Toilet Training

Toilet training can be a daunting time for parents, but doesn’t need to be.

Here’s some support for you and your child, from the time you start to talk about toilet training to time your child manages toilet time all by themselves.

Check out our top tips for more advice on toilet training. Below, you’ll also find activities you can try at home.

Top Tip

Accidents will happen. Remember to stay calm and if they’re ready, get them to help you clean up.

1. Ready

You can start this as early as you want, but we would recommend from 18 months.

While changing your child’s nappy, talking about wee and poo helps normalise the conversation.

Monitoring your child’s bladder and bowel health is really important. They need to drink plenty of water to pass soft poos.

If you change wet or soiled nappies quickly, it will teach your child that being dry and comfortable is best.

2. Steady

Your child may still be in nappies at this stage, but ‘no nappy time’ will help them to progress.

Choosing the right time and avoid busy times of year or times of change is a good start.

Good times to sit on the potty or toilet are:

  • Just after they wake up.
  • After mealtimes.
  • Or when you recognise they need to go.

Have you learnt the signs that your child needs to go, like crouching or finding a quiet space? If they’re not aware of when they are wet or soiled you can help by adding a lining to their nappy, or wearing pants underneath.

A personal hygiene routine and encouraging them to do things by themselves – like pulling up their own pants – is great for their independence.

3. Toilet Time

It’s time to say goodbye to nappies.

You have prepared and practised. You’ve got this!

Setting a date for the change from nappies to pants and explaining that their wees and poos will go in the toilet from then on is a great start.

You can help your child to be independent by dressing them in clothes that are easy to pull down or take off.

Praise doesn’t need to be a sticker or a sweet treat. Children are actually really motivated by being able to do things by themselves. Encourage them and tell them how happy you are that they’ve tried it.

Top Tip

Try changing your child stood up in the bathroom.

Things to try at home

There are lots of things you can do at home to make toilet training fun. Here are some ideas for you to try.

Role play

Pretend play (role play) is a great way to show children how to do something. Putting their favourite teddy, doll or action figure on the potty or toilet and talking about what they are doing and what they need to do next helps children understand the toilet routine.

Decorate their potty

Your child will love decorating their potty with stickers to show it is theirs.

Sing a song

Sing a song! Children love to learn through song and rhyme. It can also help them to sit on the potty or toilet for a period of time before getting up.

Top Tip

If you choose to use a potty, make sure it is in the bathroom to help build the understanding that wees and poos happen here.

Try These Books

Children love these funny stories. They help them to recognise the feeling of needing a wee or a poo.

Don’t worry if you haven’t got them.

All Blackpool libraries have them so you can borrow them for free.

  1. I Really Really Need a Poo by Karl Newson and Duncan Beedie
  2. I Really Really Need a Wee by Karl Newson and Duncan Beedie

Helpful links

This page is part of our Ready Steady School series, designed to help your little one make the most of their start to school life.

You might also find these other topics useful:

  • Recognising your name
  • Personal hygiene
  • Making choices
  • Listening and attention
  • Talking
  • Hand and finger strength
  • Mealtime independence
  • Talking about your feelings