When to start potty training
How to know if your child is ready (and why there’s no “perfect” age)
If you’ve been googling “best age to potty train” or wondering when to start potty training your toddler, you’re not alone.
One of the most common questions I get asked as a pediatric occupational therapist and potty training expert is “When should I start potty training?”
And here’s the truth: there’s no secret “perfect” age, magic window, or one-size-fits-all timeline for potty training. Most children potty train somewhere between 18 months and 3.5 or even 4 years (though some start earlier than this and some end later)... a huge range!
The best time to start is relevant to your specific child and family – your child’s individual temperament, development, and readiness signs, and YOUR readiness to be consistent.
Let’s walk through how to know when your child is ready to start potty training (and why introducing the potty early (without pressure) can make the whole process smoother when you DO decide to dive in).
Is there a “best” age to potty train?
Here’s what I tell every parent: Earlier is not necessarily better.
It can be so easy to feel pressure to potty train early because we see it plastered all over social media ( “My son was out of diapers by 20 months and it was SO easy!” etc.) And while that may be true for that family – yay for them! – that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily right for your child. If you start before your child is developmentally ready, it can actually backfire, leading to more power struggles, accidents, and negative potty associations that can often take a long time to undo.
Instead of focusing on a specific age, focus on overall potty readiness.
Most kids are ready sometime between 18 months and 3.5 years. The goal isn’t to hit an exact age, but to meet your child where they are developmentally and move forward from there.
How to know when your child is ready to start potty training
Look for a combination of readiness signs in three main areas: potty awareness, general potty interest, and overall communication skills (both receptive and expressive).
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
1. Shows awareness of a wet or dirty diaper
If your child starts pulling at a wet or dirty diaper, asking to be changed, or showing discomfort after they go, that’s a great sign! This shows they are starting to connect the dots between bodily sensations and what’s happening in their diaper, which is an important building block for potty training.
2. Hides or goes into a corner to pee or poop
This takes awareness one step further: your child knows they are actively going and seeks out privacy. This is why your toddler hides behind the couch to poop in their diaper, which is totally normal. It means they’re developing awareness of the process, which is an essential step toward being able to anticipate the need and use the toilet.
3. Shows interest in the potty or other bathroom routines
Your child doesn’t have to be obsessed with the potty, but a basic level of curiosity helps so much. Are they watching you go? Asking questions about it? Wanting to flush? Looking at potty books or sitting on a potty for fun? All of those are signs they are starting to build positive associations and understanding of what the potty is for.
4. Is able to follow simple directions
Potty training requires understanding and following a few simple steps: come to the bathroom, sit on the potty, stand up while I help you wipe, wash hands, etc. If your child can follow other basic directions like “bring me your shoes” or “sit down on the couch,” that shows they have the language comprehension needed to start potty training successfully.
5. Has basic language or gestures for bathroom-related things
Your child doesn’t need to be able to say “I have to go potty” perfectly in order to start potty training. But they should be able to point to the potty, sign or begin to say simple words like “pee” or “poop,” or be able to learn gestures to indicate they need to go. This ability to communicate, however it looks for your child, is what allows them to start taking more ownership of the process.
And most importantly… YOU need to feel ready!
This is an often-overlooked part of potty training readiness, but it matters a LOT.
Even if your child is showing readiness signs, potty training requires consistency on your part. You need to be ready to commit to teaching and supporting the process without wavering.
If life is currently chaotic, you’re traveling a lot, or you simply aren’t in a place where you can be consistent right now, it’s okay to wait. It’s better to start when you’re ready to follow through.
Why early potty exposure makes a difference
Even if your toddler isn’t yet showing the majority of the readiness signs above, you don’t have to wait to start laying a positive potty foundation. In fact, early exposure can make the whole process easier when you DO start!
Here are a few simple ways to build positive potty awareness in your child, starting as early as 12-18 months:
Let your child follow you into the bathroom (they probably do already!) and narrate the steps in simple terms.
Put a small potty in the bathroom so they see it as part of the routine. Let them sit on it before bath time with no pressure to actually go (but if they do, great!).
Read potty books together to build familiarity and language.
Label body parts with anatomically-correct language during diaper changes to build body awareness.
The more exposure and positive associations your child has ahead of time, the more confident they’ll feel when it’s time to make the transition out of diapers.
Final thoughts
If there’s one thing I want parents to know, it’s this: There is no one “perfect” age to potty train. The best time to start is when your child shows readiness signs AND you feel ready to be consistent.
In the meantime, building positive bathroom exposure into your everyday routines is one of the most helpful things you can do.
If you’re ready to start potty training and want extra support and step-by-step guidance, that’s exactly what I do inside the 4-Week Potty Training Pod. We go through the process together, with live support, daily prep, and troubleshooting along the way, so you never feel like you’re doing it alone!
Check out more info HERE.
Questions about potty training readiness? Leave a comment!