Potty awareness: how the skill grows from 15 to 36 months
Potty awareness means knowing what the potty is for, noticing the body signals for pee and poop and taking part in the bathroom routine. It grows on the child's own timetable, often long before the potty is actually used.
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Potty awareness: the ladder, step by step
Pick the step that looks most like your child today. The next step and activities that practise it appear below.
No step picked yet. There is no wrong answer: pick the closest one.
Next step: Plays it out. Sits a teddy on the potty or "flushes" for a doll, copying a routine they have seen.
Activities that fit this step
- Meet the Potty · 15–36 months · 2–5 min
- Potty Picture Book Talk · 15–36 months · 3–8 min
- Name the Body Signal · 18–36 months · 2–4 min
Next step: Sits for a moment. Sits on the potty, dressed or bare, for a short while when they choose to, then gets up.
Activities that fit this step
- Meet the Potty · 15–36 months · 2–5 min
- Potty Picture Book Talk · 15–36 months · 3–8 min
- Name the Body Signal · 18–36 months · 2–4 min
Next step: Notices the signals. Pauses, squats, holds the diaper or says "pee" while going or just after.
Activities that fit this step
- Potty Picture Book Talk · 15–36 months · 3–8 min
- Name the Body Signal · 18–36 months · 2–4 min
- One-Song Potty Sit · 18–36 months · 2–4 min
Next step: Tells you. Tells or shows you before or while going, or asks for a change or the potty.
Activities that fit this step
- One-Song Potty Sit · 18–36 months · 2–4 min
- Teddy Tries the Potty · 18–36 months · 3–8 min
- Wet or Dry? Diaper Check Talk · 18–36 months · 2–5 min
Next step: Joins the whole routine. Helps with pants, the flush and hand washing at the end, with a reminder.
Activities that fit this step
- Teddy Tries the Potty · 18–36 months · 3–8 min
- Wet or Dry? Diaper Check Talk · 18–36 months · 2–5 min
- Flush, Wash, Pants Up · 20–36 months · 3–6 min
Top of the ladder (joins the whole routine). Keep it flexible: offer it in a new place, with a different person or with new materials.
Activities that fit this step
- Teddy Tries the Potty · 18–36 months · 3–8 min
- Wet or Dry? Diaper Check Talk · 18–36 months · 2–5 min
- Flush, Wash, Pants Up · 20–36 months · 3–6 min
The potty awareness ladder
6 steps from the first sign to a flexible skill, covered here from 15 to 36 months. Children move at their own pace: use the steps to see what comes next, not as deadlines.
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Knows the word
Looks at or points to the potty when you say "potty", or has their own word for it.
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Plays it out
Sits a teddy on the potty or "flushes" for a doll, copying a routine they have seen.
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Sits for a moment
Sits on the potty, dressed or bare, for a short while when they choose to, then gets up.
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Notices the signals
Pauses, squats, holds the diaper or says "pee" while going or just after.
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Tells you
Tells or shows you before or while going, or asks for a change or the potty.
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Joins the whole routine
Helps with pants, the flush and hand washing at the end, with a reminder.
When potty awareness usually shows up
In general, children show signs of bladder and bowel control between about 18 and 24 months, and in the U.S. toilet training usually begins between 2 and 3 years (AAP). Many children are not ready until well after their second birthday; go by corrected age for a child born early.
This page follows potty awareness from 15 to 36 months, a window that spans the 15-month, 18-month, 24-month, 30-month and 36-month CDC checklists.
In the library, 7 activities practise potty awareness (7 as their main skill), for ages 15 to 36 months. 4 of them need no prep and take 10 minutes or less. By age, they sit closest to steps 3 and 4 of the 6-step ladder, most (5) on “Notices the signals”.
Activities that practise potty awareness
Placed on the closest ladder step by age. By primary domain: 7 practical life. Quickest to start: Name the Body Signal (2–4 minutes).
Step 3: Sits for a moment
Skills practised alongside
The activities for potty awareness most often also work on naming things (3), first words (1), hand washing (1), helping with dressing (1) and pointing to pictures (1). Pairing them keeps practice playful: one activity, several skills.
Practise it inside everyday routines
- Use the same plain words for pee, poop and potty every day, and ask every caregiver to use them too.
- Keep the potty in one spot in the bathroom and let your child sit on it dressed whenever they like, with nothing expected.
- Name what you notice in a calm voice during changes and play: wet, dry, pee, poop.
- Wash hands together after every potty sit and every diaper change.
What to avoid
- Forcing or holding a child on the potty, long sits, punishment, reward charts or making a fuss about accidents; stop at any sign of resistance and try again weeks later.
- Starting during a big change such as a move or a new baby, or treating a date on the calendar as a deadline.
When to mention it to the pediatrician
Potty learning follows each child's own timetable, and it is not a test. Mention it to the pediatrician if peeing or pooping seems to hurt, stools are hard or your child holds them back, a child who had been staying dry starts having many accidents, or you have any questions about readiness.
Worried about potty awareness between visits? Call the pediatrician; CDC's free resources also explain how to contact your local Early Intervention program directly. Milestones are for monitoring, not diagnosis.
Frequently asked questions
When do toddlers start potty awareness?
In general, children show signs of bladder and bowel control between about 18 and 24 months, and in the U.S. toilet training usually begins between 2 and 3 years (AAP). Many children are not ready until well after their second birthday; go by corrected age for a child born early. The first step to look for: looks at or points to the potty when you say "potty", or has their own word for it.
How can I help my toddler with potty awareness?
Use the same plain words for pee, poop and potty every day, and ask every caregiver to use them too. Keep the potty in one spot in the bathroom and let your child sit on it dressed whenever they like, with nothing expected. A good first activity is Meet the Potty (15–36 months).
What should I avoid when practising potty awareness?
Forcing or holding a child on the potty, long sits, punishment, reward charts or making a fuss about accidents; stop at any sign of resistance and try again weeks later. Starting during a big change such as a move or a new baby, or treating a date on the calendar as a deadline.
When should I mention potty awareness to the pediatrician?
Potty learning follows each child's own timetable, and it is not a test. Mention it to the pediatrician if peeing or pooping seems to hurt, stools are hard or your child holds them back, a child who had been staying dry starts having many accidents, or you have any questions about readiness. You can also contact Early Intervention yourself.
Related
Monitoring, not medical advice. Talk to your pediatrician about any concern. Our sources and method.