Hot tub Facts for Kids

A hot tub with seats for five people. It has jets for water circulation and massage.

Hot tubs used outdoors.

A hot tub for two people.

A hot tub is like a big bathtub or a small pool filled with warm water. People use them to relax, have fun, or for a special kind of water therapy called hydrotherapy. Some hot tubs have strong jets that shoot out water, which feels like a massage. You might also hear hot tubs called "spas" or by a famous brand name, "Jacuzzi."

Unlike a regular bathtub, a hot tub is made for more than one person to use at the same time. Many hot tubs can fit four or more people! They are often found outdoors, but you can also have them inside. The water in a hot tub isn't changed every time someone uses it. Instead, it's kept clean using methods similar to those for swimming pool sanitation. Also, you don't use soaps or shampoos in most hot tubs that have water jets.

A Look Back in Time: History of Hot Tubs
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A Look Back in Time: History of Hot Tubs

People have enjoyed soaking in warm water for a very long time! The earliest hot tubs were natural calderas (bowl-shaped hollows) where hot stones were placed to heat the water. In a place called Therma in Ikaria, people have been using hot springs for water therapy since the 4th century BC. Old marble bathtubs and water pipes found there show how popular it was long ago.

In Japan, the first onsen (hot spring bath) opened in 737 A.D. Later, inns called ryokan were built. These inns offered food, places to stay, and special soaking tubs called ofuro.

The ancient Romans also loved bathing! They had baths at home, private baths, and large public baths. Bathing was so important that Roman soldiers built their own baths in new lands they conquered. You can still find examples of these baths all over Europe.

After the Roman Empire ended, bathing became less common for a while. But by the 13th century, baths started to be used again, especially in southern Europe.

In the 1940s, hot tubs began to appear in the USA. They were inspired by the Japanese ofuro. A company called Jacuzzi introduced special pumps that created water jets for massage. Around 1970, hot tubs with fiberglass shells became popular. Soon after, hot tubs made with cast acrylic shells took their place.