Potty training essentials: Everything you need to persuade your toddler to ditch the nappies

First thing’s first, you need a potty. There’s loads of different options on the market, depending on what you’re after.

Pick your potty

If you want simplicity and you like the idea of a more eco-friendly potty, try the Bambino Mio Eco Potty (£8.99). This potty is made from 100% recycled materials and it’s one of the cheaper options on the market, so if you’re looking for a quick transition from potty to toilet this might be the one for you.

You could also go for the award-winning My Carry Potty (£29.99), which was designed to be a portable potty - it’s lightweight, attaches to pushchair handles and has a carry handle for toddlers on the move. There’s loads of designs and characters to choose from, so if you want your youngster to pick their own potty, this might be the brand for you. Pick from designs including a dinosaur, ladybird, penguin or fox, or your tot’s favourite colour.

Or try the lifelike Nuby My Real Potty (£29.99), which looks like a miniature toilet with flushing sounds. The pot is also removable for easy-cleaning which is a plus.

Reading materials

It’s a good idea to get your little one used to the concept of potty training before you dive in, and there’s some great books on the market to prepare them.

We loved Pirate Pete's Potty: A Noisy Sound Book (£7.99) - and there’s also a Princess Polly version - which includes a sound button with a cheer to celebrate each time Pirate Pete uses the potty.

No More Nappies (£6.50) is another potty training classic and lift-the-flap book to get your child interested in using the potty.

As for parents, Potty Training Magic by Amanda Jenner (£7.25) - creator of the My Carry Potty - is a good place to start, and there’s also the The Gentle Potty Training Book by Sarah Ockwell-Smith (£7.16) if you want to take an ultra-gentle child-led approach to potty training.

Reward charts

Using a reward chart is a great way to encourage your toddler to keep using the potty.

We love this Dinosaur Toilet Training Reward Chart for Toddlers with 35 Reusable Magnetic Stickers (£9.99). Toddlers get a sticker for each task they complete, and a gold star for completing a row. There’s also magnetic stickers to remind youngsters to use toilet paper, flush the toilet and wash their hands, which you can place around the bathroom as prompts.

This Hey Duggee: My Potty Badge Sticker Activity Book (£5.99) also contains a reward chart with stickers - as well as lots of potty-related activities inside, so this is great for Duggee fans!

Personalised pants

Of course, an important part of potty training is switching from nappies to pants.

It can be a daunting prospect going straight to pants, which is why these Heekcaa Baby Potty Training Pants (£21.99) are a good middle ground. These pants are leak-proof and water resistant, so it helps to prevent big accidents but helps toddlers take a step out of nappies.

It’s important to let your child pick their own pants so they will be happy to wear them, and there’s so many options out there. Try some with your toddlers favourite cartoon character or animal, or pick a pack in their favourite colour. You could pick up a Paw Patrol pack from Marks & Spencer (£9.50 for pack of 5) or some mermaid print briefs from John Lewis (£8 for pack of 5) - the possibilities are endless. My top tip though, stock up, as you’ll need plenty of pants in the early days!

Next steps

Once your child has mastered the potty - or you want to get straight to the toilet, there’s some great seat covers and steps to give your littleun’ the freedom to use the big toilet and to reach the sink to wash their hands.

The Jool Baby Potty Training Seat (£21.99) is a great premium option, and it fits most standard toilet seats. It has a splash guard so keeps your bathroom clean, handles and non-slip materials for your child to feel safe, and it’s easily portable so can be taken with you wherever you go.

For a portable option, try this simple Potty Seat Foldable Toilet Seat Cover (£9.99), which is compact, fits most toilet seats and has silicone non-slip pads to keep toddlers in place. There’s also more vibrant options like this frog-themed Pejoye Foldable Potty Toilet Training Seat (£9.99), which is likely to be a hit with youngsters.

As for steps, there’s the classic DIVCHI Toilet Training Kids Non Slip Up Step Stool (£6.99) will help your child reach the sink and the potty with ease.

Or you could find a good character set like this Peppa Pig Toilet Training Bundle - with a George Training Seat and Step Stool (£16.89).

Hopefully this has given you a good idea of what you need to start your potty training journey. Good luck!