5 Books For the Adventure of Potty Training

Say the words “potty training” and most parents cringe. Their heart starts beating a little faster, their eyes widen, and their mind begins to race. In many parent’s minds today it is seen as a two-faced, hairy, scary monster. It’s downright intimidating…

Why is that?

Could it be that this once super sweet, helpless, innocent little creature is now beginning to shout “NO!” all the time and wanting to do EVERY SINGLE THING on their own, without any help (and I mean no help whatsoever)? How on Earth are we supposed to be successful at teaching such an unpredictable, wild little thing to start using a potty? And why is it so challenging for some parents?

Well you see it’s this thing called autonomy. It begins to develop tremendously around ages 2-3 (give or take). It’s what drives a child to care for themselves, be independent, and master new bodily functions and skills. Many parents will hear “No! I do it” at this stage.

In addition to this new found desire for autonomy, children in this phase usually experience a developmental challenge called fear of novelty. It’s quite literally fear around anything that may seem new or undiscovered to them.

The two collide and BAM! It’s the perfect storm for potty training disaster! Intimidating, right??

But what if we saw this whole potty training thing as something to be curious about with our children? What if we approached it more as an experiment, a discovery, an adventure?

One way to build and understanding rooted in discovery is to add some books about “the potty” to their little library. Below are a few books that I recommend!

1. The New Potty by Gina and Mercer Mayer

This book is great for siblings close in age! The story-line is all about Little Critter’s little sister learning to use the new potty. Not only does it show that this new discovery doesn’t have to happen alone, but it helps older siblings see that they can have a fun and supportive role in the adventure as well!

2. Potty by Leslie Patricelli

This fun and simplistic book is light-hearted and easy for the child to relate to. It’s written from the child’s perspective and includes humor for the parent too! It also comes in a Spanish version.

3. The Potty Train by David Hochman and Ruth Kennison

This book is all about exploration and self-discovery as the little boy jumps aboard the potty train, leaving his diapers behind.

4. Potty Superhero: Get ready for big boy pants! By Parragon Books

Ditching Diapers is a SUPER thing to do and this book is all about peaking that interest. It may be geared towards boys, but girls could find it fun and engaging as well.

5. Big Girl Panties by Fran Manushkin

Rhyming words and colorful text keep the child engaged and entertained as they explore the idea of wearing big girl underwear and embrace the idea of using the toilet. A boy version is available

too!

All of these books are available on Amazon Prime

Do you have any book suggestions? Please share in the comments!

Stay tuned for more on children's books for different stages and for more potty training tips!