Potty training, step by step

Have you been working on the first step—getting your child interested—for a few weeks now? Is your child familiar with the potty yet? And do you know the signs that indicate your child needs to pee or poop? Then it’s time for the next step: practicing without a diaper! But be careful. Don’t take the diaper off completely right away. An hour a few times a week is enough. For example, on days when you’re at home.

The first time on the potty

Don’t rush things. The goal is for your child to make their first pee or poop in the potty. Only then should you start leaving the diaper off for longer periods and more often. First, your child needs to get a feel for what’s happening. Take it step by step. Together, you’ll learn to recognize the signs. Choose a quiet time of day to practice. For example, when you’re at home and don’t have to go out.

• Tell them that you’re going to take off the diaper for a moment and that your child can just play.
• Place the jar near your child and show it to them.
• Stay nearby and pay close attention to your child’s cues—such as fidgeting, stopping play, hopping, or hiding.
• Have a bucket of soapy water and some clean clothes ready. There’s a good chance there’ll be a little puddle on the floor.
• Nothing happened after an hour? Then put the diaper back on. Be sure to do that—it teaches your little one that you keep your promises. It’s exciting enough as it is.

During the diaper-free hour

Do everyday activities together, but be careful: no TV, tablets, or phones. These are very distracting, which prevents your child from learning to sense when they need to go. Pay close attention to signs like squirming, touching their crotch, or fidgeting. Describe what you see: "I think you need to go potty."

Take your child to the potty and help them sit quietly, perhaps with a book, a song, or a toy. Again: no videos—they distract from the sensation. Sometimes they’ll make it to the potty in time. Sometimes they’ll go a little earlier. That’s all part of the process.

Just missed the mark? Then point out what went well, for example: "Good job going to the potty" or "You could tell you needed to go. Way to go! High five!"

Still not working? Put the diaper back on.

This step usually takes a few weeks. That means your child will often practice at first without producing anything in the potty. That’s perfectly fine. If the hour is up and your child has sat on the potty but nothing came out, then it’s okay to put the diaper back on. We’ll try again tomorrow. For your child, it’s often a relief to have the diaper back on. Remember: it’s all quite exciting. Take it step by step; don’t rush things.

Did it work the first time? Let's celebrate together!

Has your little one had their first pee or poop in the potty? Celebrate it together! Cheer, dance, give them a high five, and tell them how proud you are! Bring it up again later, too. “That was really impressive of you!” Or tell others about it. Your little one will feel like a big kid.

From 1 hour to a whole day without a diaper

Has your child peed or pooped in the potty twice? Only then can you start extending the time spent without a diaper. You’re now in step 3. Choose set times (a morning or an afternoon) to leave the diaper off for a little longer each time. Extend the time by half an hour at a time. Keep this up for a few weeks. Keep watching for your child’s signals and stick to the set times and routine. Has it been going well for a few days in a row—half a day without a diaper and without wet pants? And can your child let you know when they need to go? Then you can leave the diaper off completely. That’s the final practice step. This means there will still be accidents, but fewer and fewer.

In the final step, you also stop putting a diaper on your child when you're out and about or somewhere else. This means more bathroom breaks beforehand and in between. The accidents will become fewer and fewer.