Potty favorites
The things I actually use
A short list, because you need less than the internet will tell you. Everything here is something I've used at home or recommended to families I coach.
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The essentials
What you actually need
A floor potty. My preference for the youngest children. Feet flat on the floor, no climbing, no fear of falling in, and they can get on and off by themselves. I have used two, and they are not the same animal.
The plain sturdy one. Easy to clean, and it stays where you put it. If you know you want a simple floor potty and nothing else, this is the one. See it
The one that converts. This is what I would get if you do not know yet what your child is going to prefer. It is a floor potty with a comfortable seat, it comes with a double step stool, which is more useful than it sounds, and it comes apart so the seat doubles as a seat reducer on the big toilet. One purchase covers all three setups. The tradeoffs: there is no back support, so some children feel less secure on it, and because it comes apart, there was a stretch in my house where the pieces were more interesting than the potty. See it
If you would rather use the big toilet. You need a seat reducer and something solid under their feet. Feet planted matters physically, not just emotionally. You cannot push with your legs dangling.
A seat reducer. See the one I use
A sturdy step stool. See the one I use
Or the two in one. Stool and reducer together. Bulky, but functional, and it is the version that lets them get up there and do the whole thing without you. See it
A step stool at the sink. So washing hands is theirs too, not something you lift them for. Two steps rather than one, so it still works once they have grown. See the one I use
Cotton underwear, 10 to 20 pairs. Ordinary, and more than you think. You'll be doing laundry and keeping spares in the car, the bag, school, and grandma's house. Let your child pick them. See the ones I use
Elastic waist pants. Nothing else for a couple of weeks. Buttons, snaps and overalls are a real obstacle when there are a few seconds to spare. See the ones I use
A visual timer. The tool people underestimate most. The timer does the asking, not you, so there's nothing for your child to push against. A plain kitchen timer works too. Just not your phone. See the one I use
That's the whole list of must-haves. Everything below is helpful, not required.
Out of the house and in the car
For the rest of real life
A wet bag. For the clothes that come home from school or the park. See the one I use
A waterproof blanket for the trunk. Mine lives back there permanently. It is what the car potty sits on, and it is what you change a child on in a parking lot. See the one I use
A car potty. Nobody thinks of this one until the first time they need it, somewhere with no bathroom in sight. See the one I use
Liners for the car potty. Which is the part that makes a car potty bearable. See the ones I use
A travel seat reducer. For public bathrooms and other people's houses. See the one I use
There is nothing here for naps and nights, on purpose. Night dryness is a body thing that happens on its own, so there is nothing to buy and nothing to practice. The guide covers what to do while you wait.
Save your money
What you can skip
Potty charts and sticker systems. They work in the short run, then they need to grow, and eventually they replace the motivation your child already had.
Singing and flushing potties. The toy becomes the point. We want their attention on their own body.
Potty training apps. One more screen between your child and what's actually happening.
Treats and rewards. Your child wants to be capable. Don't relocate that into a candy. If you're on your second or third round, or your child is really struggling, that's worth a conversation rather than a guess.
The stuff matters less than the rhythm
You can do this with a potty, some underwear and a timer. Everything else is comfort. If you want the actual plan, step by step, that's what the guide is for.
Stuck on something specific? Coaching options are here.
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Grounded in Montessori. Rooted in you. Growing together.
