Toilet humour is something that parents of young children simply have to endure, and it’s just about manageable and fairly harmless if you don’t have to deal with it at the dinner table. But when it comes to flushing items down the toilet, a much more common habit than you might think, it’s likely a behaviour you would like to stop.

And if this is the case, it’s important to first establish why kids enjoy flushing items.

Why do kids flush objects down the toilet?

More often than not, a child who enjoys flushing items has developed a fascination with either water or the mechanical operation of a toilet. The sound, feel and motion of flowing water can often be soothing to children. Some curious and enterprising young kids will take this fascination a step or two further than bathtime and enjoy conducting a few self-designed experiments of their own. After all, when you put yourself in the shoes of a child, there’s rather a lot of scientific inquiry to be had. Will the pencil sink or swim? Do Barbie dolls block the toilet? I wonder whether this Lego piece will disappear or reappear!

What’s more, when a child flushes an object down the toilet, we react strongly. We scold them and try to retrieve the toy car, or yell as the toilet water overflows onto the floor. Whatever might happen, when we give the behaviour plenty of attention, attention that our kids crave, we reinforce it rather than put a stop to it. So, not only does the child enjoy conducting their experiments, they get a great deal of attention for it!

But how do we go about preventing object-flushing without giving the behaviour attention?

How do we prevent our kids from flushing objects?

Toilet-trip check

A toilet-trip check is essentially making sure your little one isn’t taking any unnecessary, flushable objects with them when they use the bathroom. Before they enter the bathroom, visually check to see if they’re holding any objects or whether they might have anything hidden in their pockets - but be discreet. If they don’t, let them go about their business as usual. If they do, simply take the object and let them know you’ll keep it safe for them whilst they’re using the bathroom. Whatever your course of action, try to give the behaviour as little attention as possible.

Provide alternatives

If we assume that a child is dropping items into the toilet and flushing them due to a fascination with water, providing them with alternative and sanitary opportunities to play with water could assuage their desire. If it’s a nice day outside, set up a tub of warm, bubbling water with plenty of cups, funnels, sieves, and plastic bottles. Or, if you don’t mind getting wet, have a water fight with balloons and pistols! Bath time can also involve water play. If you spot your little one heading to the bathroom with an object in hand, direct them to the tub of water, and if it’s appropriate, encourage them to drop it inside. You may find that as the sensory need to play with water is satisfied, the desire to flush objects disappears.

Minimise attention when they flush

If once in a while, your child manages to slip a hidden toy past you and it ends up in the toilet bowl, try not to react. Say and show as little a reaction as possible and keep these points in mind:

If you notice a toy in the toilet, remove it, wash it and say nothing. Do not pay attention to this behaviour.

If your child lets you know that they have flushed an item, say, ‘oh, really?’ and then continue to go about your business. Sometime later, go and check on the situation as discreetly as possible and go about retrieving it.

What should I do when my child flushes objects?