The perfect age to begin potty training is when your child is physically and mentally ready! That’s why potty readiness happens at different ages for every child. Your toddler might be good-to-go as early as 18 months but some children aren’t ready for the potty until three or four.

Is my child ready for potty training?

Here are some of the signs to look out for:

• Your toddler can recognise that a poo or wee is coming before it comes
• Your toddler can walk quickly, get up and sit down unaided
• He shows an interest in the potty or what’s going on when you go to the loo
• The feeling of a full nappy 
starts to make him feel icky and asks to be changed
• If he can go a few hours between wees his bladder muscles are strong enough
• He wants to wear pants and can pull them down 
on his own
• He can concentrate on something for a few minutes and follow simple instructions

How long will it take to potty train my child?

The readier your child is for potty training, the quicker the learning process will be; you’ll probably get fewer accidents and the transition will be more natural. Once you’ve started, give yourselves at least three months and possibly up to a year before your child is using the potty or toilet independently. You might have a few setbacks or relapses during that time.

When not to start potty training?

Avoid periods when they’re teething, poorly or just under the weather. Most experts agree that you shouldn’t introduce potty training when there’s a lot going on – new sibling, moving house, holidays, change in childcare arrangements, exciting party coming up etc. If you’re expecting a new baby, either plan to establish your older child’s potty training well before the birth or leave it for a year before starting.

A mum's view

Joss, mum of Elliot, aged 3 says:

“Start in summer! I let Elliot potter around the garden with no nappy on whenever the weather was warm and he started to see his wee and poo for the first time. I’m sure this helped him start making the connection between his body and what it produces! All I had to do was make sure there was a potty nearby and he caught on pretty quickly. You’ll probably have some extra laundry too and it’s much easier to dry things in summer.”

The expert view:

Parenting author Elizabeth Pantley says:

“Go slow. For her entire life your child has peed and pooed in her nappy and never even noticed. Now you want her to not only notice, but hold it, and then put it somewhere else! She may see sitting on the potty as a clever game but have no idea what it is intended for. There’s no reason why potty training should be traumatic for you or your child. Teaching your child how to use the toilet should be as natural as teaching him to build a block tower or use a spoon.”