Settle an argument - this is impractical for young children

[EllisRoses]

Settle an argument, first sink is what DH wants for our family bath, the second is what I want. We have one young DC and are TTC for another. I think the first choice is impractical, will be harder for little kids to use without making lots of mess and the second makes so much more sense?

I think both are reasonably impractical - the first is too tall for small DC to use easily and the second too shallow, which creates a lot more splashing and water on the floor. But the second is more practical than the first.

Neither are great tbh. I have two kids at the stage of trying to wash their hands by themselves and they’d both struggle with those. One is too high for them to safely reach over and get to the taps. One is too shallow and they will splash water everywhere. Just get a standard sink!

We need a vanity for storage and it's too small a bathroom for a separate sink!

no1 is definitely impractical. no2 is not so bad, but why not have a sink that is a bit smaller and more space at the sides for toothbrushes etc.

I first isn’t practical and the second will turn your bathroom into an instant wet room.

You can still have a normal sink as part of a vanity unit though? We have this sort of thing:

victoriaplum.com/browse/floorstanding-vanity-units?csi=MODWH002&ds_kid=92700059867490766&gclid=CjwKCAiAgc-ABhA7EiwAjev-j3xYJucy-TtBbxv2T137-oHWVt0z57DAEeDq6Czth_-cWufd_YchzxoCT_4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

We have a flat bottomed sink and I hate it - magnet for toothpaste / soap stains / dust as it doesn’t drain properly. Both impractical IMO.

Semi-recessed basin? So it hangs over the front of the cabinet. it is what my children have in their bathroom. It is a normal full depth sink just with a cabinet underneath.

Like this

Too slow typing and cross posts with power

My brother has the first one in their ensuite and both the 5 year old and the 2 year old use it just fine with a stepstool. The 2 yo makes a lot less mess using that one than the more traditional sink in the family bathroom!

We used to have flat bottomed sinks and the only thing they were useful for was bathing baby in when he was pooey. But yours looks too shallow to even allow that.

I think the first is better than the second due to how shallow the second one is, I'm not sure if it's just the picture but it looks like it doesn't hold much water at all and it will go everywhere. The first would keep the water contained but could be high for children depending on how tall the unit is it will be fixed to. DS is nearly 3 and has one of those white plastic step boxes to reach the sink.

We've got a similar one to the second one in both our downstairs wc and the kids bathroom - both are fine (we have 2 boys aged 4&12 and the sinks have been in 5yrs)

We’ve a sink like no. 2.... it doesn’t drain as quickly as a regular basin, so gets muckier. The tap, if turned on full, overshoots the basin (so you’d need to reduce the water pressure). However, there’s space for toothbrush/paste, soap dish, etc on the sink part.

A friend has the bowl-type basin, and the surface it sits on is totally knackered from kids leaving it wet. They use a small stool to reach it, and you can get shallower bowls, so height-wise it’s manageable though not ideal.

Something like this might work

Of your two I’d definitely choose the second though OP. First one will be hard to reach and also will gather gunge around where the base meets the surface.

Both of them are frankly a disastrous choice with young children.
Surprised nobody has also alerted you to the possibilities of chipped teeth, bashed faces and noses on the first sink. It’s just an accident waiting to happen with step up stools, water, hand washing teeth brushing etc.
The second one will soak your entire bathroom when they turn the taps on full pelt every time.

The first one is lovely but a devil to clean around the bottom, mine needs a toothbrush to get in the grooves! Number 2 I would suggest

www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/hemnes-odensvik-wash-stand-with-2-drawers-grey-s99201231/

we have one a bit like this and I find it practical, lots of space around, harder to flood than you'd think. Mind you I had interior designer friends who had your number one, looked worrying to me but they seemed to get on fine!

We have a large bath like that. It’s fine for our toddler. He can’t climb out.

Oops sorry I saw a free standing bath!

The first one would make a great baby bath though!!

I have a vanity unit underneath and a built in sink on top, much deeper than what you've picked OP. It's not difficult to find.

Sorry OP, but they are both pretty impractical for small children.

You want to use a sink as a bath?

Are you the Borrowers?

Both impractical and the soap etc dispensers would get knocked off and smashed pretty damned quick.