Potty Training Toddlers

How to Potty Train

So it's time for toilet training toddlers, or is it? Check through our questions and answers to see if your child is ready and how you can potty train your toddlers in the best way possible. Potty training toddlers can be a stressful time if you are not prepared so grab a coffee and have a read.

I still remember the time our son was bought in from the garden by my sister. She held him at arms length and he was covered in chocolate (oh no! at closer inspection I realised it was much worse than that and much smellier). He had been in the garden playing on the slide in just a tshirt and had had an accident. After popping him straight in the bath I then had the lovely job of cleaning down the slide. he was around 20 months at the time and we had started potty training. Oh well! Try again.

At what age it best to start potty training toddlers?

There is really no best age. Some children are ready to start potty training sometime around 18 months whereas others may not be ready until they are 3. A minority of children are not ready until they are nearer 4 years of age or older.

Bear in mind that the earlier you start there will need to be far more help from you and any other carers such as daycare. Very young children may not be able to manage clothing and actually getting to a potty and so will rely on you catching their wees and poohs. If you are happy to do that and are able to keep potty training toddlers stress free then go ahead.

What signs should I look for that tell me my toddler is ready for training?

• Your toddlers may be showing an interest in the toilet or in underwear and be talking about it.
• He or she may be showing that they are uncomfortable when they have a wet nappy.
• Your child is dry after a nights sleep.
• He or she can hold themselves for a short while whilst you get them to a potty.
• They may be hiding when they need to do a body movement.
• You little one needs to be able to walk and to sit down by themselves before they are ready for training.
• They are showing they can be independent.
• They can manage to pull on and off loose clothing.
• He or she can tell you when they have done a wee or had a bowel movement.

How do I go about potty training toddlers?

• Firstly talk about how good it will be for your toddler to be a big girl/boy who doesn't need to wear a nappy.
• Get your toddlers involved in picking a potty if you wish, this involves them in the training.
• Let your little one pick their own underpants to buy and then wear? (buy several pairs for accidents).
• Let your child into the bathroom when you need the toilet so they can see what happens.
• Remove the daytime nappies completely and use your toddlers chosen underpants.
• If your toddler is afraid of the noise of flushing the toilet then leave this until they have left the room.
• Have the potty with you at all times unless you know the signals your child gives that they need to goto the toilet.
• If they can hold themselves till they get to the bathroom then you can keep the potty in there.
• It is easiest to potty train with your child either in the nude or in underpants only.
• Give plenty of drinks through the day whilst toilet training.
• Guide your little one to the potty when you can see signs that they need a wee or body movement.
• Remind your toddlers about using the potty every half an hour to an hour.
• Don't make your child sit on the potty for long if they can't do a wee or BM.
• If your little one has an accident clear them up quickly and say something like "never mind but see if you can wee or pooh in the potty next time".
• Give your child high roughage foods to encourage soft and easy bowel movements.
• Give your little one lots of praise when they do achieve using the potty or toilet.
• Show your toddlers how to wipe themselves and how to wash and dry their hands after using the potty or toilet.

Does my toddler have to use a potty or can she use the toilet?

Some children don't like to use a potty and prefer to copy the other people in their family. This is fine. Provide a plastic step so that your child can get up onto the toilet easily and safely. You will need to be sure that they can hold on for long enough to get to the bathroom in this case though. You may want to try a toilet training seat so your child cannot accidently fall down into the toilet.

How long will it take to potty train my toddler?

The time it takes for a child to grasp potty training varies considerably. Our kids were potty trained within a couple of weeks but still had occasional accidents for a while afterward. They were all potty trained at around 3. Some potty training toddlers get it in a couple of days but some can take many weeks. Some little ones can grasp it but then regress. if your child is going backwards and you have tried a few things then stop for a month and then try again. Try not to get too frustrated and treat it as another learning curve for your toddler. Just like teaching them to feed themselves will take time so will this.

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• Toddler lesson plans
• Toddler activities

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