It is important to start toilet training when your child is ready. Your child may express their readiness to start toilet training in a variety of ways, including:

• starting to hold their private areas
• saying, “I am doing a wee”, or, “I am doing a poo”
• having regular times of the day when they poo
• having a dry nappy for two hours or more
• crossing their legs
• expressing that they don’t want to wear their nappy anymore
• showing interest in the toilet
• gaining more independence
• being able to follow one-part instructions
• being able to pull their pants up
• being able to sit in one position for up to five minutes.

If your child is three years old and hasn’t shown any of the signs they are ready for toilet training, you can prepare them by:

• teaching your child words like wee, poo, wet, dry, and toilet to communicate their needs better when the time comes
• explaining and showing them what “needing to go the toilet” may look like
• familiarising them with sitting on a potty or toilet for two to three minutes at a time, even if they don’t necessarily go
• going to the toilet in front of your child and explaining what you are doing if you feel comfortable to do so
• ensuring your child has access to an age-appropriate place to go to the toilet. 

You may choose to get a potty that you can move around and make it easy to find for your child. You may also choose to get a special, smaller toilet seat that can be placed on top of the regular toilet seat. If getting a seat for the regular toilet, ensure your child can get up to sit on it safely. 

If possible, begin toilet training at a time when you will be home often with your child and there aren’t any big changes coming up. Your child will benefit from consistency. 

Make the potty or toilet easily accessible.

Boys can sit or stand when learning to wee. If standing, they will not have developed their aim yet or may not be tall enough to wee into the toilet yet. Be patient and guide them. To simplify toilet training, you can get them to sit down until they are comfortable and then progress to standing when ready. 

Get your child to wear easy-to-remove clothes. This will help you and your child quickly go to the toilet when they need to go and minimise accidents. Summer may be a useful time when clothes may be lighter and looser.

Learn and look out for your child’s toilet signals or cues, such as holding their pants, crossing their legs or being quiet. If your child says they need to go to the toilet, try to take them straight away. Young children are still developing their ability to “hold it” meaning there is not much time between when they tell you and when they will need to wee or poo.

When toilet training, check if your child needs to use the toilet often. Remind them before and during activities. Your child is often busy or excited by an activity, so may avoid going to the bathroom for fear of missing out. Try asking your child every two hours and before bed.

Accidents will happen. If your child doesn’t get to the toilet in time or creates a mess, reassure and comfort them as they are still learning to control their bowels and bladders. Not making a fuss about it will help your child be less anxious.

Praise your child for the positive steps they take and celebrate small wins along the way. This includes efforts and attempts for trying to go to the toilet. You may like to reward their success by letting them flush the toilet. Give your child no more than five minutes to “try” to go to the toilet. Any more, and they may think they are being punished.

Encourage your child to eat a healthy diet with fibre and drink lots of water to avoid getting constipated. Constipation can be upsetting or painful for your child, which could make toilet training more difficult.