I'll preface this by saying I will not be telling you what strategy or book to read to potty train your child because I do not feel equipped to do so. Quite honestly, we were blessed with potty training our first- we didn't follow any specific method except for the "let him be nakey and run around method." It was the start of the pandemic and we were stuck inside anyways so we placed the potty in our living room and slowly let him get used to it without putting much pressure on him. To our surprise he was fully potty trained by 22 months old. Listed here are the essential things needed throughout the potty training experience in addition to whichever method you do use!
1. Potty Books - These are our favorite books to read as we learn about going on the potty. Daniel Tiger Potty Time has a very catchy and helpful song to sing to your toddler, P is For Potty has flaps to lift and shows Elmo's cousin learning to use the potty just like he does, P-O-T-T-Y is sung to the tune of B-I-N-G-O which of course makes it fun, Everybody Potties is a cute reminder of how normal it is to use the potty and how everybody does it, and Potty is a simple one that has been around for awhile yet both my kids love so much.
2. Underwear - I have purchased all of these undies and have been very pleased with the quality and sizing for my kids (and of course the adorable prints). Another suggestion is getting your child involved in choosing which big kid undies they want, which could mean looking online together, or taking them to Target to pick out a special set.
3. Summer My Size Training Potty - How cute is this? I love that it looks like a real toilet. It has a flusher that makes a real noise. It has a removable top that you can fit onto a regular toilet seat when making that transition. AND it has a little compartment you can put wipes into.
4. OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty - If you subscribe to NFMS emails, you already know how much I love this portable potty and how much it has served us this past year. Such a great thing to have stored in the car especially for trips to the playground, to places that may not have a restroom, and long road trips. OR for those times when you are by yourself with the kids and you don't want to lug them all out of the car into a dirty public restroom- in comes the portable potty!
5. Munchkin faucet extenders - It may sound silly, but these extenders were really helpful for us. I would get so frustrated trying to hold my son up in awkward ways to reach the water to wash his hands, the water would get everywhere and I was pregnant so my big belly made things more difficult. Whatever the situation may be, these extenders make it easier for kids to simply reach the water and wash hands by themselves.
6. Wooden Step Stool - I initially bought this one because it is sturdy and quite honestly looked a little nicer in our bathroom. Now we use the wooden one upstairs and the Folding Step stool downstairs. I like the foldable one now since we can easily store it if we have guests over.