The best potty training products

Ditching the nappies is a big step in your child's development and the best potty training products can help make it easier. Once you’ve decided your toddler is ready for this new adventure, it’s time to get prepared – and you'll want more than the best potty.

We spoke to potty training expert, Amanda Jenner who said “Choose a potty training book with lovely pictures and read it to them for at least a week. Then get them involved in choosing their potty, training pants and training seat by taking them shopping or showing  them pictures online.” Once you’re back home, put the potty in the room where they spend most of their time, but don’t leave it there for weeks, as they will just see it as a part of the furniture.

Then set up some kind of reward system for potty training and explain it to your toddler clearly before you begin. Amanda says: “This is not bribery; it is rewarding your toddler for trying something new – and it is key to making potty training a success. Create a magic box and some stars, and give your child one star for doing a wee and two stars for doing a poo. You can use a clear jar and cut the stars out of coloured paper.” You could also create or buy a potty training reward chartand give your child a sticker for trying on the potty. They don’t need to actually do a wee or poo to get a sticker, but explain to your toddler that they only get a magic star when you see something in the potty.

“Buy some prizes and add sticky labels with numbers on showing how many stars she needs to win each one," says Amanda. You don’t need to spend a lot of money – just pick out some little things you know she likes. When your child wins stars, she will feel good about herself and have the incentive to earn more!

The night before you start your training plan, make a point of laying out their new pants and getting the potty into position, says Amanda. “It’s all about seeing it through a toddler’s eyes. Let your child choose where they want to put it – somewhere where they will still see it. When they go to bed, read them a story about using a potty and tell them she will wearing her pants tomorrow.”

The best potty training products

It can feel overwhelming working out which potty training products to buy, which is why we're here to help. All of the products included in our round-up below have either been nominated for or won a Mother&Baby award.

FAQ

When should I start potty training my toddler?

This completely depends on your toddler. Research suggests there’s a window between 24 and 30 months that makes for easy daytime potty training. Night dryness doesn’t happen until later, usually between three and five years, and it’s still normal for there to be accidents at the end of this time scale. These are just averages, so it’s perfectly normal for your youngster to fall outside of these figures. Some children will train much earlier and some much later than the scientific ‘norms’.

Are girls easier to potty train?

In a word, no! There is no difference in the speed of physiological maturation of the bladder or bowel between girls and boys, and no behavioural reasons why girls should be easier and faster to potty-train than boys. There are different approachesto training girls and potty training boys though.

When should I get rid of night nappies?

Youngsters usually need to be dry in the daytime for at least six months to a year before the nappies can come off at night, and often it takes a lot longer. So think of potty-training during the day, and taking the nappies of at night, as two separate tasks.