Is your toddler always on the go? Having a busy toddler at home will definitely keep you on your toes – especially when it comes to potty training!
If you’re struggling to keep your toddler engaged and interested in the potty, you’re not alone.
Luckily, there are several easy steps you can take to make your next attempt at training your active toddler a success. With the help of cloth diapers, reminders, and other simple tips, you’ll have busy toddler potty training under your belt in no time!
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How to Potty Train a Busy Toddler
Whether your toddler has no interest in learning to use the potty or just can’t make time in their busy day to go to the bathroom, finding ways to motivate your little one is essential to potty training success.
And it’s especially important when you have a busy toddler at home.
When your toddler is distracted by books, toys, and TV shows, they’re less likely to let you know when they need to go and more likely to have accidents. That’s why it’s so important to find simple ways to help encourage those active little ones to take a break and use the bathroom.
With these easy tips, you’re sure to find a solution that works for you and your toddler!
Set Reminders
Since you won’t be able to rely on your toddler to tell you when they need to go – at least not at first – it’s important that you remind your little one to use the bathroom. But life gets busy and it’s easy to get distracted throughout your day.
To make things easier on yourself, try setting reminders on your phone every 30 minutes or one hour. When the reminder goes off, tell your toddler they need to take a break from what they’re doing and use the potty.
Eventually, your toddler will get into the habit of using the potty and the reminders won’t be necessary.
But if you find they are having accidents often because they’re not letting you know when they need to go, using this simple method could be a great way to remind them they need to take potty breaks throughout the day.
Make it a Routine
Young kids love sticking to a routine, so another simple way to help your busy toddler make time for potty training is to incorporate bathroom breaks into your routine.
Take a trip to the bathroom when your child wakes up in the morning, after breakfast, before lunch, etc. After a while, your toddler will begin to make going potty a part of their own routine, helping them remember that they need to take time for the bathroom at various times throughout the day.
Use a Portable Potty
If your toddler is too busy to go to the bathroom, why not bring the potty to them instead?
Using a portable potty is a great way to incorporate potty training into your toddler’s life without disrupting their routine. Instead of asking your toddler to leave the comfort of their play area, allow them to use the potty where they’re most comfortable.
After your toddler begins to become more consistent using the potty outside the bathroom, move the training seat into the bathroom to help them transition to full-time bathroom potty training.
Make Going Potty Fun
Does it seem like your toddler is afraid they’ll miss out on something if they take a break from playing to go potty?
Bring the fun of playtime to the bathroom!
Keep a few books or toys in the bathroom that can only be used while your child is going potty. Every time they go to the bathroom to use the potty, read them a book, sing them a song, or play with a toy while they go.
Eventually, they’ll associate the fun of those items with using the bathroom, making potty breaks a little easier to manage.
Offer Potty Training Rewards
Using rewards is a tried-and-true way to encourage toddlers to use the potty. And busy toddlers are no exception to the rule.
You may just need to be a little more creative in coming up with rewards for your little one. Look beyond the popular options like stickers and candy and think about activities your toddler may enjoy instead.
Offer to take your toddler to the park or to let them play with a new toy as a reward for a successful day of potty training.
Wear Training Pants
No matter how much planning and entertaining you do with your busy toddler, they’re going to have an accident on occasion.
Although I am a proponent of naked potty training, I recognize that some parents prefer training pants while potty training. If that is you, training pants can help keep the mess under control when the inevitable accident happens.
If you’re going this route, I highly recommend cloth training pants for your toddler. Unlike disposable training pants, cloth training pants look and feel just like big kid underwear. But they feature extra lining that helps absorb small accidents. Your toddler will still feel wet when they go in their training pants, but they’ll be less mess for you to clean up when an accident happens.
Best Cloth Training Pants
Thinking of using cloth training pants to help your child transition from diapers to big-kid underwear? These are some of the best, most fun options:
Disney Training Pants
One of the best ways to get your busy toddler excited about potty training is to let them wear underwear featuring their favorite characters. These Disney training pants are perfect for beginners because they feature popular characters and are made with an absorbent liner that helps contain potty accidents.
Organic Cotton Pants
Made of certified organic cotton, these soft and breathable cotton training pants are a great way to transition from diapers to big-kid underwear. They look just like toddler underwear and feature an absorbent inner pad to contain accidents. And since they’re certified free from over 100 harmful chemicals, you know they’re safe for your little one to wear.
Sesame Street Training Underwear
Elmo is a popular character when it comes to potty training. If your toddler is a fan of Elmo, they’ll love wearing these cute Sesame Street training pants. Your little one will love seeing their favorite characters on their underwear, and you’ll love the mesh lining that helps soak up small accidents.
Muslin Cotton Training Pants
Make sure your toddler is comfortable as they train with the help of these adorable muslin cotton training pants. The thick protective layer features strong urine absorption, helping hold accidents and avoid messes or damage to your furniture.
Waterproof Training Pants
If you’re worried about damage to your furniture or your child’s mattress, waterproof training pants are a great option. These cute underwear feature an absorbent inner lining and waterproof outer shell that contains the wetness after an accident.
Baby Shark Training Underwear
Toddlers who love singing Baby Shark will want to wear a pair of these cute Baby Shark training pants every day. The training underwear looks and feels like big-kid underpants thanks to its soft cotton outer shell. But the inside of the underwear features a polyester mesh pad that will absorb accidents and help your child recognize when they’ve wet their pants.
Busy toddler potty training doesn’t have to be hard. By using reminders, making a routine and keeping it fun, even the busiest toddler can learn how to use the potty like a pro.