More and more homeowners are integrating universal design or aging-in-place features when remodeling bathrooms to make sure their house will meet their needs as they age, but they may not think about family members at the other end of the age spectrum. If you have children in your home, there are some things you can incorporate into your bathroom remodeling plans to make things easier for the younger members of your family.

• The recent trend in bathrooms has been to go with taller cabinets, usually 36 inches in height. For a children’s bathroom, go with cabinets that are 30 inches tall or a floating vanity that you can install at any height to make it easier for your kids to reach the sink and faucet.
• Replace the kick plate in your bathroom cabinet with a pull-out stool. This will let your kids reach the sink more easily and prevent the stool from slipping out from under your child.
• Avoid pedestal sinks and opt for a vanity instead to provide amble storage space for tub toys, towels, and bath products.
• Install dual sinks. This will make it easier for multiple kids to get ready at the same time.
• Select faucets with large lever handles that are easy to use. While a single lever may be easier to control water flow, a faucet with dual handles will be easier for a child to control the water temperature.
• Avoid tall, comfort-height toilets and install a standard height toilet instead. You can install a child-friendly seat if needed.
• When choosing a toilet for a kids’ bathroom, look for one with a soft-close seat and lid to prevent your children from dropping and banging the seat when they close it.
• Separate the toilet and sink from the shower and tub with a door in between. This will allow one child to bathe while another can still have access to the sink and toilet.
• Install a hand shower on a slide bar in the shower. The hand shower will make it easier to rinse off small, sudsy heads and the slide bar will allow kids to adjust the height of the shower head as they grow.
• Make sure the grab bars in the tub and shower are low enough for your kids.
• If you are installing a combination shower and tub, opt for a shower curtain instead of shower doors. A shower curtain will give you better access to the tub, making it easier to bathe small children.
• Install towel hooks in place of a towel bar. It’s easier for kids to hang their towels on hooks, meaning the towels are less likely to end up on the floor.
• Install the towel hooks 6 inches or less from the entrance to the tub or shower to make it easier for kids to reach.
• Install a full-length mirror in your bathroom so that even the smallest of your kids can see themselves easily. This way they won’t be tempted to climb on the toilet or vanity to see in themselves in the mirror.
• Be sure to select non-slip flooring for safety.

You don’t need to incorporate these features into every bathroom in your home, but you should make the bathroom your kids use most as kid-friendly as possible for them. Keep in mind that kids grow fast, so don’t go overboard. For example, don’t install a kid-sized toilet like you’d find in an elementary school.