10 signs your toddler is ready for potty training

Learn the common signs you will notice when your toddler is ready to ditch the diapers and start potty training. 

This is not medical advice! All information provided is solely informational and based on my experience and the resources listed at the bottom of this page. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s health, reach out to your pediatrician or go to the nearest emergency room!

My son is 27 months old now and has shown many signs that he is ready to ditch the diapers and start potty training. I was going to wait until the next summer, since I find potty training easier in warm weather when you can be outside a lot. But with him seeming ready, I don’t want to make him wait and we will just give it a try. 

I kinda knew what signs to look for, since I have been through this phase with my daughter, who stopped wearing diapers around two and a half years old.  But if this is your first time potty training it can be a bit daunting and you may not really know when to start and how to tell when your toddler is ready to lose the diaper. And that’s why I put together a list of things to look out for when deciding if you should start potty training.

Why you should not push potty training before your toddler is truly ready

There is a lot of pressure on children and parents when it comes to potty training. As with many other milestones it can feel like a race. 

But potty training before your toddler is truly ready can create long term issues. While many children show signs that they are ready for potty training by 24 months old, others may not get there until they are three years old.  It is not the age that matters when it comes to potty training, it’s the developmental, physical and emotional milestones. 

If you start potty training before your child is ready it may take way longer to train your child. 

When my daughter was about 18 months old, many of my mom friends with kids the same age started potty training and putting their kids on the potty every 30 minutes and even tho I knew my daughter wasn’t ready and there was no reason to rush, I still felt that peer pressure.

I waited to try potty training until my daughter was almost two and a half. In the end the toddler’s that started using the potty earlier were not truly out of diapers much sooner than my daughter. 

Long story short, don’t let the pressure get to you, follow your toddlers lead and mom instincts and do what is best for your child. 

Your toddler may start withholding their bowel movements.

Many toddlers who are pushed to ditch the diaper too early are starting to withhold their bowel movements, which can cause frequent urinary tract infections, kidney issues, daytime wetting and constipation. 

Potty training before your child is ready can impact bladder growth.

A child’s bladder is also still growing until about age three. Not emptying their bladder frequently can weaken the bladder and slow down its growth. 

Ditching the diapers too early may affect your relationship with your child.

Pushing and pressuring your child into using the potty before they are ready may harm your relationship with them. Toddlers may develop anxiety, especially around their parents, who are supposed to be their safe space and build up a lot of frustration and tension towards you.

Signs your toddler is ready for potty training

Not every child shows all of the signs that they are ready for potty training. But these are the things to look for in most toddlers when deciding if they are ready to ditch the diapers:

1. Your child can communicate with you and other caregivers

This is pretty self explanatory. You want your child to be able to communicate with their caregivers so they have a way of telling you when they have to use the bathroom. Now this doesn’t mean they need to have a lot of words and speaking in sentences. Very young toddlers may use baby sign language or other gestures. 

2. Your toddler likes to be independent.

Has your toddler started wanting to feed themselves, and generally do and try things on their own? That means they have started to feel the need for independence. Maybe they even see you or older siblings use the bathroom and want to try it too. 

3. Your child can follow simple directions. 

Asking your child to use the potty when they have not learned how to understand and follow directions just yet is most likely not going to work out. For example, when you ask your toddler to pick up a toy and bring it to you, do they understand what they are asked to do? If your child can follow one- or better two-step directions that’s a good foundation for potty training. 

4. Your child has the ability to undress themself.

When I say the ability to undress themself, I don’t mean get fully dressed and put on their shoes. But if your toddler can push down and pull up their pants and underwear that is a good start. Make sure you let your tot wear clothing they can easily take off when they have to go. Pants with elastic waistbands or leggings are a great option. 

5. Your kid is physically able to use the potty.

We want our kids to be able to safely walk to the potty, pull down their pants, sit down to go potty and wait to get up until they are done. Having the gross-motor skills and patience to use the potty is a big sign that they are ready. 

6. Your tot is aware of their bodily functions.

This is essential to a successful potty training experience. If your child does not care and just keeps playing when they are having an accident, they are not ready to ditch the diapers just yet. We want to make sure our kids have proper awareness of their bodily functions before we attempt to lose the diaper. 

7. Your child has started showing interest in the potty.

Has your child started following you to the bathroom and curiously asking questions about what you are doing? Maybe they have wanted to try and sit on the potty or take their diaper off ? Maybe they have even managed to actually pee in the potty when they asked to try? Those are some really big signs that your toddler is getting ready to be done with diapers. 

8. Your toddler does not like when their diaper is wet or dirty.

A full diaper making your little one uncomfortable is a good sign that they are ready to use the potty. They feel uncomfortable and want to be cleaned up as soon as they potty in their diaper. 

9. Your little one announces when he has to pee or poop.

Your child is telling you when they are about to go potty? Or maybe they hide before they go? That is a great indicator that they have realized when they have to use the bathroom and can identify the feeling of having to go. 

10. Your toddler is dry for longer stretches during the day

A good sign that your toddler is ready for potty training is when they can keep their diaper dry for two to three hours at a time. Some toddlers may also wake up dry from their nap. Having dry diapers for longer is an indicator that your child can physically control their bladder, at least to some degree.

If your child is showing any or multiple of these signs, they may be ready to start potty training.

Both of my children showed multiple of the signs above. If your child is not showing any of the signs listed but you feel like they may be ready to potty train, give it a try. You as their mom knows them best!

And as said before, remember that each child is different and develops at their own speed. While there is an age range in which most children are ready to get out of diapers, some may take a bit longer while others may be ready earlier.  

Good luck on your potty training journey!

XX

References: 

ABC News (2012): Is Potty Training for Toddlers Harmful? URL: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/early-potty-training-harmful/story?id=16806522 (last visited: 11/12/2023).

Cleveland Health (2021): The Best Potty Training Tips. URL: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-best-potty-training-tips/ (last visited: 11/12/2023).

Geddes, Jennifer Kelly (2022): 9 Signs Your Toddler Is Ready to Be Potty Trained. URL: https://www.whattoexpect.com/toddler/potty-training/signs-of-readiness.aspx (last visited: 11/12/2023).

Huckleberry (2023): 10 signs your toddler is ready to start potty training. URL: https://huckleberrycare.com/blog/10-signs-your-toddler-is-ready-to-start-potty-training (last visited: 11/12/2023).

Kiddoo, Darcie A. MD (2012): Toilet training children: when to start and how to train. URL: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3307553/ (last visited: 11/12/2023).

Mayo Clinic (2021): Potty training: How to get the job done. URL: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/in-depth/potty-training/art-20045230 (last visited: 11/12/2023).

NC Health News (2014): Not Too Early or Too Late, Potty Training Timing Needs to Be Just Right. URL: https://www.northcarolinahealthnews.org/2014/11/12/not-too-early-or-too-late-potty-training-timing-needs-to-be-just-right/ (last visited: 11/12/2023).