Some signs your toddler is ready to start training

So how do you know when a child is ready to use the potty or toilet? There will be many exceptions in a child's development, and if a parent has any concerns about their child's physical ability to use the toilet, or have concerns for constipation in their child it would be advisable to consult the child's doctor before making the decision to toilet train them.

Here are some signs that your toddler might be ready to get out of nappies. In general  you should see more than one of these. The age of the toddler will vary on their skills at each stage of development.

1. Is he/she able to communicate verbally to you?  Can they ask to go to the toilet? Have they got the vocabulary to do so? 

2. Can he/she undress and dress themselves. Can they pull up and down their clothes to use the toilet or at least make efforts...most won't make a perfect attempt!

3. Are they trying to take their nappy off?

4. Do they know when are going to the toilet in their nappy? Do they verbally communicate that they are doing something in their nappy, or even leave the room, or adopt a special place to do  a bowel movement?


Toddlers should start to master the above criteria before they will toilet train as they need those skills to be successful in mastering the independant step  of using the toilet. However there are ways in which parents can encourage to help with the transition, and these can start whenever the parent wishes.

1.Visiting the bathroom. Parents can take their toddler to the bathroom to make it familiar and/or observe what happens in there to help give the child a sense of familiarity in the early stages.

2. Change  the nappy often. Don't let a toddlers  nappy get too wet and always change the nappy as soon as possible after a toddler has soiled it. 

3. Some parents like to have a potty that the toddler can have in other areas of the house. This encourages toilet role play, and they may sit on it themselves or sit toys on it, to get the concept into their daily routine.

4. Books are helpful for a shared reading time. One with a toilet training theme, some even have songs, and sound effects. The story is told about a toddler  using the toilet told in a relaxed and fun way.

5. There are other tools available for use in the  line of toilet training, such as ladders to climb up to the toilet Seat, small plastic toilet seats that fit on top of the toilet seat making it a better fit for Toddlers, and there are even singing potties. Reward charts may be helpful for slightly older children, in the form of earning stars and stickers as they progress. 

There are varying opinions on when to toilet train toddlers. This can change between generations, cultures and family traditions. Children that satisfy the above checklist, are quite often 2years, with a couple of months either side of that taking into account differences in each child's development.