Choosing a Potty and Setting Up the Bathroom: Seats, Steps, and Supplies

Choosing a Potty and Setting Up the Bathroom: Seats, Steps, and Supplies

A wobbly seat, dangling feet or tricky buttons can make potty training harder than it needs to be. This guide to potty training essentials shows you exactly which potty, stool, clothes and supplies your toddler needs, and how to set up a bathroom they can use on their own.

What's inside this potty training essentials

• Floor Potty or Toilet Seat?: The first big gear decision is where your child will sit. Learn the strengths of floor potties and toilet seat inserts, what to look for in each, and how to choose based on your child, your home and your routine.
• Steps, Footing and Comfortable Sitting: Where your child's feet are matters more than most parents realize. Learn why firm foot support and a relaxed posture help children use the potty, especially for bowel movements, and how to choose and place a step stool.
• Setting Up the Bathroom for Independence: A child-friendly bathroom lets your toddler finish the whole routine with pride. Learn how to arrange the potty, toilet paper, sink, soap and towel within reach, and how to keep the bathroom safe for a curious toddler.
• Clothing, Underwear and Training Pants: The right clothes can turn a near miss into a success. Learn how to choose easy clothing, when to use underwear, training pants or pull-ups, and how to make the switch in a way that supports your child's learning.
• Cleanup Kits, Portable Gear and Hygiene: Accidents and outings are easier when you are ready for them. Learn how to put together a home cleanup kit and a portable kit, choose travel seats, keep the potty clean, and teach hygiene habits that last.

Printable toolkit

• Potty Gear Planner
• Bathroom Setup Audit
• Cleanup and Portable Kit List
• Gear and Routine Tracker
• One-page cheat sheet
• Glossary
• Chapter checklists

Who it's for

Parents and caregivers getting ready to potty train a toddler, grandparents setting up a second home, daycare staff and early childhood teachers, and the people who want to give them a useful gift.

Format

42-page PDF in US Letter and A4. Print at home, or use it on a tablet: the clickable contents and bookmarks work in GoodNotes, Notability and most PDF readers.

Instant digital download. Nothing will be shipped.

This guide is general educational information for parents and caregivers. It is not medical advice and does not replace the advice of your child's pediatrician or other health care provider, and it does not replace the instructions that come with any product. Every child develops differently. Talk to your pediatrician about constipation, straining, withholding, painful or burning urination, sudden regression after training, bedwetting after about age 7, or any other concern about your child's health or development.