Potty training is a milestone for toddlers that many parents have mixed feelings towards. It’s an exciting time, and is a sign your toddler is growing up. You might be looking forward to no longer having to stock up on diapers every week, not to mention changing them! However, you might be dreading the training process, especially if you have heard some horror stories about children having several accidents on the carpets. Here, we take a look at some tips and tricks, as well as some great products, to make potty training a young boy or girl a breeze.
Toddler Potty Training Tips
- The first and most important thing is to be sure your child is ready before beginning the process of toilet training. You might be keen to get it done sooner rather than later, but if you start before your child is ready, the process will take longer and there are likely to be more accidents along the way. Some good signs your child is ready are:
- They can vocalize the need to pee or poop
- They show an interest in the potty or toilet, such as asking questions when you go
- Showing signs of discomfort when their diaper becomes wet or soiled
- Going to the same place, or making a particular movement when peeing or pooping. This might be hiding somewhere, squatting, or going to another room for example
- Staying dry for a few hours between changes, or waking dry after a nap
- Having bowel movements on a regular schedule – at roughly the same time every day
- Motivate your child with cool underwear of their choice. Have a special day together to go shopping and choose big boy/girl underwear. Your toddler will most likely love being the same as mom or dad, or older siblings.
- Set aside some time to go bottomless, as this will help your child learn when it’s time to use the potty. Spend time outside in the yard, or put something over the carpets if you’re worried about accidents. Keep the potty nearby so your child can easily use it when they need to go.
- When your child is bottomless or wearing underpants, keep an eye out for signs they might be ready to use the potty. Wriggling or jumping around and clutching themselves are usually signs it’s time to go potty. The more you watch your child, the more you’ll be able to pick up on the signs they need to go.
- Help your child learn how to pull their underwear down, and ensure they are wearing loose-fitting bottoms when first starting out with training. Anything with buttons or tight-fitting jeans is a bad idea, and can waste valuable time when your child needs to go, now!
- If your child is having repeated accidents, they might not be quite ready. Instead of getting frustrated, it’s best to stick to diapers and try again in another couple of weeks.
- It’s best to choose a time to start potty training when you have no other commitments, and when there are no big changes happening. If a new baby is arriving soon, you are moving house, going on vacation, or any other big changes, it’s best to wait a little. Learning to use the potty is a big deal, and you should focus all your attention on this, when there are no other major events. It’s also great if you can start during time off work. If not, ensure your child’s caregivers stick to a constant routine, doing as you do at home.
- Use rewards to make toilet training more fun. A sticker chart is a good idea, or you could give your child a small chocolate button each time they manage to go successfully. It’s important not to punish your child if they have an accident, however. This can make them feel anxious about going again the next time.
- Nighttime dryness can often take a lot longer to achieve, as your child’s body has to be able to hold urine for a long time. Start by removing the diaper during afternoon naps once your child has been reliably dry during waking hours for a while. If this is a success, you can start to try overnight, perhaps using waterproof sheets just in case your child isn’t quite ready.
- Finally, it’s important to have the right equipment before starting toilet training your toddler. You might go through a few styles of potty or toilet seat before you find something that’s right for you and your child. many parents also choose a portable potty for taking out and about. In the next section, you will find our reviews of some great toddler toilet training products.
Toilet Training Products
Here, you will find our picks of some of the best products to help your child reach this new milestone. We’ve chosen a range of potties and toilet seats, as well as books about the subject and many more fun products, to help make things easier for both toddlers and parents! There’s sure to be something for you and your family’s needs here.
Whizz Kids Toilet Water Color Changing Tablets
These water color changing tablets are great to help motivate your child to learn how to use the potty, and make toilet training a bit more fun and exciting. They come in three different shapes – star, diamond and heart, as well as three colors – orange, green and purple. Toddlers will love throwing the tablets into the toilet water and watching the color change. They can also be placed in the bottom of the potty when it’s dry, then your child can make different colored pee!
The toilet dye tablets fizz when they hit the water, and the color changes are bright and easy to see. They’re especially helpful for boys, who can use them to aim into the potty, and be rewarded with the fizzing when they hit the target! The tablets should be stored in the original container, out of reach of young children as they could be a choking hazard to young children, and are of course not safe for consumption.
My Size Potty
The Summer Infant potty is perfect for toddlers who love copying everything mom and dad do. It looks very realistic, and has the same feel as an adult toilet, only in a more suitable size for young children. The handle can be used to pretend to flush the toilet, and offers a fun flush sound to reward children for their efforts.
The My Size potty comes with a clip on splash guard, perfect for little boys, to help keep clothing and the floor dry. The lid of the toddler toilet flips up, and the bowl can easily be removed for cleaning. The back of the toilet features a storage compartment which can be used for wipes, and the ‘cistern’ can be opened to store books or toys for your child to use if they’re sitting for a long time.
Overall, this is a truly excellent toilet training product, which helps get your child into some healthy habits from the beginning.
Fisher Price Custom Comfort Potty
The Fisher Price potty has a two-position adjustable seat height, for a customized fit no matter how tall your child is. The high back and arm rests are great for helping toddlers feel secure and comfortable, helping them feel at ease when learning to use the potty. The potty chair comes in a choice of two colors – either pink and white or green and white. The pink one is designed for girls, and doesn’t come with a splash guard, whereas the green is more suited to boys and comes with an integrated splash guard.
The Fisher Price comfort potty is easy for toddlers to climb on and off by themselves, which is great for encouraging independence. The bowl is made of one piece, and easily removes for quick cleaning. The rest of the seat can easily be wiped clean, as it’s made from smooth plastic.
Race Car Potty
This 2 in 1 potty seat can be used on the floor as a potty, or the seat part can be removed and placed on the ‘big’ toilet to be used as a toilet seat. The seat comes with a built-in shield, which is ideal for preventing some mess when training little boys. The feet are designed to be non-skid, which means the potty can safely and easily be used on any type of flooring. It also comes with handles on the side, for your child to feel more safe and comfortable when using the potty. Similarly, the seat has a high back rest for comfort and stability.
The First Years potty has a lift-out seat, which makes for easy emptying and cleaning. The race car design is perfect for little boys, as well as girls who love cars. The removable inner seat is really useful, and is perfect for taking out and about.
Toddler Toilet Seat with Steps
This Den Heaven toilet seat with ladder is ideal for children who are already starting to master toilet training, and are ready to use the big toilet. This product makes it easy for young children to safely climb up, and the handles at the top are perfect for added stability. The seat is contoured for extra comfort – which is great because your child is sure to love the seat so much they might not want to get off in a hurry!
The toddler toilet seat with steps folds flat for easy storage when not in use, making it ideal for even the smallest of bathrooms. The wide feet ensure the seat remains stable and secure on bathroom floors. The seat is designed to fit all standard and elongated toilet seats, and there is very little assembly and setup required.
Summer Infant Step by Step Potty
This Summer Infant potty offers three functions in one great product. It can be used as a potty on the floor, a toilet seat and a bathroom step stool. This is great for when your child is further along in the training process – the seat removes from the base, which then becomes the step, so the child can easily wash their hands after going to the bathroom.
The baby potty seat has a folding lid, which is perfect for keeping it clean in between uses. The potty comes with a wipes holder as well as a toilet roll dispenser, perfect for promoting early hygiene habits. The seat is soft and comfortable – great to help make going to the potty more fun! It also comes in a green version, which features a removable urine guard which can make things easier for little boys.
Potty Superhero Book
Potty Superhero is a great book for helping little boys get ready for learning to use the potty and wearing ‘big boy’ underwear. It’s a great way to explain the process in a simple way, with language a young child can understand. The use of illustrations also makes it easier for children to visualize what it means to no longer wear a diaper and have to use the potty instead.
A potty story book is an ideal way to broach the subject with a child who seems otherwise reluctant to talk about using the potty. It’s especially suited to children who get excited about superheroes – and they themselves will feel like a hero when they manage to wear their ‘big kid’ underwear. The underpants on the cover are made from soft fabric, which is another nice touch to keep kids entertained at potty time.
Let’s Go Potty Elmo Book
This Elmo potty book is another great tool to help young children get used to the idea of using the potty before you begin. It has interactive elements which are sure to keep toddlers’ attention, introducing them to the idea of using the potty in a fun way. There are tabs, flaps and wheels to use – which are also great for children to use their problem solving skills.
Let’s go Potty Elmo is the ideal book for helping children learn all the steps involved in going to the potty. They will learn to use toilet paper, wash their hands and flush the toilet after they’ve been – and help Elmo remember to do all these steps, too. The book also reminds children that it’s okay to take a break from their toys or games when they need to go potty, and that everyone else needs to do this too.
Toddler Urinal
This Cuddle Baby urinal is a must-have for any parent who is trying to teach their little boy how to pee standing up. Potty training boys age 2 can be challenging, but this product will help make things more interesting. It features a fun spinning wheel to help them practice their aim, which really makes the process a whole lot more fun! It can be used by children of any height, as it can simply be placed higher or lower on the wall as your child grows. There are different mounting options, either suction cups or wall hooks, so the urinal can easily be removed after use allowing the contents to be emptied.
The little boy urinal has a cute whale design and is sure to make potty time more fun and interesting. It comes with a sticker reward chart and stickers to help mark your child’s progress and keep them interested in going again and again. The urinal has a large bowl with curved edges, to help reduce the chance of splashes and spillages. It’s designed and made in the USA, so parents can be sure of the quality.
Potty Training Kit
This three day potty training kit includes everything you need to help your toddler learn to use the potty quickly and easily. The set comes with an audio CD so parents can listen anywhere. The CD tells you all you need to know about helping your child learn to use the potty, and answers all those questions you might have about the process. There is also a sticker reward chart and a training journal included, to keep your child motivated.
However, the best part about the 3 day potty training kit is the watch. It can be set to either 30, 60 or 90 minutes, after which time it will flash and play music, reminding your child that it’s time to go potty! The watch comes in a choice of three colors – either green, blue or pink. This means it’s perfect for either boys or girls, and you could even ask your child to choose their favorite. The kit also comes with a certificate you can award to your child once they are successfully trained – a great reward for their hard work.
Final Thoughts & Conclusions
Toilet training is a milestone many parents dread, but if you have the right products and are well-prepared it can be quite easy. As long as your child is ready, and mom and dad are ready too, there’s no reason to worry about starting the training. Once you know how to start potty training and everyone is ready, it’s best to just go for it and you won’t look back!
We have looked at some great products here, so hopefully you have found something to help motivate your child to learn how to use the potty. Let us know if you have any other tried and tested tips, or have found any other great products your child loves!