Potty training checklist
Built around the intensive first few days at home, then the slower stretch until nappies come off for naps and nights as well.
18 items
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
The items
- Signs of readiness checked, not just their age
- Staying dry for a couple of hours at a time
- Telling you or showing they've been or are going
- Interested in the toilet or in others using it
- Potties×2One downstairs, one upstairs — the whole point is nothing being far enough away to cause an accident.
- Training pants or pull-ups×10
- A stack of spare clothes×6Trousers, pants and socks together as full changes, not scattered through a drawer.
- Wipes and a plastic bag for the car
- A few clear days set aside to startThe first few days work better with nowhere to be — accidents happen more when you're also trying to leave on time.
- Step stool for reaching the toilet later on
- A reward chart or small stickers, if that motivates them
- Books or a video about using the potty
- Being told when it's about to happen, for a while firstMost children announce it, then hold, then eventually catch the feeling early enough — that stage can last weeks.
- Nappies still on for naps and nightsDaytime and night-time dryness usually arrive separately, sometimes months apart.
- Nursery or childminder told, and doing the same thing at the same timeTwo different approaches in two different places slows the whole thing down.
- Praise for trying, not just for successPunishing an accident teaches them to hide the next one, not to use the potty sooner.
- Expect a setback around illness, a house move or a new siblingRegression after something disruptive is normal, not a sign it's failed — go back a step and start again.
- Floor protection or a mat by the pottyFor the accident that happens on the way, not in it.
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
Questions people ask
- How do I know they're ready to start?
- Look for the signs rather than the age on the box — staying dry for a couple of hours, noticing when they've been, and showing an interest in the toilet.
- How long does potty training actually take?
- Daytime dryness often clicks within a week or two of properly starting. Night-time dryness is separate and can trail behind by months — that's normal, not a failure.
- What if there's a setback after weeks of progress?
- Common after illness, a house move or a new arrival. Go back a step for a few days rather than treating it as starting over.