Potty Training Essentials Ultimate Supply List

So you’re ready to tackle potty training…Woohoo! It’s a major and very messy toddler milestone. But it’s also an exciting time, when you think about the end result, no more diapers! Before you ditch the diapers for good, pick up these potty training essentials.

Trust me, things will go a whole lot more smoothly if you prepare beforehand to set your child up for success. This handy list covers everything you will need to buy before you start potty training.

Whichever potty training method you use, it is super important to make sure you have the right tools in your tool kit to get the job done.

We used the Oh Crap method for our little guy and it worked like a charm. If you haven’t got a clue where to start, it’s always great to have a potty training cheat sheet and a supply list to take with you shopping.

Remember, sometimes the best defence is a good offence. So be prepared! So let’s get to it! Our 25 point checklist of potty training essentials will be sure to get you started on the right foot.

Scroll down to grab your free printable version of the potty essentials checklist!

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Your Potty Training Essentials Checklist

• PATIENCE. Yes, I know. You can’t buy this in a store but believe me it is at the top of the list. Patience, along with persistence and consistency will bring the best progress in potty training. So, now we can move on to the actual list of potty training essentials that you will need in your arsenal.

• STAND ALONE POTTY. I recommend getting one with a detachable seat that you can put on the toilet. Although, we also bought a padded potty seat and I would suggest you get both. The stand-alone we had was a musical duck potty, which doubled as a step stool. We found it very handy for handwashing and a lifesaver for long road trips.

If the thought of having to clean poop out of the pot is too icky for you, you could forego it and just use the potty seat insert listed below. However, I found it very useful because it was fun and enticing to our little guy. For him, it was like getting a cool new toy and he loved it.

You could also buy a travel potty that seals but personally we don’t feel it’s necessary. We didn’t buy one and did just fine on the road with the duck potty.

Planning a road trip in the midst of potty training? You might enjoy Road Trip With a Toddler Survival Guide: Adventures of the Travelling Potty.

• PADDED POTTY SEAT WITH HANDLE GRIPS. This is a little toilet seat that fits right on top of the big throne. We used this more for sitting on the big toilet than the detachable hard plastic one. It’s just a lot more comfortable for little bottoms. It’s also an absolute must-have when popping in on friends and relatives for a short visit (nobody wants their kid to fall in!) And so much easier than lugging around the stand-alone potty.

• STEP STOOL. A little step stool like this one comes in very handy. It’s small enough even to use in a tiny bathroom like ours. Sometimes the potty chair can double as a step stool as well however, we found having a separate one worked better.

Imagine if you will, the potty is full of pee and poop and you then have to flush it, then put the little bowl back in, then put the lid down, then bring that to the sink for your toddler to wash their hands.

At this point, your toddler has most likely lost their patience and taken off. So yes, a separate stool is much easier.

• CLOROX WIPES. Kills bacteria, enough said. But when you use it on the actual potty seat where your kid’s skin will be touching, be sure to rinse thoroughly afterward with hot water. Mainly good to have to clean up the general bathroom area and any stray pee, especially if you have a little boy that wants to go standing up right away as we did.

• GREENWORKS MULTI-PURPOSE CLEANER. LOVE this stuff. Great for cleaning anywhere in your home and 99% derived from natural sources. No harsh chemical smell and claims to be not tested on animals.

• PAPER TOWELS. Hit Costco and stock up, especially in that first week, you may be wiping up pee in various rooms in your home.

• BABY WIPES. Ditto with the baby wipes. Buy in bulk because you can really never have enough of these. A great potty training essential but also just great to have with a toddler in general. As we all know, little kids get quite messy. All. The. Time.

• TOILET PAPER. Obviously you already have this but my point here being, you don’t really need to buy those flushable wipes if you don’t want to. I find them a wee bit pricey. Just use regular TP, followed by a baby wipe (and of course, don’t flush the wipe).

Keep a roll of TP in your vehicles too. Most of us at one point or another have to pull over for our kid to do a road side poop. It only happened to us once, but I was sure happy we had the potty and the TP with us! All just part of the adventure that is potty training.

• PUMPING HAND SOAP. Getting toddlers to wash their hands can be a challenge but obviously it’s a must. We like this cute panda soap dispenser that is refillable or you can grab a disposable one with their favorite cartoon characters. It just makes the idea of washing their hands a bit more enticing and less of a battle for you.

• FAUCET EXTENDER. Depending on the dimensions of your bathroom sink, and the length of your child’s arms, you may need to add a toddler faucet extender.

• WATERPROOF PADS/CHANGING PADS. So instead of using these for changing bums, just use them for the car seat, couch etc.

• POOPY BAGS/ZIPLOCK BAGS. A must-have item for when you’re on the go to contain soiled clothing. You may also consider getting a small box of disposable latex gloves.

Having disposable latex gloves in your toolkit may come in handy if you have to clean up some type of a mess while you’re out and about and can’t get to a sink right away to wash your hands properly.

• TREATS. We did one M and M, jelly bean, Smartie or Welsh’s fruit snack for sitting on the potty, 2 for a pee or a poop. Not everyone believes in this tactic, also called bribery but what can I say? It worked for us. Eventually, he started doing it without any treats but in the beginning stages, we found it was an added incentive.

• POTTY BOOKS (FOR KIDS). We are huge on reading and our list of potty training essentials absolutely includes books. Reading about anything new is a great way for a toddler to learn about a new skill, and that includes potty training.

Potty training books We love:

• Potty Animals
• The Potty Book For Boys
• The Potty Book For Girls
• Potty Time With Elmo

If you have enough space in your bathroom, you may want to fill a basket with the potty books, and small toys to occupy your child while they’re sitting. Because, well, you know…sometimes it just doesn’t happen right away.

POTTY TRAINING BOOK (FOR PARENTS)

• Oh Crap Potty Training MethodWe had great success with this method
• The No-Stress Potty Training Solution
• Potty Training in 3 Days

• STICKER CHART/STICKERS. Some kids are really into stickers and charts and respond to this reward system. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy, just a sheet of paper or bristol board and dollar store stickers will do perfectly fine. We made one with a rocket ship similar to this one.

Place a sticker on each section until you get to the top, and then let your child choose a prize from the prize jar or box. We just filled a medium-sized cardboard box with dollar store toys and books and called the box “The Potty Store”.

• HAND SANITIZER. Keep a small bottle in your purse, diaper bag, car or anywhere else that’s handy for you when you’re on the go. You just never know when you may not be around a sink to wash hands properly.

• PULL-UPS. If you haven’t already made the switch to Pull-ups, now is the time. With the Oh Crap method, your little one goes commando for the first block so no Pull-ups during the day. HOWEVER, we used them at nap and nighttime.

If you’d like to know more about Oh Crap Potty Training and how it worked (like a charm) for us, click here.

• BIG KID UNDERWEAR. Now, this is the fun part and definitely an essential for potty training. Stock up on big boy or girl underwear with your child’s favorite characters. They will be very excited to wear them! We went with these training underwear inspired by the “Cars” movies, but there are endless choices.

Get yourself a good collection of underwear because especially in the beginning, there will be a lot of accidents and no one wants more laundry, am I right?

• JOGGING PANTS/LEGGINGS. Anything with a stretchy elasticized waist is the way to go for easy up-and-down maneuvers. You don’t want to be fighting with zippers and buttons when nature calls!

• LAUNDRY AND/OR CARPET STAIN REMOVER. Because poop happens.

• WATERPROOF MATTRESS PROTECTOR. To prevent leaks and accidents from penetrating the mattress.

• EXTRA BEDDING. Have at least two sets of sheets and pillowcases (we have 4 sets) for your child’s crib or bed if you don’t already. Save yourself some laundry.

BONUS TIP for NIGHTTIME TRAINING: Layer the bed with a mattress protector, sheet, followed by another mattress protector and another sheet. This way if there is an accident in the middle of the night you can just strip off the wet layers get your child back on a dry surface back to sleep as quickly as possible.

• DIAPER BAG. Yes, you most likely still have this and it’s in fine shape. Now, it is aptly renamed as the potty training bag to carry your essentials and supplies when you’re on the go.

Always, always, ALWAYS bring a spare change of clothes including socks and shoes as when accidents happen, it can dribble right down to their toes.

I read about one lady who just got a pair of those water shoes for her little one during potty training because she was tired of his shoes getting wrecked. Brilliant actually!

There You Have It! Your Complete Potty Training Essentials Checklist!

This list of potty training essentials is everything you need to be completely prepared to ditch the diapers for good.

This messy milestone is something every parent has to get through, but remember, it won’t be forever. And remember, when it comes to potty training, always look for progress, not perfection.

I promise you, there will come a day when you won’t have peeing and pooping on the brain 24/7. Always refer back to the #1 thing on this list if and when things get rough. That is…PATIENCE.

The end result, having a fully potty-trained kid is so freeing, I can’t even tell you. It’s the best! Not to mention the money you save not buying diapers. So, honestly, don’t be afraid to start. You can so do this. And I wish you the best of luck!

Until next time, K.

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