Has your child started showing signs that they might be ready to start potty training soon? Don’t fret! Here are some of the best potty training books to read to help prepare you (and your child) for when the time comes.
The Best Potty Training Books To Read (For Parents and Toddlers)
What’s a two-word phrase that sends chills through parents of toddlers everywhere? Potty Training.
There are so many methods and ideas on how to potty train your child- it can be super overwhelming. That’s why I rounded up some of the best potty training books to read for parents. I’m even including some to read to your child too!
There are 3 main types of potty training:
- Child-oriented potty training
- Adult-led potty training
- 3-day potty training
Today, we are going to cover books on all 3 methods to help you decide which potty training method works best for your family. Don’t forget to stick around for some frequently asked questions at the end of these book reviews!
4 Of the Best Potty Training Books For Parents To Read
When I first started potty training my kids, these are the four books I turned to and were recommended to me by friends and family members. It really helped me get a better grasp of what I was about to do and the best way to do it.
1. Potty Training In 3 Days By Brandi Brucks
This book focuses on helping children between the ages of 2 1/2 and 3 years old. It lays out 5 readiness signs to see if your child is ready, then gives you step-by-step advice to get your child out of diapers.
This is a parent-lead method and it focuses on rewards for pottying.
2. The Holy Grail Of Potty Training By Tasha Powers & Steven Graham
This book is written by a pediatric occupational therapist who has worked one-on-one with thousands of families to help with toilet training. This book doesn’t just give you a step-by-step on how to get your child to potty, but it also gives you tools and tricks for when your child is struggling.
Think of it as troubleshooting for potty training!
3. The First-Time Parent’s Guide To Potty Training: How To Ditch Diapers Fast (And For Good!) By Jazmine McCoy
This book is an easy read that gives you the no-mess, straight-to-the-point tips to get your child to potty train. If you do not want to use bribery and want a more respectful and gentle way to potty train, this book is for you.
4. Potty Training: The Complete Guide To Potty Training For First-time Parents And Each Unique Baby By Amanda Peterson
Another gentle approach to potty training, this book outlines the readiness for potty training, common setbacks, and how your child’s temperament comes into play so that you feel prepared and not defeated when those setbacks occur.
This book paired with this post on how to deal with your child’s strong emotions is super helpful together! It’s perfect for parents who want to gradually get out of diapers but still may need a pull-up for trips to the store or playdates.
One Popular Potty Training Book I Do Not Recommend
Out of all the potty training books I have come across, this is one book that I personally found not to be as helpful…
Oh Crap! Potty Training By Jamie Glowacki
While this book is funny, it starts off very aggressive and harsh toward mothers and other people who care for children. She even describes how some kids struggle with potty training by calling them, “kids from hell”.
It does have some good advice on helping your child potty train in a week, but overall, I don’t recommend this particular potty training book. I find it contradicts finding the core emotional needs of a child and adds too much stress to an already challenging stage.
5 Of Best Potty Training Books To Share With Your Toddlers
So, not only are there books for parents when it comes to potty training, but there are books for your kids too!
Books about potty training are a great way to introduce your child to the idea of using the potty. You can also put them in a basket and read them while your child is on the potty; this is a good trick for kids who don’t have the patience to sit for very long.
1. Dino Potty – Learning To Potty With Dino By Sara Conway
This book has step-by-step instructions that rhyme to help children to learn to use the potty on their own. It is a very engaging book for toddlers, even toddlers with low attention spans!
If dinosaurs aren’t your child’s thing, there is also a “Unicorn Potty” book from the same publishing company.
2. Big Girl Panties By Fran Manushkin
This book is great for little girls who are excited to be big girls. It makes potty training exciting and makes getting to wear big girl panties feel like a special privilege. It focuses on the positives like keeping your underwear dry.
This may not be the book for your family if you are specific about not using gendered words about underwear.
3. Potty By Leslie Patricelli
Leslie Patricelli has many popular board books featuring that cute baby with one curly hair and I really like this book. It shows a baby using the potty but no actual pee or poop. It shows where animals go potty and the toddler decides they should potty in the potty chair.
If your child is familiar with Leslie’s books, they will enjoy this in their potty book stash as well.
4. P is for Potty By Maomi Klienberg
Elmo is learning how to potty just like your child!
It has more than 25 flaps to open as you go through the book and help Elmo learn how to potty. While the book is a little wordy, you can summarize it for little ones who don’t have long attention spans, but it works great for reading it while they sit on the potty.
5. Potty Time! By Scarlet Wing
Daniel Tiger is learning to go potty and teaching your little one as well in this interactive book. With buttons to push as you read the story, this is a great one to use while your child is on the potty, especially if they have trouble relaxing and waiting for the pee or poop to start.
Frequently Asked Questions About Potty Training
If you have questions about potty training and finding the right method, I will do my best to answer all of your questions!
How do I know what potty training books will work with my kids?
The quick answer is: you won’t. You really won’t know until you start trying. Even if you used one method with one kid, it doesn’t mean it’ll be the right one for the next one. Each child has a different method of learning and comprehending so you will need to find which potty training method is right for them.
Ultimately, there are a lot of different methods of potty training and even more books. Finding the right book to teach your child to potty train can be challenging. It may just come down to trial and error to see what works for your child.
My recommendation: Consider what your family’s schedule looks like, your parenting style, and how soon your child needs to be fully potty trained.
What is the average age to start potty training?
Most children are able to learn how to pee in the toilet by the age of 3 while others struggle with pooping in the potty until 4 years old.
On average, most kids are potty trained by the time they are 5 years old, with the exception of children with delays.
What do you need to buy before potty training?
When you decide to take that step towards potty training, you should purchase:
- Big kid underwear,
- A potty chair or a potty seat that goes on the big potty
- Step stool for the big potty
- Books to read with your child about using the potty
- Any rewards you want to give your child
Do you need a potty chair to potty train your child?
No, you do not need a separate potty chair for your child to start potty training. You can use a removable toddler toilet seat and a step stool for your regular toilet!
Though, there are a few benefits to having a potty chair.
For one, your child can see their pee or poop easily in the little bowl so they can start to connect the dots between what and why they are doing that. It’s also super convenient to take with you and a potty chair is less intimidating for very young toddlers.
The downside is, you do have to clean it every time they use the potty. You will also have to eventually transition them to the big potty.
So, depending on which kind of potty training method you decide to use, having a potty chair may help with the transition or it might’ve been a waste of money.
How do I keep the potty chair clean?
The major downside of having a separate potty chair for your child is keeping it clean, but I have a few tips to help you out!
- Put a paper coffee basket filter inside the potty chair bowl. That way when your toddler poops in the potty, you can just throw the coffee filter and poop away. (Don’t flush the coffee filter.) This will keep the potty chair bowl cleaner.
- Go to your local Target or online st Amazon and buy potty chair liners to help keep the mess and clean up to a minimum.
- To empty it, just dump the urine in the regular toilet and flush it. Rinse it in the sink and then clean it with a disinfectant.
The Takeaway
Mostly potty training comes down to readiness and parent’s encouragement. There will be accidents and you may have to try a couple of methods before finding what works best for your child and your family.
Remember to praise your child for all the steps of using the toilet. Make a little basket of special toys, books, and items to keep them seated and to help them be excited to use the potty.
You can do this! Potty training is difficult, but all children eventually get the hang of it and you will be celebrating diaper-free in the near future.
More Resources On Positive Parenting:
- Safety Tips for Kids: Books to Reinforce Safety Rules for Kids
- 6 Positive Parenting Techniques To Use Rather Than Yelling
- How To Meet The Core Emotional Needs Of A Child
- Stop Labeling Kids: Why It’s Important To Name The Behavior Instead
- 10 Ways to Limit Screentime and Raise Unplugged Kids
- 10 Screen-Free Alternatives Before Bedtime
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