The Potty

Yes, you will need a little toilet because otherwise your poor child's little tushy will fall right in the bowl of an adult-sized toilet. But have no fear, there are so many options out there for a little toilet...

Singing Potties

There are potties that sing when a "contribution" is made (gotta love their polite terminology!), like this one:

The potty seat is removable and fits on the regular toilet if/when your child wants that.

Pros: there is no doubt about when your child has gone... which can be plus especially in the early stages when only a few drops dribble out at a time.

Cons: singing potties are more expensive that other little potties.

Combination Potty/Step-ladder

There are potty seat/step stool combinations that go on the big potty, like this one:

The potty seat is removable and fits on the regular toilet if/when your child wants that.

Pros: encourages your child to go on the big potty from the very start...

the ladder can also be used to help your child wash his or her hands.

Cons: more expensive than other little potties, and some combination potties seem flimsy, according to some reviews.

No Frills Potty

There are little potties that don't sing, don't have their own toilet paper holder, and don't make noise. There are two kinds of no-frills potties...

They look like a miniature potty, complete with a seat and a lid, like this one:

OR they can look like a one piece chair, like this:

I think the miniature potty model because I think it helped Madeleine make the association between going in her potty and in the toilet. Also, the potty chair doesn't have a removable seat for the adult toilet, so you'll have to buy that separately.

Pros: because this potty is so small and light you can literally take it with you anywhere, which is helpful when working on pottying outside the comfort of your home. In the beginning of training my daughter when we go out, I put her no-frills potty in the front seat of my car, just in case of emergency.

Cons: no frills to help make potty time fun

Just the Seat

If you don't want to fool with a little potty at all, you can just buy a little potty seat like this:

Pros: very inexpensive

Cons: Your child may prefer his or her own little potty... and you will likely want the convenience of moving the little potty wherever you need to, like in front of the TV for the beginning of training.

Important Considerations

• Some potties are constructed to be better suited for a boy (with a splash guard)
• Some are more sturdy than others
• Some are easier to tote along than others

So, consider your situation, read the online reviews (clicking any of the potty images above will take you to the potty reviews amazon), and choose accordingly.