Children are usually ready to start potty training around 18 months. Choose a time when the child will be calm and in a routine. Avoid pushing toilet training during an emotional situation, such as a move or new baby.
Make the process fun for your child. Give lots of praise and encouragement. Read on Next Day Potty for more information.
The potty you choose is an important part of your toddler’s toilet training journey. A good choice will help your child feel comfortable, secure and confident. There are many options available to suit your family’s needs, from standalone potties that sit on the floor to ones that fit over your existing toilet. Some are designed with bells and whistles that make potty time fun and others are simple and easy to use for your little one.
The right choice depends on your child’s age, gender and your toilet training approach. It’s also helpful to consider how you will use the potty in your daily life. Will it need to be portable or can you easily store it? Do you want your toddler to be able to move the potty from room to room or do you prefer that they remain seated in one place?
Our mum testers put a range of potties to the test, taking into consideration how easy they were for toddlers to use and clean, whether the product was suitable for boys or girls and whether it worked well with different types of toilets. Check that your chosen potty is light and portable, with a smooth surface for easy wiping down, and a splash guard to prevent messy accidents.
If your little one will be using the potty full-time, make sure it’s easy to transport and can be emptied and cleaned quickly. Look for a lid that fits securely to help keep water and mess inside. If you use a potty seat, consider those with a removeable bowl and an artificial flush feature. These can be easier to empty and clean, as can the more traditional style of potties that are designed to sit on the floor.
Remember, you’ll be bringing your potty with you everywhere during potty training so it’s also worth choosing one that will fit in with your lifestyle and your child’s daily routine. Some potties are even foldable to make them super compact and easy to carry for travel! If you’re not sure which type to go for, look at online reviews to see how other parents found each option and whether it was a good fit for their toddlers.
Getting Started
For most children, the best age to start potty training is around their second birthday. This is when they are old enough to understand the process and not too young to be unwilling or have a hard time making the transition out of diapers. However, it is not uncommon for children to be ready even earlier, or for some to be ready much later.
One clear sign that your child is ready is when they express an interest in wearing underwear. It is also helpful if they can stay dry for two or more hours, especially at regular intervals, like first thing in the morning and after naps. Children who are ready may let you know they have to go potty by pulling at their diapers or telling you they feel wet.
If your son shows an interest in using the potty, you can help him feel comfortable by allowing him to choose a new pair of underwear to wear while he sits on it. This will give him a sense of ownership and can encourage him to want to use the potty more often. It is also a good idea to show him how to put his pants down on the potty and how to sit down on it with his bottom in the air. This is especially important for boys because they tend to be more hesitant about sitting on the potty than girls are.
Some children are afraid to sit on the potty because they think the toilet will flush parts of their bodies away. This is usually a fear that begins during bowel training, so once they have mastered pooping in the potty chair it is less likely to occur.
A few other things to keep in mind when getting started are to make sure your child can see what is happening while on the potty (to avoid any accidents), and that it is a clean, safe space for them. It is also a good idea to set up a reward system, such as stickers or a new privilege, to help them get excited about the potty.
Teaching Your Child
If your child is ready for potty training, you’ll need to teach them to recognize the signals that their body is sending them. You’ll also need to teach them how to use the potty. They’ll need to be able to walk and get themselves onto and off the potty, as well as remove their pants and underwear.
Once they have the physical skills needed, you’ll need to make trips to the potty a part of their daily routine. This means removing their diaper or underwear first thing in the morning and at night before bedtime. It also means sitting on the potty for a few minutes each time (longer if you think they might need to poop) without getting up or leaving the room, even if they have no intention of doing anything in particular. You might read a book, play a game of 20 Questions or something similar to help them stay still while they’re waiting for their bladders and bowels to start working.
Encouragement, praise and rewards are key to success. When your child does have an accident, be supportive and don’t punish them for it. Remember, many kids have accidents as they learn to control their bladders and bowels, and most don’t fully master staying dry at night until age 5 or 6.
It’s also important to have your child’s caregivers on board with your toilet training regimen, especially any daycare providers and experienced nanny or sitter who will be spending the majority of your child’s time away from you. Discuss the potty training process with them and ask for their help in teaching your child to be independent. For example, your childcare provider may be able to teach your toddler the words for “pee” and “poop” so they can talk about what their bodies are doing when they’re feeling it, or they may be able to remind them to go before taking them to school, after meals, before naps and bedtime.
Another way to make things easier for your child is to set up a schedule that includes bathroom breaks on the hour for two or three days straight, including waking, after meals and naps, before going to sleep and upon waking. This helps your child to become accustomed to the timing of their need for potty breaks and will speed up the time it takes them to be fully trained. Finally, you’ll want to teach your children how to properly wipe their bottoms, too. Girls in particular should be taught to spread their legs and wipe from front to back, so they don’t reintroduce germs to the rectum or vagina.
Staying Dry at Night
Getting your child to sleep through the night is an important milestone in potty training. It’s also a physical change that can take time, as it requires the development of a neurological connection between your child’s brain and bladder. It may be several months before your child reaches this point. In the meantime, you can help them by establishing a bedtime routine and making sure that they don’t drink too much in the hours leading up to their nap and bedtimes.
Some children have difficulty staying dry at night even after they’re toilet trained during the day. This is a normal part of your child’s development and it can be frustrating for both parents and child. It may be helpful for you to talk to your child’s doctor about this issue, so that he or she can give you guidance and check for underlying issues that could be contributing to your child’s problems.
If your child is having trouble staying dry at night, try to avoid putting pressure on them to stop wetting the bed. This can cause your child to feel embarrassed and ashamed and this can be counterproductive. Instead, you can try to find ways to make your child more comfortable, such as by putting nighttime pajamas on them and making sure that they have a good mattress cover to protect their bed in the event of an accident.
You can also encourage your child to use the potty before they go to bed by incorporating it into their bedtime routine. Some parents also find it helpful to have a potty station in their child’s room, which can include a potty atop a mat or pad with a box of wipes nearby. Finally, some children find it helpful to be reminded that their mommy, daddy, or siblings also had a hard time with wetting the bed as they were growing up.
If your child is struggling to stay dry at night, consider taking a break from the potty training and giving them back their overnight diapers or using cloth or disposable underwear designed for kids who wet the bed (known as nocturnal enuresis). Don’t be discouraged by this setback. It’s not uncommon for toddlers to have a few months of ups and downs with this issue, especially as they approach their fifth birthday.