When we started potty training my eldest daughter I thought it was going to be impossible to leave the house for a while! Then I remembered who I was and knew that could never happen. Here are some tips that have made potty training on the go as smooth as possible, especially when on road trips with kids.
Dress Your Child in Potty Training Friendly Clothes
When potty training it’s important to where clothes that can be easily removed. Save the one pieces that require you to unbutton 20 buttons for when you are confident they won’t wait until the last minute to tell you they have to go. You don’t want them to have an accident because it took too long to get their clothes off.
Potting Training on the Go: Buy a Travel Potty
You’re on a road trip and you see a rest stop sign. You ask your child if they have to pee and they say no. Of course as soon as you pass the rest stop with no exits for 26 miles your child says they have to pee. You won’t be in such a panic if you have a travel potty. We have the Kalencom 2-in-1 Potette Plus and love it.
With this travel potty you can stop on the side of the road to have your child use the bathroom. You can set up the travel potty on your seat or in the trunk. Be sure you also have the disposable bags so your car stays clean. They also allow you to easily dispose of their mess. In addition to being a travel potty it also serves as a trainer seat for home. It fits right over any toilet so you can use it anywhere. With it’s small size it can fit your diaper bag or purse and it comes with a protective bag.
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Set Your Timer When Potty Training on the Go
It is really easy for both your little one to get distracted when you’re out exploring a new environment. Your child can’t hold it as long as you can and they may be so engaged in your adventure that they have an accident. To avoid this set the timer on your phone for every hour. This will make sure you both remember take a bathroom break.
Continue Your Rewards System When Potty Training on the Go
If you reward your child in anyway for using the potty at home be sure to continue that while traveling. You want them to know it’s good to use the potty outside of their home.
It’s Okay to Use Pull-Ups
Even if you have transitioned your child to underwear during the day it’s okay to use Pull-Ups when potty training on the go. When on long car rides or on the plane treat this time like nap time or overnight sleeps. This is especially since they may very well may fall asleep in these instances. Just remind your child this is only for that particular situation and they still need to let you know when they have to go.
Looking for other gear for traveling with kids? Check out my review of the Brica Car Seat Transporter, The Shrunks Toddler Bed, and The Shrunks Inflatable Bed Rails.
Be Prepared in the Event of an Accident
Have a potty training bag with you, in it you can keep your essentials:
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- Travel potty
- Change of clothes and underwear in case of an accident
- Wipes
- A wet bag (a real one or a gallon sized zip lock bag will work) to store clothes in case of an accident
- Pull-Ups
- A thick towel to place on a seat in case they have an accident on the seat that they still need to sit in until you are able to get to your destination and clean it
- Disinfectant wipes to wipe down your travel potty after use
- Post-it notes
Be Prepared for Public Restrooms When Potty Training on the Go
I am a germaphobe and don’t sit on public toilets myself so I wouldn’t dare have my child sit on one. Since kids aren’t tall enough to squat and holding them up can put strain on your back, use your travel potty. If you don’t want the travel potty touching the public toilet consider purchasing disposable toilet seat covers. The toilet seat covers are extra large and hang over the front and sides of the toilet. This makes sure your child won’t touch the seat if they hold onto the sides. The ones they have in public restrooms never cover the entire seat.
A lot of companies sell these such as Summer Infant and Potty Shields. You could also just put down toilet paper down on the seat first. If the toilet has an automatic flush put a post-it note over the sensor. This prevents it from flushing prematurely and freaking out your child or spraying toilet water on them.
Protect Your Car Seat When Potty Training on the Go
If you are on a road trip or having your child sit in their car seat on the plane and don’t like the idea of putting them in Pull-Ups in fear of regression be sure to protect your car seat. There are plenty of waterproof car seat protectors on the market including the Silverflye Piddle Pad, Summer Infant Deluxe Piddle Pad or the Britax Seat Saver Waterproof Liner. Not all car seat manufactures have their own line of waterproof covers like Britax. Most of these liners require being washed before the first use to actually work. Be sure to read the instructions and check the reviews to decide on the best one for you.
We’ve now successfully also potty trained our youngest daughter while traveling a lot. If you found this article helpful please share it!
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Great tips thanks!!