There are endless milestones to look forward to when bringing up your little one, from their first words to their first steps. The learning curve that parents may be the most hesitant about, however, is often potty training. Unlike walking and talking, potty training doesn’t exactly come as naturally, so it’s important to familiarise your child with the process in order to encourage them to use the potty correctly.
But where exactly do you start? Take a look at our Ashbridge School guide on how to start potty training today and build your child’s confidence around going to the toilet.
How Old to Start Potty Training Your Child?
Every child matures at their own pace, so it can be tricky to know when to introduce your little one to their potty. Children are typically ready for potty training between the ages of 18 months and three years old, but, like we said, every child’s journey is different. Most parents are keen to teach their children how to use a potty before they attend nursery for toddlers.
How Do You Know When to Start Potty Training?
There are a bunch of cues parents can look out for in order to get a good idea of when their little ones are ready to start potty training. These include:
- If they ever let you know that they’re having a wee
- Whether they have started expressing a need for the toilet
- When your child becomes aware that they’ve got a dirty nappy
- The amount of time between wetting – so that getting them to the potty every time is actually doable
Familiarising Them With the Potty
Potty training is all about working at your little one’s pace, but you can give them positive encouragement by introducing them to the concept of going to the toilet.
We’d recommend talking them through the nappy-changing process to give them a clearer idea of what a wet nappy actually means. Seemingly small practices like changing their nappies in the bathroom can help them understand that this is the appropriate place to go to the toilet. You can even get them involved by encouraging them to flush the toilet once they’re all cleaned up.
Simply having your child sit on the potty at certain points throughout the day can also help – maybe during the nappy changing process or before bed. You may even want to consider having nappy-free time to get them familiar with not wearing or relying on this protection.
If you’ve got an older child, let your little one watch and learn from their potty use. This can go a long way in helping them understand the purpose of a potty. You can even read potty-training books to your child or demonstrate how to use the toilet with one of their favourite toys!
How to Start Potty Training
So, now that you’ve set the foundations for potty training, it’s time to get moving with the learning process! Perhaps our strongest suggestion is to remember that these things take time. It’s okay to try some of our steps, realise that they’re not working and start again in weeks to come – listen to your child and react accordingly to their behaviour around potty training.
When the time is right, make use of our ticklist of tips below, and you’ll be a nappy-free household before you know it.
- Encourage them to sit on their potty every day, shortly after eating and waking up.
- If they communicate that they need a wee, take them to the potty rather than relying on a nappy.
- Gradually, teach them how to push their pants down and pull them up themselves.
- Motivate your little one with praise and encouragement, and avoid making a fuss out of accidents.
- Carry a travel potty with you or help them use a public toilet when out and about to normalise not relying on nappies outside the home.
The Final Steps
As your little one gets more confident, it’s best to stop using nappies. This can be a very gradual process that starts with short trips outside the house until it’s a full-time change.
As some parents would with their child’s dummy, it can actually be useful to have your child say bye-bye to their nappies to help them understand that they should now be fully reliant on the potty.
Ashbridge Day Nurseries
Hopefully, now you have a better understanding of how to start potty training and how you know when to start potty training your little one! This can be a tricky process, but it’s all part of growing up! At our nursery for babies and pre-school nursery, we’re strong believers in allowing children to lead their education and progress as it comes naturally to them.
Find out more about the Ashbridge ethos and our history on our website. We would love to welcome your little one into our care, so why not book a tour today?
