Signs Your Child is Ready for Toilet Training: How to Support a Smooth Transition

How To Support A Smooth Transition Into Toilet Training

Children exploring the outdoor garden at The Mulberry Bush, Waterlooville

Every child develops at a different pace so it’s good to wait until your child is showing you signs they’re ready to potty train rather than their age. Focus on whether they are ready as an individual and resist that urge to compare them with other children of a similar age.

Some signs your child may show when that they are ready to start toilet training:

1) Showing an interest in toilet training – Firstly, your child needs to show an interest and desire to learn to use the potty. Some ways they may do this:

They are interested in keeping dry or clean
They are curious about what you are doing when you go to the bathroom
They want to wear ‘knickers’ or ‘pants’.

2) Your child has dry nappies for a couple of hours at a time.

When your child stays dry for two hours or more when awake and/or wakes up with dry nappies, it shows that their bladder capacity and control are increasing, which are important for toilet training.

3) They understand when they are having a wee or poo and may tell you they’re doing one.

If a child isn’t really aware of what they are doing, they are unable to control the process of doing it. This applies to toileting as much as anything else.

Look for your child’s own awareness of going to the bathroom, instead of using your own ability to notice their “tells” like a red face or making a certain expression.

They may:

head to a private room to have a wee or poo
hide behind furniture or curtains to go
point to or touch their nappy as they are going.

4) They recognise when they have a wet or dirty nappy and may pull at it, take it off or ask you to change it.

5) They know when they need to go to the toilet and may say so in advance. Children should be able to communicate that they need to go by either telling you with words or signals that they need to get to the bathroom.

How can you support your child during toilet training:

Support your child to develop independent skills – your child should be able to easily pull their pants up and down. Make this step simpler for your child by avoiding dressing them in clothing that may be more difficult, such as trousers with buttons or dungarees.
Develop a routine and stick to it; start by sitting your child on the potty every hour and when they start to remain dry in between, increase the time between potty visits.
Allow your child to choose their own underwear.
Give lots of praise and encouragement when your child uses the toilet/potty.
Read books about toilet training together; you might like to visit your local library and choose these with your child.
Encourage boys to sit down to wee at this stage of training.
Clean up accidents without a fuss.
Your child might have fears and ideas about the toilet and their own body; talk calmly about these fears as they could feel very real.

Remember, a child being dry through the night may take a lot longer than during the day.

If you have any questions, or need any guidance with toilet training, please speak with your child’s key person.