4 signs your child is ready for toilet training

4 signs your child is ready for toilet training

Aug 02, 2022sophie nelson

Regardless of whether your toddler’s toilet training adventure starts sooner or later, you’ll begin to get cues that will suggest it’s time.

As their independence shines, they’ll start becoming more interested in the happenings of their body and want to follow suit when it comes to going to the bathroom. If you’re curious about when your little one will start feeling ready for potty training, it’s time to start watching for the signs!

We’ve covered four of the most common below:

1. Asking to wear ‘big-kid pants’

If your little one has started becoming curious about ‘big-kid underwear’, it might be a great sign they’re ready to take on some more independence. They might get to know the low-down on underwear by becoming curious about your bathroom habits, and they might also dislike the feeling of wearing a nappy at this point, too. One of the best tips for helping your little one move through this phase is to pop them into Modibodi’s Reusable Toddler Day-time Training Pant, which are an absorbent pull up style that feel as comfortable and exciting as ‘big-kid pants’, without the stress (and the mess) of leaks. Designed to soak up leaks of any kind, our Day-time Training Pants are the perfect accompaniment for shifting into big kid mode. 

2.  They can stay dry for two or more hours 

One of the best signs that your child is ready for toilet training is that they’re starting to learn to control their bladder and bowel movements. By being able to hold it for at least two hours, or overnight, they are likely beginning to learn how to read their own body signals. Another major cue that they’re ready for toilet training is when your little one lets you know that they need to go, they tell you when they do go and they’re unhappy being in soiled, soaked nappies. Once this communication starts, toilet training is the next step!

 3. They can follow simple instructions  

If your little one has learned to listen to simple instructions, it’s a good sign they’re ready to take on more independence. Toilet training involves a decent amount of instruction and moves them into a brand new world of learning, so it’s important they’re at the stage where instructions are easy. You’ll need to teach them how to use the toilet and pull their pants up and down, as well as hygiene and the nitty gritty learning that comes with it. 

4. They show interest in the bathroom behaviour of others  

Once your child starts becoming more interested in your own bathroom habits, it’s a sure sign they’e likely becoming ready to take on the potty. Following you into the toilet, asking you questions, and showing interest in the steps including wiping and flushing are all signs that they’re mustering the excitement to take on the toilet on their own.

Our Toddler Training Pants are available in a handy 2-pack, these clever pants are designed to help your kids transition from nappies to undies by letting them feel when they’re damp. They’re resistant to odour, easy to use and even easier to wash.

Helping to make toilet training a little less messy, and a little less stressy for the whole family. Check them out here.

Other helpful articles may be When is the right age to toilet train? or the 4 stages of toilet training, if your child is still in nappies, check out our Reusable Nappies 101 Guide.



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