Potty training can be a stressful time for both parents and kids. Some extra motivation and rewards can go a long way in helping to encourage your child. Potty training charts also help make toilet training more fun for kids and make them feel more included in the process.
How do you use a potty training chart?
Each time your little one has a success (that is, they do their stuff inside the potty) they get to put a sticker or a tick mark on their potty training chart. Then, you can either give them a small reward to compliment the sticker chart (such as a small piece of candy) or you can tell them that once they collect a certain number of stickers on the chart, they’ll get a bigger reward.
The approach you take and the rewards you offer are up to you. However there are definitely some dos and donts of using a potty training chart correctly in order to see the results you’re looking for.
Dos and Donts of Using a Potty Reward Chart
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1. Choose a chart that motivates your child
Is your kid into dinosaurs or fairies? Cats or bears? Paw Patrol or Daniel Tiger? Every kid is different. Each child has their own favorite colors, animals and characters. Choose a potty training chart that would bring a smile to your toddler’s face and help motivate them during training.
2. Explain the whole process to your child
A potty training chart will be useless unless your toddler grasps what is actually going on. So sit with your child and explain to them how it all works step by step.
Tell your toddler that every time they go to the toilet successfully, they’ll get the chance to put a sticker on their chart. Then they’ll get a candy or a small chocolate or whatever it is that you have promised them.
3. Place the chart near the potty seat
It’s important to stick the potty training chart near the vicinity of the potty seat. This is so your child can easily make the connection between peeing on the potty and getting a sticker as a reward.
4. Keep the rewards simple
A lot of parents think that the reward has to be some expensive toy or extravagant outing. Gifting your child a toy car every time he pees on the potty is NOT a very viable solution.
Many children are happy with stickers alone. Some need an extra nudge of encouragement and a few MnMs accompanied with stickers is enough to get them excited.
I used a combination of stickers on the chart and a small piece of candy when I used the 3 day method to potty train both my toddlers at age 2.5 and this reward system worked out perfectly for us.
Just remember that whatever you use for rewards, keep it simple.
If you need some potty training reward ideas you can check out this post I wrote that has some awesomely creative reward ideas.
5. Give the reward immediately
You want your child to draw the connection between going to the potty successfully with the reward so it’s crucial to give the reward immediately afterwards.
Potty training incentives work best when they are immediate, visual, and consistent. This helps your toddler connect using the potty correctly with a positive experience.
wonderbaby.org
6. Don’t give in to rewarding accidents
Whatever you do, do NOT reward accidents. A lot of kids have accidents during training but then badger their parents into letting them still have a sticker or candy.
“Please can I have a sticker” or “Only 1 candy”
Please don’t give in to the pressure, even if your child does throw a tantrum.
Rewarding accidents will destroy the whole point of the reward system that you are trying to set up.
Do potty training charts work?
Speaking from personal experience, yes, potty training charts do indeed work.
They offer children a visual representation of their own progress. Think of it as a form of incentive; kids see the chart and they are motivated to do those actions that will earn them points on the chart. Rather than a parent or a caregiver having to nag them about getting to the toilet, they start to become self motivated.
“They give children a sense of self-awareness and agency allowing them to make a choice to use the potty that is then documented and available for everyone to see, which in turn boosts their belief in themselves that they can ditch diapers for good” Romper.com
Potty training charts are also really helpful for caregivers. Parents are able to keep track of their child’s progress and use it to encourage their child to keep making progress.
How to choose a toilet training chart
Your success with using the potty training chart will depend on a few factors. Here’s what you need to keep in mind when choosing the right potty training chart for your little one.
1. Your child needs to understand how the chart works
Some potty training charts are complicated and it’s visually hard for 2 year olds to understand what they are getting a sticker for. Make sure to get a chart that is simple enough for a toddler to glance at and understand
2. The chart needs to be age appropriate
For younger kids, it helps to have a chart that breaks up the potty training process into a few simple steps. That way they can get a sticker for completing each step. For example pulling down pants independently or washing their own hands.
For older toddlers it might be more simple to get a chart where there is 1 sticker place for having completed the whole process in a go. Thus it’s important to get a chart that is developementally appropriate for your toddler.
3. Your child should find the chart fun
Lastly, the chart you get for your child should be fun! Get one that features your child’s favorite colors and characters to help them get super motivated.
Best Potty Training Charts on Amazon
If you don’t have the patience to make or print your own chart at home and are pressed for time, it’s best to get a ready made potty training chart. Here are the top potty training charts on Amazon that both parents and toddlers are loving:
1. Dinosaur Design Potty Training Chart
This one includes an adorable potty training dino chart, 100+ stickers, 2 fun crowns, visual cue cards for training, a bonus certificate, booklet as well as an erasable marker. For its price, this is definitely the best value chart given everything that you get with it.
2. Potty Training Chart for Toddlers Girls – Unicorn Design
Got a toddler who is obsessed with unicorns? This is a potty training bundle that includes a 4 week reward chart, 200+ stickers, motivational cards, certificate, instruction booklet and a celebratory crown.
3. Potty Training Chart with 35 Reusable Magnetic Stickers
Magnetic stickers can be super fun for children to use. Plus it means the chart can be used over and over again. Check out this dino reward chart with reusable magnetic stickers!
4. Paw Patrol Potty and Toilet Training Reward Chart
Got a Paw Patrol fanatic in the house? I know I do! This Paw Patrol Chart comes with stickers and also rewards kids for completing all the steps successfully in using the toilet.
Free Potty Training Reward Charts
Have a printer at home and are looking for free potty training charts? Here are 2 free charts – a fairy chart and a dino chart that I designed just for you! You can download them using the box below to get them delivered straight to your inbox for free. You are welcome 🙂
Want to start using our chart right away? It’s simple.
1: Download the chart using the box above
2: Print it out
3: Write down your child’s name
4: Tape the chart to the bathroom wall or near the vicinity of the toilet at your child’s level
5: Every time your child successfully uses the toilet, let them use crayons to make checkmarks or stickers to mark their success; follow that up with a reward like a small piece of candy and plenty of praise 🙂
How Can You Make Your Own Potty Training Chart?
If you don’t want to buy a chart and you don’t have a printer at home to print a free chart, you can always make your own chart. This way you can get your child included in the process of creating their own chart. You can also customize the chart to your own needs and include whatever it is that you’re struggling with.
You can also get super creative and use it as an opportunity to have some fun with your toddler. There are SO many ways to create a reward chart; there’s no right or wrong way to go about it. The idea is to get your child excited!
Here are some ideas to get you started.
Begin by deciding if you want to break up the potty training process into steps and have your child get stickers for each step they complete. For younger toddlers this approach works well; for older toddlers you can opt to just give 1 sticker for doing all the steps.
DIY Potty Training Chart (with steps)
Step 1: Choose a paper – white paper, colored paper, chart paper or cardstock paper – whatever you fancy
Step 2: Write down your child’s name at the top. So something like “Sara’s Potty Chart”. Make a line beneath that. You could write this in bubble writing and then your toddler can color that in
Step 3: In the far right corner, start listing 3-4 steps that you want them to complete. Write these, one beneath the other. You could draw cute pictures to go along with each step. Draw a line beneath each step.
Step 4: Draw veritcal lines so you end up with boxes big enough to fit stickers or tick marks
Step 5: Laminate the chart to make it reusable
Step 6: Give your child crayons, markers or stickers to mark their success!
Do potty training charts work in your home? Which ones motivate your toddler? Let us know in the comments section.
Ready to take the stress out of potty training? Interested in getting your toddler excited to train? Check out this potty training value pack that will transform your potty training journey from stressful to fun!
Read these posts next:
15 Steps to Potty Train a Stubborn Toddler Girl in 3 Days
20 Genius Potty Training Reward Ideas (that seriously work!
Potty Training Essentials You Absolutely Can’t Do Without
10 Truly Awful Potty Training Mistakes You Should Know About
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