What are some easy tips to teach a two and a half year old to learn to use the potty?

Question

My daughter was very easy to teach. She learned at age 2. I need some helpful tips for my son. Thanks!

Answer 1

Take your child to the potty when you go.  Praise them when they use the potty....I mean cheer for them and make them feel special.  Give him a special treat when he goes to the potty.  Show him "big boy" underwear and tell him that when he's ready to use the potty all the time like the big boy he is that he will get to wear the "big boy" underwear instead of pull-ups or a diaper.  I know this sounds silly, but it works.  Children love to hear you praise them and see your big smile when they make you happy.  He will get the hang of it.  Be patient and consistent.  Consistency is the main thing here.  I taught my sons just like my daughters.  I took them to the potty when I went and we celebrated each time they used the potty.  Good luck!

Answer 2

Training pants that leave the wet feeling, letting him go to the bathroom with daddy, observational learning is important at that age.

Answer 3

Give him treats (Stickers,Toys, Candy Etc.) when he goes in the toilet and tells you.

Answer 4

Two and a half is still a little young for a boy. Wait is the best advice I can give you. My older two boys were potty trained at 3 1/2 and I gave them a date that their diapers were going away and that was that. My youngest was done at almost three but he did it all on his own. I tried with my oldest to sink the cheerios but nothing worked until I gave him a date, when we got back from vacation, and took his diapers away. I can count on one hand the number of accidents that my older two boys had combined on one hand.

Answer 5

We spent the day in a room that had a floor that was easy to clean.  If they started to potty we hurry and sat.  (you could do this outside too if you have a fenced backyard for privacy.)

I rewarded mine with a chocolate chip or one M & M.

I let them pick out big girl panties ...in your case big boy pants.

No pull ups...they are too much like diapers.  They will just pee in them.

The trick is they have to understand what the urge feels like.  It took my oldest one full day.  It took the younger one about three days.  

It also helps to take them potty with you so they can see what is going on.  

I also started sitting them both on the potty way before they were ready so they wouldn't have any fear of the potty.

Answer 6

It's more about training you first.  Set the timer if you need to and then initially, about every 45 minutes, say in a matter of fact voice; "It's time for you to go potty".

Don't make a big deal if he doesn't go, or has accidents.  Just bring him to the potty and either instruct him to pull down his pants and sit down (or stand) or you do that for him.  If he cooperates make sure to praise him.  If he goes to the bathroom make sure you praise him and give him an m&m or jelly bean (whatever he likes.  If you don't want to use candy give him a sticker)  We had a family joke when potty training my daughter, that she would p**p for jelly beans.

Also even though your daughter learned at age 2, that doesn't mean that your son has to do have the same success.  Allow him to be himself, and know that when he is ready and confident, he will do fine!

Answer 7

They're all different.  I had one trained at 3 yrs 5 mo (boy), the next was 2 yrs 2 mo (boy) and the third was 2 yrs 6 mo (girl).

I think the key things were:

I was ready to devote a few days of my life to the 'project'.  This meant that I chose a few days when I could spend almost all of my time following them around, and not leaving the house.

I used rewards (stickers, smarties, whatever you think might work).

I stripped them down to a t-shirt and gave them lots to drink.  Then I would get them to sit on the potty for a minute and 'try'.  I would get them to 'try' every 5 to 10 minutes or so.

Sometimes it helps to have 'Teddy' toilet training alongside and pretending Teddy has had some successes (and giving Teddy lots of positive re-enforcement for his successes!)

Be positive, if it's turning into a battle of wills back off, try again another time.  I haven't met any 5 year olds going to school in diapers, although a times I thought my kid might be the first ;-)

Good Luck!

Answer 8

well set him on the toilet, give him a lot to drink first, and read to him while he is on the toilet. if he goes give him a treat.or if he likes a certain kind of toy ( like my little brother got a train when he went because he likes trains) give him his favorite kind of toy. you don't have to read to him while he's on the toilet for a long time just do it a couple times a day to get him used to sitting on the toilet.

Answer 9

Soon after eating, take him to the potty like it's a fun, big-boy thing to do.  And if you can (hard wood floors are best for this) don't put diapers on him, but cloth ones or even better, real underwear.  I don't understand these cooling pull ups - the kid has already peed by the time it gets cold! But cloth or underwear will be more uncomfortable for him to be in if he has an accident which will help motivate him.  Good luck!!