb gardens according to your needs.

• Do you need a sleepy time garden?
• A shade garden?
• Tonic garden?

This little book can tell you exactly what to plant.

If you don’t have space for an in-ground garden, many herbs lend themselves well to container growing and will even happily grow for you indoors.

To learn how to grow several basic herbs in containers, including some of those featured in these bath teas, pick up your electronic copy of The Potted Herb. This book will take you through the steps of growing herbs in pots. 

Gifts From the Homestead

This article is part of a large collaboration of writers who hoped to make this year’s holidays the best they can be for you and your family. We gotten together and covered just about every homemade gift angle you can imagine! Some homemade gifts take a few days, others only a few minutes to assemble.

We hope these articles help save you time and money so that you can spend more turning minutes into memories with your family this year.

Gifts You Can Make in an Hour or Less

Creative Cookie Packaging Ideas || Rootsy Network

Create a Giftable Indoor Herb Garden Kit || Not So Modern

Two Holiday Chai Tea Blends: The Perfect Fall or Winter Gift || Healing Harvest Homestead

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds (with printable gift tags) || A Modern Homestead

How to Make & Give Homemade Hot Cocoa Mixes || Homespun Seasonal Living

How to Can Homemade Salsa || Not So Modern

Make Gift-Worthy Bread Mix In A Jar – Great for Your Own Pantry Shelf Too! || Oak Hill Homestead

Make Your Own Lotion Bars || Learning and Yearning

Easy Homemade Bath Salts Recipe || Better Hens and Gardens

Peppermint Foot Salve || The Self Sufficient Home Acre

3 Bedtime Bath Teas for Kids || Homestead Lady

DIY Flaxseed Neck Heating Pad for Soothing Muscles || Joybilee Farm

No-Sew Scented Sachet Bags With 5 Herbal Recipes || Rockin W Homestead

Fall Air Freshener DIY || Feathers In The Woods

Gifts You Can Make in a Day or Less

Easy Applesauce Recipe For Canning or Eating Fresh || Hidden Springs Homestead

How to Make Hot Process Soap Complete Picture Tutorial || Healing Harvest Homestead

Crockpot Apple Butter with Canning Instructions || A Modern Homestead

DIY Flower & Veggie Row Markers || The Self Sufficient Home Acre

Horseshoe Farm Sign – Fun DIY Gift for the Horse Lover || Homegrown Self Reliance

Gifts You Can Make in a Week

Easy Primitive Throw Pillow Tutorial || Hidden Springs Homestead

How to Make a Rag Quilt || Flip Flop Barnyard

Make Your Own Plant Pots and Baskets || Homestead Lady

Special Gifts That Take One Month to Create
(but are well worth the wait)

Making Herbal Vinegar || Better Hens and Gardens

Elderberry Elixir – A Delicious Immune Boosting Gift || Homegrown Self Reliance

How to Make Homemade Vanilla Extract || Farming My Backyard

How to Make Strawberry Wine Step-by-Step || Stone Family Farmstead

How to Make Cold-Process Soap from Scratch || Oak Hill Homestead