12 Best Potty Training Books for Children
Help your toddler get ready for potty training with one of these books.
Potty training can be a difficult milestone for both child and parent. It’s an exciting step to finally get rid of the diapers, but it can be a long and difficult transition.
If you ask parents who’ve “been there, done that,” they all have different opinions about what does or doesn’t work.
Whether you go all in with the 3-day potty plan or take it a little slower, you want it to feel exciting. Because if your toddler isn’t interested in potty training, it will be a lot more difficult.
How do you make it fun and thrilling?
Potty training books!
Before potty training starts, you can begin introducing your toddler to the process through stories. Read a book or two before bedtime or when visiting the library.
Once the potty training has started, keep a book or two in the bathroom. When things get frustrating, or your toddler has difficulty pooping, you can pull out a book. This will help them relax, get distracted, and remember what to do.
But with so many potty books, how do you know which ones to choose?
Don’t worry. We’ve got a list of our favorite potty training books to help you make the transition a little easier.
Choosing the Right Potty Books for Your Child
Pick a variety of potty training books.
Having a few different options will help your toddler from getting bored. They might have one book they like over another but give them options.
Find some books that include lift-the-flap, interactive sounds, or bright pictures. Then let your child pick their favorites to read.
Make sure your books align with your potty training method
Some books talk about rewards for successful potty outcomes, while others discuss the step-by-step methods of potty training.
Make sure you flip through the books you’re interested in to make sure they reflect your methods. You want to avoid confusing your child when you’re in potty training mode.
Turn bathroom reading into bathroom reading.
Reading a book during bathroom time can take some of the pressure off your toddler. But if you’re going to read a book, make sure it’s one about potty training.
What a great way to reinforce and explain what’s going on than reading about it as it’s happening.
12 Best Potty Training Books for Children
Take a look at some of our favorite books when it comes to teaching your child about potty training.
Potty Training Books for Girls
1. Big Girl Panties
What’s more exciting than wearing big girl underwear and being like Mommy? With rhyming text and colorful illustrations, this heartwarming potty book will motivate your little girl to be potty trained.
2. The Potty Story: Girl’s Edition
Everything changes for Emma the day she gets a gift from her parents. It’s a potty, of course. Written from the child’s point of view, we follow Emma as she tries and waits and tries some more. Finally, Emma goes on the potty and is so proud! The bold illustrations will keep your child entertained as they practice sitting on the potty and waiting, just like Emma.
3. Superstar Potty Training Book for Girls
Help your toddler discover her potty power with this supportive book. Charming illustrations take you on a step-by-step potty training journey, keeping your toddler engaged. Written for girls ready to take on the challenge of potty training and become a potty superstar.
Potty Training Books for Boys
4. Pottysaurus
Pottysaurus is an adorable little dinosaur. Follow along as he learns to use the potty and realizes it’s ok to have accidents. Through humorous illustrations, this book engages it’s readers and makes potty training seem fun.
5. Potty Superhero: Get Ready for Big Boy Pants!
Help your superhero learn how to use the potty by following the boy in the story. This cute, rhyming book with bright pictures shows that potty training can be exciting. It helps boys gain confidence and learn that they can go to the bathroom all on their own.
Character Potty Books
6. P is for Potty! (Sesame Street)
With familiar characters and a lift-the-flap style, this is a great potty book to introduce the toilet to your toddler. In this book, Elmo encourages readers to use the potty by telling them how to go. This book is the perfect mix of fun and learning with 30 flaps to open.
7. Daniel Goes to the Potty (Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood)
This book is an adaptation of a Daniel Tiger episode where Daniel remembers that when you have to go potty, stop and go right away! He finds that there are bathrooms in lots of places and that waiting is not a good idea. This adorable book comes with a button for kids to press that makes the “flush” sound.
8. Duck Goes Potty (Hello Genius)
Duck is comfortable wearing diapers. When his mom tells him there will be no more diapers, Duck gets scared. He has some accidents along the way but Duck learns to go potty on his own. Many children are anxious about the change that potty training brings, and this is a great relatable book for them.
9. Potty Time with Pete the Kitty
Before Pete the Cat was cool in his white shoes, he was a young, sweet kitty. We love this book because Pete walks your toddler through every step of the potty training process, from getting ready to washing his hands. And the lift-the-flaps makes the story that much more fun.
Classic Potty Training Books for Children
10. Potty
This book follows the inner thoughts of a child who wonders, “Should I go in my potty?” Explore the answer as the hilarious actions of everyone’s favorite baby will make both you and your toddler laugh out loud.
11. A Potty for Me!
Written from a child’s point of view, this book follows the potty training journey of a young child. The bright and engaging photos help your little one feel like they’re along for the ride. And after experiencing waiting and a “whoopsie,” their is success at the end.
12. Everyone Poops
While this book is rather simple, it lets your toddler know there’s no shame in going poop. Since everyone eats, everyone poops. It has some delightful pictures and includes many animals, making this a must read if your potty-training toddler is an animal lover.
Need help potty training your child?
Have you read all the books to your toddler and they’re still not figuring it out?
Or maybe you hit a speed bump and your toddler is being stubborn?
Book a Potty Training Consultation to figure out what’s going on and transform potty training into a positive, fun experience.
