Potty training methods are one of those parenting topics everyone seems to have a different opinion about. For some kids, the concept clicks quickly and they are trained in a matter of days. But for others, it can take much longer. Trying to research different methods and find the best tools to guide you as you ditch the diapers can leave your head spinning with all the different choices. Here we help break down some of the most popular potty training methods and give our tops picks for the best potty training seats.
Choosing the best potty training method for you and your child really comes down to your child’s readiness and temperament, as well as your own unique parenting style. This information can give you a good starting point, but only you can decide what approach best fits your family. We hope this guide helps you develop a plan that works for you.
Let’s Talk Potty Training Methods
Before giving potty training a go, consider whether or not your child is ready for this big step. Some signs of readiness may include:
- Showing an interest in potty training by following you to the bathroom or asking about the toilet
- Imitating your behavior
- The ability to pull clothes off and on
- Communication skills, like saying “yes” and “no”
A child doesn’t necessarily need to show all signs of readiness, but the more you feel your child is physically and mentally ready, the more likely toilet training will be successful. The next step is choosing a method. There are several different potty training methods and they all come with their own pros and cons. Here’s a breakdown of three popular methods.
1. The Three-Day Potty Training Method
The three-day potty training method requires parents to clear their schedules for three days and dedicate that time to potty training and nothing else. The idea is by focusing only on your child, you will learn to pick up on their cues and help direct them to the potty.
Before starting this method, prepare yourself and your home. Stock up on underwear for your child, buy a potty training seat and fill the pantry with your child’s favorite snacks to use as rewards. Start day one by putting your child in underwear and explain how to use the potty to keep their underwear dry. If you notice your child starting to have an accident during the day, direct them to the potty and praise them for using it. You’ll likely be dealing with many accidents at first, but for some kids, the intense focus on using the potty in those three days helps them recognize their body’s cues about when it’s time to go and understand what to do next.
2. Child-Led Potty Training
This approach is exactly as it sounds: letting your child lead the way. Talk about using the potty with your child and offer it if they seem interested, but resist pushing them toward it. With this method, you don’t need to clear your schedule and dedicate a certain amount of time to toilet training, but because this method is about following your child’s lead, it could take longer than other methods.
The idea behind child-led potty training is to support your child’s curiosity and trust they will use the toilet when they are ready. Continue offering the potty if they seem interested, but keep them in pull-ups or diapers until they are consistently using the potty and can remain dry for long stretches of time.
3. Naked Potty Training
This method is similar to the three-day method but suggests leaving your child naked from the waist down. For some kids, anything on their bottom, whether that be underwear, a diaper or pants, will feel like a barrier they can go in since that is all they know. With this method, you leave them naked so they can get used to recognizing the sensation of needing to use the bathroom. Plus, it allows for more short-term success since they’re more likely to make it to the potty if they don’t have to bother with removing clothing. Once your child has mastered using the toilet while naked, you can try adding other steps, like removing clothing or asking your child to let you know when they need to go.
Whatever method you choose, your attitude is likely to have the biggest impact on how quickly your child learns to use the potty. Do your best to stay positive and calm. Shower your child with positive praise when they make it to the potty and if you find yourself feeling frustrated with accidents, back off on training for a few days or weeks. Experiment with what works best for your child, like a mix of using both pull-ups and underwear or training pants. You can always pick it up again when you have more time to dedicate to it or your child shows more signs of readiness. And you may have more success choosing this method if it aligns with warm temperatures in your area. (Naked potty training may not be as enticing in the middle of the winter!)
“A child doesn’t necessarily need to show all signs of readiness, but the more you feel your child is physically and mentally ready, the more likely toilet training will be successful.”
Oh Crap! Potty Training
For those who like to dig into parenting books, Oh Crap! Potty Training is a popular guide for this topic. Written by Jamie Glowacki, this book lays out a six-step plan to teaching your toddler how to use the potty. The steps outlined in this book are similar to some other methods, like the naked potty training method or three-day potty training method, but Glowacki breaks it down into six separate “blocks.” These include:
- Leaving your child naked until they are going on the potty on their own without you moving them to it
- Adding clothing, but not underwear just yet
- Taking your child on small outings, like a walk around the block
- Adding underwear, but continuing to prompt your child to use the potty
- Consistent self-initiation by your child
- Moving on to nighttime and nap potty training
Many parents swear by Glowacki’s methods and advice, but just like anything else with parenting, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to potty training. Find a method that feels right (or pick and choose from different methods to come up with your own) and try not to put too much pressure on yourself or your child. Chatting with your child’s pediatrician about what they recommend can also help inform your approach.
Once you’ve decided on a method, the next step is finding the right training seat or chair. Here we break down the differences and recommend some of our favorites.
What to Look for in a Potty Chair
Your toddler likely won’t be able to reach an adult toilet, so you have two options for helping them learn to use the potty — a potty chair or a potty seat. The main difference between the two is how your child accesses them. A potty chair sits on the ground, low enough for your toddler to easily move up and down from while a potty seat sits on top of a standard toilet. A potty seat, on the other hand, fits directly into a regular toilet. It will require either you or the help of a stool, to get your toddler to sit on it and helps ensure their little bum doesn’t fall in.
Both designs come with their own pros and cons. If you go with a potty seat, you will want to consider your child’s ability to move up and down a step stool to access it. And while a potty chair may be easier for your child to sit on, you’ll also have to dump the contents and clean it out manually between each use. There are also some chairs with features built for specific genitals, like a urine splash guard, so you can look for those features if that would be helpful for your family.
Here are our top six picks for the best potty training seats and chairs.
The Best Potty Training Seats
BabyBjorn Potty Chair
This potty chair comes in several different colors and includes a high seat back for comfort. The front of the chair also includes a splash guard, helping to keep pee contained. This chair is easy to clean, and while it will take up space in a bathroom, it offers a sleek modern look.
The BabyBjorn potty chair’s sturdy ergonomic design provides comfort and support for your toddler. The smooth rounded edges also protect your child’s skin from pinching and the rubber edging along the bottom helps ensure the chair stays in place. At 14 inches in height, it’s easy for little ones to use and the basin easily lifts out of the seat for simple dumping and cleaning.
BabyBjorn Potty Chair Features:
- Sturdy construction
- Ergonomic design
- Weight: 1.82 pounds
- Dimensions: 14 x 14 x 13 inches
“We love this potty chair. Our LO is only 15 months but she’s randomly used it 2-3 times already. I’m hoping to keep the momentum going. It’s the perfect size for her. She has a little setup in one of the bathrooms that she loves.” — Amazon review
One potential drawback is the size of this potty chair. If you don’t have a large space or are potty training in an already crowded bathroom, this chair could be a tight squeeze.
TopSeat TinyHiney Potty Seat
This potty training seat is actually an adult size seat with a toddler seat clipped in. You just flip the toddler seat down to use it and put it back up when you’re done. The seat stays in the toilet seat lid, so no taking it off and on, hanging it, or finding somewhere to store it. It’s perfect for bathrooms without much space for a chair that sits on the floor, and your guests probably won’t even notice it’s there. It comes with bumpers on the toddler seat to prevent pinching and also boasts a 3-year warranty.
The TopSeat TineyHiney Potty Seat is more expensive than some other options, but its convenience can’t be beat. This is actually an adult-size seat with a toddler seat clipped in, so it isn’t visible unless you flip the toddler seat down. This option can help get your child used to using a regular-size toilet, but with a seat small enough that they can sit on it comfortably and correctly.
TopSeat TineyHiney Features:
- Magnetic catch to hold toddler seat in place
- Fits round toilet bowls
- Weight seven pounds
- Dimensions: 16.5 x 14.5 x 2.5 inches
“Never really understood how to clean those little stand-alone ones without making a mess. So glad I found this! Perfect little seat for potty training.” — Amazon review
One thing to keep in mind with this seat is that because it goes on a standard toilet, your child will likely need a stepstool to access it.
Potty Training Seat with Step Stool Ladder
This potty training seat comes with its own stepstool ladder, so no need to buy a separate one. The ladder not only helps your child reach the potty seat on top of the toilet, but it also provides a firm, slip-proof place for their feet to rest. You can adjust the height to fit most standard toilets and can fold it up for storage when not using it. Plus, it can hold up to 165 pounds, so it’s great for kids of all ages and sizes who are learning to use the restroom.
Not only does this potty training seat also have a ladder attached, but the high back support also helps your child sit on the toilet correctly and the splash guard keeps messes contained. This seat also comes with anti-slip pads on the bottom of the ladder so you can be sure it stays in place and while it may look complicated to put on, parents say it takes only a couple minutes to install.
Look at These Features:
- Holds up to 165 pounds
- Folds up for easy storage
- Easy to assemble
- Weighs 5.5 pounds
“This potty seat has been great. Our toddler just turned 2 and is super skinny. This chair makes him feel more secure on the potty, so he doesn’t feel like he’s going to fall in. It fits over our toilet well and is fairly sturdy.” — Amazon review
This seat does fold up for storage, but because it is bigger than most other seats, it will take up a bit more space in the bathroom.
OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty
This option is perfect for traveling which is what it was designed for. The OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty can be used as a potty seat on a regular toilet when you’re out and about, or if you don’t have a toilet available, you can use it as a stand-alone potty chair by adding a bag to the bottom. It’s so small it can even fit in a diaper bag.
This travel potty is perfect for road trips or outings to the park or grocery store. It folds up for storage under a stroller or even in a diaper bag. If your child is used to using the potty at home. but is intimidated by public bathrooms when you’re out and about, this option can help make them comfortable in different settings.
On-the-Go Details:
- Legs lock in place
- Includes three disposable bags
- Can hold up to 50 pounds
- Dimensions for stand-alone potty: 10 x 9.5 x 6.25 inches
“This is a great travel potty for our toddler. The disposable bags are great and worth the money because of the pad that soaks up the urine. After using the potty, always replace the bag so its ready to go the next time and you aren’t scrambling when it’s needed.” — Buy Buy Baby review
While this potty can be used as a stand-alone chair if you don’t have access to a toilet, you do have to attach a bag to the bottom, so keep that in mind if using it on a road trip or while camping.
BabyBJorn Toilet Trainer
This potty seat easily sits on top of a standard toilet. It doesn’t snap in like some other types, but you can adjust it to fit your toilet. The rounded edges provide comfort and encourage your child to sit on the toilet correctly. Plus, like its potty chair counterpart, this potty seat comes with a splash guard on the front to keep messes contained.
The BabyBJorn toilet trainer sits on top of a standard toilet and can be adjusted to properly fit. Unlike other potty seat designs, this one does not snap into place, making it easy to travel with or take along with you. You only need to adjust this seat once for proper fit and once you’re done using it, you can keep this seat next to the toilet or hang it up nearby with the loop on the back.
Features to Appreciate:
- Easy to clean
- Made with BPA free plastic
- Recommended for kids ages 2 to 6
- Weighs 14 ounces
“This is the best toilet trainer seat out there. I’ve tried others, so I know. We bought two of them and I couldn’t imagine not having them. We put a command hook on the wall in the powder room so that the Baby Bjorn trainer could be stored while my daughter is not using it and so guests don’t sit on it by mistake. She knows how to pull it off of the wall and place it on the toilet. Also, it fits the toilet seat perfectly. Definitely get this trainer seat as opposed to others.” — Amazon review
While this seat’s portability makes it great for traveling, one possible drawback is that it takes up storage space in the bathroom. This also requires an extra step in putting the seat on the potty before going.
Munchkin Arm & Hammer Multi-Stage 3-in-1 Toilet Training Potty
If you just can’t choose between a potty chair or seat, this option has you covered. The Munchkin Arm & Hammer Multi-Stage potty features a removable top that can go on either the potty chair itself or a standard toilet. This potty also has a little seat over the removable basin to prevent skin from sticking. Plus, it comes with a built-in deodorizer disc to minimize smells (especially if you aren’t able to clean it out right away.) And when you’re done potty training, it converts into a stepstool for extended use.
This 3-in-1 toilet training potty combines the features of a potty chair and a potty seat, so your child can use it at any stage in their potty training journey. The built-in splash guard helps prevent splatter and the easy-to-grip sides provide stability and comfort. Plus, this chair also converts into a toddler step stool, so you can use it for more than potty training. This chair also comes with a baking soda disc built in to help cut down on odors. No more stinky bathroom!
Multi-Function Features:
- Removable bowl
- Converts to a stepstool
- Weighs 3.5 pounds
- Dimensions: 15.55 x 13.58 x 7.674 inches
“This 3-in-1 potty comes highly recommended from me. Price and features can not be beat. It’s not a potty that has a lot of crazy features kids do not need and just distracts them instead of encouraging them. Looks like a real toilet to help kids get ready for the real thing.” — Walmart review
One thing to keep in mind with this potty chair is that it does not come with rubber padding on the bottom so it may slide around a bit on a tile or linoleum floor. You may want to consider placing a rug underneath it when you’re using as a stepstool.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the 3 day potty training method?
The three-day potty training method requires parents to clear their schedules for three days and dedicate that time to potty training and nothing else. The idea is by focusing only on your child, you will learn to pick up on their cues and help direct them to the potty.
Is a potty chair or seat better?
Each one comes with its pros and cons. A potty chair sits on the ground, low enough for your toddler to easily move up and down from while a potty seat sits on top of a standard toilet. Whichever one is right for will depend in part on your child’s ability to use a step stool to reach a toilet seat.
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