16-Month-Old Toddler: Your Little Potty Trainer (Almost!)
Signs that your 16-month-old toddler may be ready for a tiny toilet.
By
Your Little Potty Trainer (Almost!)
It’s not likely your little one is ready to graduate from diapers just yet: most children begin potty training between 18 months and 3 years (a huge range!). But in the interest of getting ahead, we thought it’d be a good time to share the early signs that your toddler is physically and emotionally ready, so you know what to watch for:
- Stays dry for periods of two hours or more
- Is able to pull their pants up and down
- Can easily sit down on a potty chair and get up again
- Can climb up a step stool to the big potty
- Is able to follow basic directions
- Is showing interest and curiosity in underwear or toilets
- Is complaining about dirty diapers and finding them unpleasant
- Lets you know when they need to go
As for what to do at Go Time, we’ve got a guide for that.
Did You Know?
When it comes to learning how to pee or poop in the potty, a lot can go sideways (including regressions!). Bookmark these 6 solutions for common problems just in case.
Editors' Picks: Encouraging Books
From reassuring them that everyone poops to cheering them along, these 9 titles were written with curious toddlers in mind.
Editors' Picks: Tiny Thrones
Learn the difference between a free-standing potty chair and a kid-size seat that fits into your standard toilet—and see our favorites.
This Month: Prepare the Bathroom
Ideas for encouraging independence on and around the toilet.
Parenting Toolkit: Potty Talk
Try this: Dr. Becky, the parent whisperer behind Good Inside, explains how talking about poop impacts kids’ bathroom behavior.
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