Starting potty training

Figure out your child’s pee and poo patterns: if they can stay dry for an hour or two, they’ve started developing bladder control and are ready to start potty training.

Understanding instructions and letting you know what they want or need is an important part of being ready to toilet train. Your toddler will start to notice and maybe tell you when they’ve done, or are going to do, a poo or a pee. Sometimes, disposable nappies are so good at keeping the skin dry, it can be hard for your child to tell when they’ve wet – putting a little folded kitchen paper inside the nappy will help them notice when they feel wet and connect this to peeing.

Being able to sit down on the potty and stand up again when finished is important for your toddler to master. Why not try making it into game when you’re practising? You could play music and ask them to sit or stand up when the music stops.

You know your wee one better than anyone – it’s important to go at their pace and not start to train them before they’re ready, just because other people think you should, or because other children have learned earlier than yours.

Talk to your wee one about ‘pee and poo’ – it’s a good idea to leave the toilet door open if you can when you or an older child go to the toilet. This will help your toddler understand what the toilet is for. Reading books together about potty training, or playing ‘potty training’ with teddies or dolls, can be a fun way to get your toddler involved and ready to get started.

It really helps to have a good idea of when your toddler usually has a poo and how long they can go without wetting. Check their nappy often – if it’s dry for an hour, use that as a guide as to how often to sit them on the potty when starting training. 

Make sure your toddler is dressed in clothes that are easy to take off, so that they can help with pulling down and pulling up. Avoid tights, zips and buttons.

Have some fun with your toddler picking out their new underwear. Make sure you have plenty, as accidents are part and parcel of the process. Training pants are less absorbent than nappies and can be useful in the early stages of training as they allow your wee one to feel the sensation of being wet if they’ve had a pee.

There’s plenty of choice when it comes to buying a potty, so let your child help choose a colour or pattern they like. Best to have one for each bathroom if there’s more than one in your house.

Some children begin training on the toilet with an adaptor seat and step right from the start. If you decide to do this, make sure the step you use is big enough, with good support for their feet.

Drinking 6-8 cups (150mls size) of water-based fluids a day helps keep bladder and bowels working really well. It’s important not to restrict drinking to try and help children stay ‘dry’ during toilet training, as this can lead to them getting dehydrated and possibly poorly.

Once you feel confident that you and your wee one are ready to start, choose the time and persevere. There will be accidents along the way but keep to a routine, follow our top tips for success and check out our page on troubleshooting for toilet training if the going gets tough!