Tips for potty training toddlers
- Look out for signs that your toddler is ready to try potty training. This will often somewhere between the ages of 2-3 years, but can be later for some children.
- They may be dry in their diaper for several hours in a row or show an interest by watching you or reading a potty book.
- They might tell you when they’ve done a pee or a poop in their diaper or they might tell you as they're doing a pee or poop in their diaper. A running commentary—lovely!
- They may fidget with their diaper or go somewhere quiet when they need to pee or hide when they need to poop.
- Speak to your daycare about their potty-training policy.
- Don’t attempt to start toilet training when your toddler may be unsettled (e.g. house move, new sibling).
- Let them have diaper-free time during the day, with the potty close at hand.
- Invite your toddler to sit on the potty for a few minutes at set times each day (after meals, before bath time).
- If your little one won’t sit still, try giving them a book to flick through.
- If they are not willing to try at all, see if they are interested in sitting on the grown-up toilet with with a child’s toilet training seat. If they’re not quite ready yet, try again soon.
- Once you’ve started potty training, it can take between 3 and 6 months before your child is totally out of diapers.
- Accidents are inevitable so praise the successes, with lots of encouragement.
- Talk to your doctor if you have any concerns about how potty training is going.
Sources
Canadian Paediatric Society. Caring for Kids. Toilet Learning. https://www.caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/behavior-and-development/toilet_learning Accessed September 2020
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