If you begin to see some of the signs of readiness for potty training, it is time to to begin preparing your child. Getting ready to potty train is just as important as watching for signs of readiness.

The first way to prepare is just to get started! We all know the old adage that learning occurs through repetition but for potty training it is especially true! Practice makes perfect. Potty training is a process, not an event, so any groundwork you lay will help everyone in the end.

10 key steps in preparing your child
To get your child ready to potty train, teach these concepts and skills at 18 months or earlier:

• Teach your child the vocabulary - pee, poop, potty.

• Point out when an animal is peeing or pooping.

• Clarify the body's signals when you observe them: "looks like you are pooping"

• Teach your child to come to you whenever your child is wet or soiled. 

• Teach what the toilet and potty chair are for (the pee or poop goes in this place). Use Potty Duck to demonstrate.

• Give your child a potty chair and have your child sit on it with clothes.

• Help your child develop a sense of ownership ("my chair").

• Put the potty chair in the bathroom and have your child sit on it when you sit on the toilet. Have Potty Duck nearby.

• Read toilet learning books and watch toilet learning videos. 

• Introduce wearing underwear as a privilege. 

The good news about preparing your child is that Potty Duck can be a fun, relaxing way to introduce many of the concepts above! What better way to talk, demonstrate, and act out the training process than with a fun, lovable bath toy.

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