I’m Emma, mum of three and the founder of Baby Sleep Consultant. Like all things parenting, I dove headfirst into research before tackling potty training. I wasn’t interested in guesswork; I wanted a method that worked and worked fast. I used this same structured approach with all three of my kids, and each one successfully potty trained in just three days. 

Yes, I was that mum who carried a potty everywhere (and yes, people teased me for it!), but that commitment made all the difference. I even popped a nappy in the potty while we were out to make clean-up easy. Since then, I’ve helped thousands of families navigate toilet training using this same tried-and-tested method, and I’m here to help you do the same.

Here is my exact step-by-step plan for teaching your toddler this essential life skill, quickly, calmly, and without chaos.

Introduction to potty training

Potty training is a big milestone for your toddler,and for you! While it can feel daunting, the key is having a clear plan and starting when your child shows signs of readiness. With the right approach, you can guide your toddler through this process in a calm, focused way that sets them up for success.

This guide walks you through a structured method that many families find effective in just a few days. It’s not magic, it’s simply preparation, consistency, and timing.

Is your toddler ready for potty training?

Forget the calendar, the best time to start is when your child shows developmental readiness, not just a certain age. Most children are ready between 20–30 months, but every child is different.

Look for these signs:

• Stays dry for 1–2 hours at a time
  

• Can follow simple instructions
  

• Notices (or announces) when they’ve gone in their nappy
  

• Shows interest in the toilet or wearing underwear
  

• Can pull pants up and down with some help
  

• Is bothered by a wet or dirty nappy
  
  

If most of these apply, your toddler is likely ready to start!

Step 1: Prepare Ahead

Give yourself and your toddler a gentle lead, in over 1–2 weeks before “officially” starting.

Your Prep List:

• Introduce the potty casually (let them sit on it fully clothed)
  

• Read fun books or watch age-appropriate videos about potty training
  

• Change nappies in the bathroom to begin the association
  

• Let your child watch a parent or sibling use the toilet

• Choose a few days where you can stay home and focus. Ideally, 3–5 days with no big plans, this is important! You might have to cancel play dates, or mums group just for the week. This is probably the one step most parents struggle with, the one that poses the most inconvenience to the parents, it’s the step parents think… do I really need to do this? Can’t I follow the other steps and it will be fine? I’ll just pop a nappy on for a few hours and head out… trust me on the stay home advice, just like sleep training, a few days on consistency will save you a world of drama down the track.
  

Step 2: Start Strong. Go Nappy Free During the Day

Once you begin, commit. On Day 1, switch from nappies to underwear or going bottomless (whichever suits your home setup).

Tips for the first few days:

• Offer the potty every 30–45 minutes. Have them sit for 5 minutes while you read a story, so you’re not nagging or fighting with them to sit still.
  

• Encourage them to try after meals, naps, and before leaving the house
  

• Keep them in easy, off clothing (e.g., t-shirts and soft shorts or undies) If its the middle of winter, it’s worth waiting a few months for spring.
  

• Use a calm, neutral tone with accidents; they are learning, not failing
  

• Celebrate successes with claps, praise, stickers, M&Ms… whatever their currency is.

• Take the potty with you when you go out, if possible
  

Step 3: Stay Consistent

Consistency is your secret weapon. The more predictable and repetitive the process, the faster your toddler will pick it up.

Avoid switching between undies and nappies during the day, this confuses the process. Use pull-ups only for naps and overnight, while daytime training is still being established. Pull ups are not undies, you need your toddler to feel wet if they get wet, and a pull up doesn’t do this.

Step 4: Nap and Night Training

Sleep training is a separate stage. Once your child starts consistently waking dry from naps and/or overnight, you can begin reducing nappies for sleep. It is very normal for this stage to not occur until 12-24 months after initial toilet training. They are entirely separate skills.

Wait until:

• They wake dry most days
  

• They show awareness of needing to go during sleep times
  

• They ask not to wear a nappy
  
  

Until then, continue using a nappy or pull-up during sleep and change it in the bathroom to keep reinforcing the toilet connection.

Step 5: Stay Calm and Patient

Even the most well-prepared child will have accidents — this is normal.

Don’t:

• Yell, shame, or overreact
  

• Push ahead if your child is clearly not ready
  

• Compare them to other children
  
  

Do:

• Offer gentle reminders
  

• Stay calm and encouraging
  

• Reinforce your routine
  

• Celebrate progress (even small wins!)

Step 6: Extend the time

Once you have put your toddler on the toilet every 30-40 minutes for a few days, you should start to see a pattern of how long they can actually last and hold on for. This is when you can extend the time between potty visits to 1 hour, then 1.5 hours, then 2 hours. Usually you can push this out every 2 days or so. Once you’re 2 weeks into potty training you can simply settle into the pattern of offering the potty on routine.

We know how easy routine makes sleep, and we apply the same strategy to potty training. Offer the potty when your toddler wakes in the morning and before morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. Offer the potty after their nap, before bed in the evening. 

Why Routine Helps with Potty Training

1. It builds predictability for your child

Toddlers thrive on knowing what comes next. When you offer the potty at consistent times each day (like before morning tea, lunch, and afternoon tea), it creates a sense of security and structure. They begin to expect and understand:

"This is when we go to the toilet."

This reduces power struggles, resistance, and anxiety around going, because it becomes part of the day, not a big event.

2. It teaches the body when to go

Offering the potty every 45 minutes for the first few days helps your child tune in to their body's signals. Once that connection is established, shifting to routine-based potty times (e.g., before meals and naps) helps their bladder and bowel movements sync up with those times.

This creates a rhythm — their body learns:

"Oh, it's time for lunch soon, I usually wee before lunch."

This biological conditioning is a significant factor in why structured potty training can be so effective.

3. It reduces accidents without overprompting

After a few days of frequent reminders, scaling back to key moments in the routine keeps your child progressing without becoming reliant on you constantly prompting.
You’re supporting their independence while still preventing accidents, a sweet spot in the learning curve.

4. It mimics daycare and school routines

Daycares and preschools often take children to the toilet at set times. By building this pattern at home, you're helping your child prepare for a smooth transition, which means fewer regressions later.

5. It makes life easier for you

Let’s be honest, a routine also helps you. You’re not guessing when they’ll need to go, or constantly interrupting play. Instead, potty time becomes just another part of the daily rhythm, like snacks and story time.

Failure?

Potty training is a learned skill, just like sleep training. If you are not having any success in 3-5 days, assume your child isn’t quite ready. Go back to nappies, and try again in a few months. Don’t stress, all children are ready at different stages and potty training shouldn’t be weeks and weeks of drama and stress.

Potty training is a learned skill, just like sleeping, eating, or swimming. Your toddler is capable, and with your support and consistency, they’ll get there.

This structured approach works best when paired with realistic expectations, positive language, and a few days of focused effort. In just a short time, you’ll both be enjoying the freedom that comes with ditching the nappies!

Emma Purdue

Emma is the owner and founder of Baby Sleep Consultant, she is a certified infant and child sleep consultant, Happiest Baby on the block educator, has a Bachelor of Science, and Diploma in Education. Emma is a mother to 3 children, and loves writing when she isn't working with tired clients and cheering on her team helping thousands of mums just like you.