Potty training is my least favorite part of being parent. I have long said that if I could pay someone to do one element of parenting for me. It would be potty training. When I first started thinking about potty training my oldest, I felt overwhelmed. So many people said they could do it in three days or one day. How was I supposed to teach her that in 1 day? Then I talked to my sister. My sister has five little boys and she is something of a super mom. She promised me that potty training in one day was absolutely doable. I followed her advice and it worked fantastic for our first child, now I am getting ready to do it with out second! The secret? A potty party.
When you say the words potty party, people look at you kind of funny, but it isn’t like a typical party at all. The point of a potty party is to make potty training fun and exciting for your kid. Take away the stress and make it a party. You don’t have to invite guests, you just have to let your little one know that this is a special day! Here are all my tips for making 1 day potty training a success.
You will need:
- a lot of treats and juice. Their favorites.
- Small prizes. Since you are giving them so many treats, sometimes a different kind of prize is better for successes. We are using plastic bracelets.
- Small decorations
- toilet paper rolls
- A baby doll
- training underwear
- things to clean up accidents (wet wipes and a big roll of Bounty!)
The very first thing I do is set up the party before they wake up. It doesn’t have to be anything over the top, just enough for them to know that this is a special day that is about them. The MOST important thing about this day is to have it be just you and them. Your husband might need to take a day off to be with the other kids or take them to grandmas, but you need to be focused 100% of your little one.
At the beginning of the day, after breakfast, show your little one how to go potty with the baby doll. I like to use a medicine dropper full of water to give my kids the illusion that the baby went to the potty. The reason? Because then you can show them that the doll gets a reward! For the first part of the day, I like to keep them on the little potty the entire time. We sit and color and play games. This helps them have some successes right away. After that we set a timer for 15 minutes and every 15 minutes we go back to the potty for a couple of minutes.
Keep the TV off and do small activities such as play-doh and coloring. You don’t want them to go so absorbed in a show that they have an accident. When they have an accident we race to the potty and say together that we go potty in the potty not on the floor. We actually do this multiple times to help them know to race to the potty.
Tips:
- Make sure they ready to potty train about 2 or 2 and a half.
- Make sure you buy them their favorite drink. You need them to be drinking all day long to have successes.
- Don’t get frustrated. You don’t want them to associate potty training with your frustration.
- When you have a success call someone who will make a big deal about it. For us this is an aunt or grandma.
- Let them know when they have an accident that cleaning up an accident isn’t fun, but make sure to make it about the accident and not about them!
- Be consistent, don’t go back to diapers!
- Let them know they are a big kid. One of my daughter’s favorite things is to see me put chapstick on in front of a mirror. So we gave her a tube and let her put it on over and over because she is a big kid now!
- Play some fun games. One of the things my kids love that is that they have my undivided attention all day. I don’t answer the phone. It is just me and them. We play some silly games and make up silly potty training songs to keep them excited. My kids LOVE to play bowling with rolls of toilet paper. It is silly and something we don’t normally do, so they love it. I didn’t want to have to run out to the store on potty training day.
- We also love playing a toss game with toilet paper.
In my experience, you train for a full day and then you have to reinforce it for several more days. The second day is hard for me because you are trying to go back to your regular routine, but stick with it and it will get easier. My older daughter had very few accidents using this method. I think the biggest trick is to help them have successes early on, by keeping them on the potty. This way they get to have a reward to start the day.
My little ones have both love playing with the doll and putting underwear on them and as you can see apparently clean underwear is a hat too. Who knew?
Even though potty training can be a daunting part of being a parent, it doesn’t have to be a bad part. This method has really worked for all five of my sisters kids and for me. It is a way to make it fun instead of upsetting. Good luck!
Erin Shebish says
A potty party! I love it, thats just brilliant! I wish I would have done that!
Michelle Thomas says
Oh my, those donut potties are a RIOT! My kids would laugh forever if I made them (they are much older now). This is so cute!
Cynthia says
What a fun party, I love all your details.
Laura - Eye Candy Creative Studio says
this is so much fun & such a great idea! You did a great job!
ana de jesus says
A potty party that sounds pretty cool I have never heard of that before!
Ourfamilyworld says
A potty party? That sounds super fun!
tiarastantrums says
this is literally one of the cutest ides I have ever seen to celebrate this moment in our children's lives! Adorable!
Janet Krugel says
What a fun idea for a potty party! My son was the worst at potty training and he still has issues with BM.
April Grant says
We were on a roll, but then she went to my in-laws and they stuck a diaper on her. A big set back. 🙁 I like the potty party idea.
Kid Minds says
OH my gosh so many ways to have fun with little ones. Even potty training looks like a blast!
Jen K says
How cute is this party?! And I agree potty training is the worst. The hardest thing I have done as a parent to date.
Susannah says
These are great tips! I'm going to have to try to do something like this when Caleb's ready to potty train.
Do says
Great idea! I don't have kids so I won't have this issue, but it's cool information to pass on to friends!
Melissa Latimer says
This is the cutest idea for a potty party! I would never have come up with something like this 🙂 I will be potty training my son soon so this id going to be on my to do list for him.
alexandria waning says
so cute. potty training wasnt too bad for us. we started really early so savannah was completely good by 2. i remember her treats were fruit loops.
Trish Nicholas says
This is such an adorable idea! Glad you found something that works so well for you!
CourtneyLynne says
Omg how cute is this?!?! I love that you made something horrible (potty training) into something fabulous:)
Living a Fit and Full Life says
This is awesome! What a neat idea!
Lexie Pyfrom says
how incredibly cute is this idea!!!! I have never seen anything like it buts its so adorable!!
JaimeLovesStuff says
I am so glad I don't ever have to potty train again BUT if I did, I would TOTALLY do this! It's so smart (and cute!)
Ashleigh Walls says
Wish I could do this with my youngest but we're taking slow steps. This potty party is brilliant.