How To Help Kids Feel Ready To Potty Train

If you think your child is ready to start transitioning away from diapers, you might be overwhelmed and unsure of how to set your kid up for potty-training success. (Honestly, you might even be dreading it a little.) But potty training, sometimes called potty learning, doesn’t have to come with big messes and even bigger toddler feelings. In fact, it can be fun and confidence building.

Typically, it can take three to six months for your child to consistently use the potty. While there is no way to make the learning process an overnight success, Huggies Pull-Ups with Learning Layer™ help make the transition a little smoother for everyone. Pull-Ups have been supporting parents through potty training for over 30 years, and their new Learning Layer™ is designed to help kids recognize wet from dry, provide positive reinforcement and make the process easier for parents, too.

Here’s how you can help your tot feel big-kid confidence and ready for this milestone.

What are some signs your child is ready to potty train?

First, make sure your kid is ready for this big step. According to the Canadian Paediatric Society, there are several signs of potty-training readiness parents can look out for. Your toddler might start to:

• Pull at their dirty diaper
• Tell you before or after they’ve soiled their diaper
• Wake up from naps dry (or stay dry for hours at a time)
• Be able to follow one- or two-step instructions
• Have the strength to sit and balance on a potty or toilet
• Show interest by watching others in the bathroom
• Copy bathroom behaviours through play

Once you think they’re all set to move on from diapers, be sure to get the supplies you need ahead of time. Pull-Ups Learning Layer™ training pants are a great place to start.

Pull-Ups training pants vs. underwear vs. diapers

The switch from diapers to underwear can be a big step, but introducing training pants into your little one’s routine can help ease the transition to big-kid underwear later on. The new Pull-Ups with added Learning Layer™ are innovative training pants designed to encourage kids’ learning during this milestone.

What makes Pull-Ups with Learning Layer™ different?

Unlike diapers, these unique training pants feature a Learning Layer™, a blue stripe inside the pants that allows kids to feel wetness for a brief two minutes before it’s fully absorbed, so they can learn to tell wet from dry.

But unlike underwear, Pull-Ups with added Learning Layer™ absorb all moisture and provide up to 100 percent leak-free protection—no unexpected cleanups or additional laundry for your busy to-do list. Plus, the training pants are dermatologist tested, fragrance-free, paraben-free and hypoallergenic for sensitive skin.

Do training pants actually help with potty training?

Yes, the right training pants can help support potty training, and learning the difference between feeling wet and dry is a key part of the process. Diapers absorb urine immediately, which means a child doesn’t feel wetness (a sign that helps them learn to identify bladder changes). On the other hand, Pull-Ups training pants with Learning Layer™ teach kids to recognize that wet feeling, so accidents are a learning opportunity. While the training pants won’t take your child from diapers to accident-free underwear immediately, they can help motivate your child to get to the potty on time, making toilet learning a positive and rewarding experience.

Establish a consistent bathroom routine

Practice is important for toilet learning, so add potty-sitting to your child’s bathroom routine. Before your child can independently recognize the need to go to the potty, encourage them to sit on it regularly throughout the day. For example, encourage your kid to sit on the potty after waking up dry from a nap, before bath time and before getting ready for bed. To make sure hygiene is part of toilet learning from the get-go, also add wiping and handwashing to the routine.

And you can make it fun—reading or singing songs can help your child stay seated just a bit longer. You can also let them choose their own training pants so they can feel excited about the routine. Pull-Ups offers options for boys and girls with specific targeted absorption zones for each gender, plus a range of fun graphics (yes, there’s even a Mickey Mouse design). Encourage them to pull their training pants up or down independently to build self-confidence.

Use positive language and reinforcement

Your involvement plays a huge part in your child’s potty-training success. Explain to your child why they feel wet, and encourage them to use their potty next time. Avoid using negative words or language that might cause shame or anxiety, like “dirty,” “stinky” or “gross.” Instead, use positive, celebratory language for each win.

Finally, be patient. Potty training is a new skill that takes time to master and requires parental support, a consistent routine and lots of practice. Each child is different, but having the right potty-training essentials can help everyone feel more confident.

Help kids learn to tell wet from dry while staying protected. Click here to learn more about the new Huggies Pull-Ups with Learning Layer™. Buy online or in-store at various retailers across Canada.