It can be daunting for little ones to transition from using a potty chair to using a toilet; you may have found your toddler crying out for their potty when you first introduced them to the big scary toilet. Or maybe they couldn’t wait to upgrade to their new and exciting bathroom castle! Either way, it’s time to help your preschooler feel comfortable going to the toilet on their own, so they don’t need to use the potty chair anymore. It also means they can be proud of themselves when they tell all their friends at school about it!

By about the age of 3, many children are already fully toilet trained, but if you’re finding your preschooler is still attached to the potty, now is a good time to fully transition to toilets.

Before we go on to share how to support your child to fully transition to using toilets, let’s take a look at why it’s important for your preschooler to be fully toilet trained.

Why is it important for your preschooler to be fully toilet trained?

Toilet training is a huge step in a child’s life. While some children pick it up quickly, others need a little more support and plenty of patience. There are many benefits to toilet training that we’re going to share with you now:

Toilet training allows your child to become independent — they don’t need to wait for you to change their nappy anymore and are in control of going to the toilet by themselves. This boosts their confidence and self-esteem and helps them trust themselves to achieve goals.

Your child’s school may have strict policies, which means they may not be able to help with toilet support. The better your child is at going to the toilet by themselves, the easier it will be for them at school. It’s also important to note that most schools only accept children that are fully toilet trained.

Toilet training helps children learn healthy routines and habits. Like brushing their teeth and bathing, toilet training helps your child take more accountability for their self-care.

It makes your trips with the family a lot less stressful! When your child is fully toilet trained, they can recognise their own body signals and know when you need to stop the car!

Now we’ve looked at why toilet training is so significant, let’s take a look at some of the ways that you can ease your child with this transition.

How can you support your preschooler to become fully toilet trained?

If the potty chair isn’t already in the bathroom, then place it next to the toilet, which will help your little one get used to going to the bathroom for “toilet time”.

Use a child-sized seat for the toilet and provide a sturdy box or stool to climb up and down. It’s important that your child has a surface for his feet while he uses the toilet.

Once your little one has completely transitioned from potty to toilet, remove the potty from the bathroom, so they get used to practising all by themselves.

During early toilet training, little boys will usually sit down to urinate in the morning, but soon they will start to copy their fathers, older brothers or friends and stand up when urinating. During these early stages of learning, support them to lift the toilet seat beforehand. Be prepared to clean around your toilet a little more than usual during this time!

When you’re away from your house, point out toilet signs and encourage your child to use public toilets whenever possible. In the beginning, you will need to accompany them or wait by the door. By the age of 5, they should be able to go to the toilet completely on their own.

Even if your child doesn’t need to go to the toilet, it’s important to show them how to use the facilities such as flushing the chain, lifting the toilet seat and wiping their bottoms with toilet roll.

Dressing your child in loose-fitting trousers, elastic waist underpants or dresses will make it easier for your kids to undress and go to the toilet.

Avoid punishing or getting angry as well as praising too much when they are successful, as this will make children feel bad when they don’t get it right. It’s important to create a pressure-free environment!

How do I teach my preschooler to be fully toilet trained?

Unii has some helpful tips.