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Toilet training
Your child should be fully toilet trained before entering the Nursery. This page will support you with potty training your child.
Tips on helping with toilet training
Toilet training is a big milestone to accomplish for small children and can make parents feel very anxious. Many parents seek the advice, support and reassurance of their child's nursery about this issue. Depending on a child’s physical and psychological development, they usually toilet train between the ages of two and four years old, however some children can start earlier or later than this. It is important to wait for the child to be ready, as this will ensure a much smoother transition from nappies to the potty or toilet.
Signs children are ready to begin toileting training
You can try to work out when your child is ready. There are a number of signs that your child is starting to develop bladder control:
- they know when they've got a wet or dirty nappy
- they get to know when they're peeing and may tell you they're doing it
- the gap between wetting is at least an hour (if it's less, potty training may fail, and at the very least will be extremely hard work for you)
- they show they need to pee by fidgeting or going somewhere quiet or hidden
Before beginning toilet training, it is a good idea to ensure there are no great disruptions or changes to your child’s or your family’s routine. This can make toilet training stressful for the child, which in turn will put them off the idea.
- they know when they need to pee and may say so in advance
If you go out, take the potty with you, so your child understands that you'd like them to wee or poo in the potty every time they need to go. Check that any other people who look after your child can help with potty training in the same way as you.
At King Edward Nursery we will work with you and your child to support you with toilet training. Please ask if you would like any more support.
Here are some great ways to support toilet training once the child is ready to begin potty training.
Location
Children will familiarise particular routines with their location, so it is important for them to begin linking the bathroom with having a wee or poo. In the weeks running up to toilet training it is a good idea to always ensure you are changing the child’s nappy in the bathroom. Once toilet training begins, a potty should always be present in the bathroom. If the bathroom is upstairs, you can keep an extra potty downstairs for emergencies.
Practise
It is a good idea to let children practise using the potty or toilet prior to taking away the nappy full time. Each time you change their nappy you can encourage them to sit on the potty or toilet allowing them to familiarise themselves with it and associate it with going for a wee or poo.
Good Hygiene
It is important to encourage good hygiene with young children who are toilet training. Hand washing and wiping themselves correctly should be part of the toilet training process. Ensure the child has access to clean water, soap and tissues when using the toilet.
Praise
Praise is the best way to encourage the child to use the toilet or potty. It can be quite tricky to get the balance right between giving praise and making a big deal out of it. Too much emphasis can make some children shy and not want a great deal of attention.
Clothing
Difficult to unfasten clothing may hinder a child who is toilet training. In the first few months a child is learning to understand and control their bladder, meaning they usually notify you of needing to go to the toilet at the very last minute. Put them in clothes that are easy to change, avoiding tights and clothes with zips or lots of buttons.
Waiting time
Children that are new to toilet training may struggle to sit on the toilet or potty for a period of time. Having a book to look at or toys to play with can help your child sit still. Sand timers are also a great way to encourage sitting, although the child should only be encouraged to sit for a couple of minutes at a time otherwise it will no longer be a fun experience but instead seen as a chore.
Accidents
Accidents will happen during toilet training so it is important to keep positive and upbeat about the situation. If a fuss is made over an accident, the child may begin to feel pressured or anxious leading to more accidents. Simply changing the child and encouraging them to try the toilet next time will help support the child to be more successful next time. Avoid putting the child back into nappies in the day as this can cause a great deal of confusion for the child.
Sticker Charts
Sticker charts are a great way to encourage the child to continue using the potty or toilet. It is a good idea to start off with daily charts as this gives an achievable time frame to stay dry. As the child progresses, daily charts can become weekly. For children that are finding it difficult, daily incentives can be a great way to spur them on; however, if this becomes too regular you may find the child will depend on these, so it is best to only use in difficult phases.
Work together
It is important to ensure all adults involved with the child including parents, grandparents and nursery staff are following the same toilet training plan. This will ensure the child understands what is happening and won’t be confused.
It is important to remember that every child is different and will develop at their pace.
Advice from the NHS on potty training with a great film about when is your child ready to go to the toilet.
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/pages/potty-training-tips.aspx
Great training tips on the following from baby centre online – before you start, the power of pants, no more nappies, minimise mess and stress, sitting solution, put your child in charge, toys and treats, make it fun, musical motivation
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/a548951/parents-top-potty-training-tips
Great advice from the NCT particularly on specific tips for girls and boys separately!
https://www.nct.org.uk/parenting/potty-training
Potty Training Problems: click below for further support with potty training.
Pirate Pete's Potty | Potty Training Video For Toddlers | Story Time
Join Pirate Pete in this potty training video for toddlers. This video is adapted from the book Pirate Pete's Potty from Ladybird books as part of our Story Time series. Love this? Subscribe to Toddler Fun Learning http://bit.ly/1RyvZEG and Ladybird http://bit.ly/1dWSn8h Pirate Pete's Potty: Potty Training for Boys is an entertaining video that helps parents struggling with baby potty training for boys aged 18+ months.