So you think you're ready for potty training? Whether you're getting started because you feel your child is ready or because their school or daycare is saying it's time for them to be ready, there are a few products that can make this roller coaster a bit easier.
Most parents potty train their children between the ages of 2.5 and 3.5 years, but every kid is different. And while there are some differences between potty training boys and girls, the basic idea is still the same: Learn the signs that you need to go, make it to the toilet on time, wipe, flush, and wash your hands. Just like every stage of having little kids, there are endless products you can buy to make this process easier. I've potty trained my own two kids, and I sub at a preschool where I frequently work with 2-5 year olds. These are my preferred products to help you potty train your kid.
Oh Crap! Potty Training: Reading for Parents Before You Start
Before you think about starting toilet training, pick up a copy of Oh Crap! Potty Training: Everything Modern Parents Need to Know to Do It Once and Do It Right. You can get it online, at a bookstore, or even at a library. The main idea of the book is that you let your kid run around naked or pantsless until they figure out what it feels like when they have to go potty.
I think that the social media groups that go along with this book are as helpful, if not more helpful,l than the book itself. Knowing that other people are going through the same process or have recently gone through it makes it less intimidating. Read the book and join some social media groups before you start actively potty training to gain some tips in real time.
One caveat: Author Jamie Glowacki suggests training your kids between 20 and 30 months. I have yet to meet anyone who has successfully potty trained a 20-month-old. I found this book when my older child was 33 months, so that's when I started potty training her. We decided to try at 27 months with the younger kid, and it took longer. Every kid is different, but don't feel bad if it's easier to potty train your kids in the latter half of being 2 or even the first half of being 3.
Potty Chairs for Your Home
This is essential if you have fewer toilets than butts in your house. The most important things to look for in a potty chair are that it is the right height for your child and that it is easy to clean. My favorite is the Munchkin Arm & Hammer 3-in-1 Potty. This has a seat that separates from the bowl and the chair, so when your child is big enough to get on the real toilet, they can take the seat with them.
The removable seat has a pee guard on the front, which is more important when you have a boy than a girl, since it prevents the pee from spraying up. It also includes a little removable pouch of baking soda, which keeps the odor down a little– but honestly, if you clean it often enough, there isn't too much odor.
The Baby Bjorn Potty Chair is also great with the same removable seat and pee guard features, but this one has no lid, which means you have to be extra vigilant about emptying and cleaning the bowl right away. The Baby Bjorn comes in lots of colors, so if you think a pink potty will encourage your little girl to use it, that could be an advantage. It's also a little short, so this is a better option for early potty trainers or kids of smaller stature.
First Pairs of Underwear
You may be surprised that this appears so close to the top of the list, but my kids often didn't want to get pee or poo on the Disney Princesses or Thomas the Tank Engine, so finding the right underwear early was a huge step. If characters are a big motivator for your kids, find a bulk pack of underwear at your nearest department store or Sam's Club. For a combination of fun and comfort, we liked Carter's brand underwear. Tiny Undies are more comfortable for little ones, but also a little more expensive.
This is one area where I will suggest going for the cheapest thing and buying a lot of it. You're literally buying something your kid is going to poop on. Lots of the pairs are going to end up in the trash, so now's the time to buy whatever your kid likes the look of without worrying about the quality. Also, avoid buying training pants that feel too much like a diaper. The whole point of potty training is that it's supposed to feel uncomfortable when they don't make it to the potty.
Videos About Potty Training for Toddlers
To help get your kids interested in potty training, you might want to show a few videos. You can buy these, stream them from any services you may have, or rent DVDs from your library. My favorite is Peg + Cat: The Potty Problem because it gives a more detailed explanation of going potty. Peg uses a six-step process (and song) to teach Big Mouth, who is an alien that doesn't understand that you can't just go anywhere you want, how to know when he has to go, and encourages waiting until you're all done. Also, there are a lot of good laughs in this episode.
Other top contenders for potty training videos include Daniel Tiger, Peppa Pig, and Sesame Street. Your kid is most likely to be motivated by characters and shows they already know, so take the time to review their favorites and find some clips or episodes to play on repeat while you're training.
Books for Kids About Potty Training
There is an abundance of books for kids teaching them how to go potty. The classic is Once Upon A Potty, which has different versions for boys and girls. This book includes the most detailed descriptions out of all the books we've come across, including cartoon anatomy drawings to help your kid understand what's going on. This has been around since we were kids, so it has stood the test of time. However, it can be a little long for kids who are used to getting their information in one-minute clips.
For a shorter, funny book, you can read Potty by Leslie Patricelli. Mo Willems also presents a guide on when to go in his Time To Pee!, which could be a favorite for Elephant and Piggie or Pigeon fans. And if your kid has a favorite show with a potty episode, there's likely a book to go with that episode.
Travel Potty Seat and/or Chair
Once you're over the initial hump of potty training inside of your house, you'll need to teach your kid how to go in a public restroom. Start with a place you go to frequently, like your local library or mall, where you may know what the toilets look like from a previous visit. But also bring along a travel potty seat so your child is comfortable and not worried about falling in. The Frida Fold ‘n Go Potty Seat folds into a neat bag that can fit inside a diaper bag or larger purse. It reduces the size of the toilet opening and protects your kid from any germs that might be lurking on the public toilet. The handles on the sides also help kids feel secure. Just make sure you keep it clean!
If you're a more adventurous family and find yourself on a long car ride with a small and newly potty-trained kid, you might want to try out the Jool Baby Portable Potty Chair with Travel Bag. This fold-up potty comes with 30 plastic bag liners to give you a potty anywhere. Just unfold it and set it on a flat surface, and make sure you keep the bags handy! This can be great for visiting a new playground where you don't know the potty situation or a big sibling's sporting event. It's also great for kids who just don't want to go on the big toilet in a public restroom.
Mattress Protector
You don't need to worry about overnight potty training until the end of the process, but once you've reached that stage, you'll want a mattress protector to keep your kid's bed dry in case of an accident. We liked the My Green Mattress Protector. It's organic, so it doesn't have that plastic smell, and it comes in crib size and twin size, which was helpful because we were still using a crib mattress in the toddler bed while training our kids. Plus, it's permeable, so if your child sweats when they sleep, they won't wake up slimy.
Potty Rewards Chart or Punch Card
We have a free printable for a potty rewards punch card! I tried having a sticker chart on the bathroom wall, but I found it wasn't motivating for my kids, and I didn't love having to look at it while I was doing my own business. While I think that the reward for potty training is not being wet or poopy, for some kids, getting a treat at the end makes them want to try. Use this punch card that they can keep in their pocket or their room, and have them turn it in for a bigger treat at the end. Or you can buy some M&Ms or Skittles and dole out one for a pee and two for a poo if that's what motivates your kids.
What You Don't Need: Pull-Ups
Here's my one de-influencing opinion about potty training: Pull-Ups are just diapers that are harder to clean up. If a child doesn't make it to the potty in time and they go in their Pull-Up, you're better off ripping the thing open like a regular diaper. Pulling it down makes a bigger mess than regular underwear. Plus, if the Pull-Up is already wet, it's harder for the kid to get it up and down by themselves. This doesn't motivate them to make it to the bathroom on time.
Pull-Ups can be moderately useful when a kid is close to being fully potty trained, but needs the extra protection for the first week they are out of a diaper and at daycare or preschool. Some teachers prefer having the back-up of a Pull-Up for those first few days of accidents, but I discourage newly potty training parents from buying more than one package.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Irina Wilhauk/Shutterstock.com.