Potty training is one of those parenting milestones that sounds simple until you are suddenly carrying tiny underwear, emergency pants, and a full emotional support system in your diaper bag.
Before we started, I thought potty training would mostly be about the potty itself.
In reality, the things that helped us most were the little comfort items and toddler confidence-builders around the potty: something to help him relax, something to make public bathrooms less intimidating, something to make accidents less dramatic, and something to make the whole process feel a little more fun.
These are the potty training items that actually helped us with my toddler.
Not every family needs all of them. But if you are staring at a potty chair, a toddler who is deeply suspicious, and a pile of laundry, these are the things I would consider.
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Parent note: This post shares my personal experience only and is not medical advice. If your child is struggling with constipation, pain, stool withholding, frequent accidents, or potty training concerns, please talk with your pediatrician.
Quick List: Potty Training Items That Helped Us Most
Here are the potty training items I found genuinely useful:
- A bubble tool, bubble kazoo, pinwheel, or straw-in-a-cup trick for relaxing on the potty
- A fold-up travel potty or travel toilet seat
- A mini training toilet for toddlers scared of the big toilet
- Potty training books
- Fun absorbent underwear your toddler gets to choose
- A wet bag for accidents
- Extra clothes packed and ready to go
- A small prize or reward system
- A step stool for comfort and independence
- Easy-off pants or shorts
- A potty timer or visual routine
- Wipes and hand sanitizer for outings
- Waterproof mattress protection for the nap/night transition
1. A Bubble Tool for Helping Them Relax on the Potty
This was the potty training item I did not expect to be so helpful.
A way to blow bubbles can be surprisingly useful when your toddler is trying to poop on the potty. You can use a bubble kazoo, regular bubbles, a straw in a cup of water, a pinwheel, or even pretend birthday candles.
The idea is simple: blowing encourages a slow exhale, gives your toddler something to focus on, and may help their body relax instead of clenching.
For us, this made going number two shockingly easier.
It also made the potty feel less like a high-pressure performance and more like a little activity.
A few easy options:
- Blow bubbles while sitting on the potty
- Blow through a straw into a cup of water
- Use a bubble kazoo
- Blow a pinwheel
- Pretend to blow out candles
- Make silly animal sounds with a long exhale
I would not present this as “you need to poop now.” I would keep it playful: “Want to blow some bubbles while we sit?”
That tiny shift can make the whole moment feel less tense.
Best for: toddlers who seem nervous, tense, distracted, or resistant when trying to poop on the potty.
Not ideal if: you don’t have time to clean up bubble spills. In that case, a pinwheel may be easier.
2. A Fold-Up Travel Potty or Travel Toilet Seat
A travel potty was one of those items that made me feel less trapped at home.
Potty training can make leaving the house feel terrifying. You finally get some momentum, and then suddenly you are standing in a public bathroom with a loud hand dryer, an automatic flush, and a toddler who wants absolutely nothing to do with it.
A fold-up travel toilet seat or portable potty can help make outings feel more manageable.
Depending on your child, you may prefer:
- A foldable seat that sits on top of a regular toilet
- A standalone travel potty with disposable liners
- A car potty for emergencies
- A compact potty seat that fits in a diaper bag
For us, the biggest benefit was comfort and familiarity. Public toilets can be big, loud, cold, and honestly kind of scary for a toddler. Having something smaller and more predictable helped.
Best for: errands, playgrounds, road trips, restaurants, daycare transitions, and toddlers who are nervous in public bathrooms.
Mom tip: Keep it in the car even after the intense potty training phase. It can save you during the “I have to go RIGHT NOW” era.
Shop the Potty Training Must Have List
See all my toddler potty training essentials in one place on my Amazon storefront.
3. A Mini Potty Chair if They Are Scared of the Big Toilet
Some toddlers are completely fine sitting on a regular toilet.
Other toddlers look at the big toilet like you have asked them to sit on the edge of a cliff.
If your child is scared of the big toilet, a mini potty chair can be a helpful bridge.
The mini potty gives them a place where their feet touch the floor, their body feels stable, and the whole experience feels less intimidating.
I know some parents prefer to skip the little potty because cleaning it is not exactly glamorous. Fair. But if the big toilet is creating a power struggle, the mini potty can make the process feel much more toddler-sized.
Best for: toddlers who are scared of the toilet, worried about falling in, sensitive to loud flushing, or more comfortable with independence.
Worth considering: If you use a mini potty, keep wipes, toilet paper, and a small cleaning routine nearby.
4. Potty Training Books for Curious Toddlers
Potty training books were helpful because they made the concept feel normal before we were in the middle of it.
Some toddlers want to understand everything. They want to know what is happening, why everyone does it, where the poop goes, and why they are being asked to stop using the diaper they have known their whole life.
Books give you a low-pressure way to talk about it.
You can read them:
- Before starting potty training
- While sitting on the potty
- After an accident
- Before nap or bedtime
- When your toddler is showing curiosity
I liked having a couple of potty books in rotation because it made potty training feel less like a sudden parental agenda and more like “this is just something kids learn.”
Best for: curious toddlers, toddlers who love books, and kids who do better when they understand what is coming.
Mom tip: Keep the tone casual. You do not need to turn every potty book into a lecture. Sometimes just reading it and letting them absorb the idea is enough.
5. Underwear They Are Excited to Wear
Let them pick the design.
This is such a simple thing, but toddler buy-in matters.
Dinosaurs, trucks, princesses, Bluey-style characters, superheroes, animals—whatever makes them excited. If they feel proud of their absorbent underwear, they may feel more connected to the process.
I would not use it in a shamey way like, “Don’t ruin your special underwear.” That can add pressure.
Instead, I would frame it as: “You picked such cool underwear. Let’s try to keep them dry, and if there’s an accident, we’ll clean up and try again.”
Because there will be accidents.
And that is okay.
Best for: helping toddlers feel ownership and excitement.
Mom tip: Buy more pairs of potty training underwear than you think you need. Laundry math gets very real during potty training.
6. A Wet Bag for Accidents on the Go
A wet bag is one of my favorite practical potty training items because it makes accidents feel less dramatic.
If your toddler has an accident at the playground, library, store, or friend’s house, you can put the wet clothes in the bag, zip it, and move on.
That is the key part: move on.
A wet bag helps you avoid the awkward plastic-bag scramble, the wet-clothes-touching-everything problem, and the emotional spiral where a small accident suddenly feels like a whole event.
Best for: diaper bags, preschool bags, daycare, car kits, and travel.
What to pack with it:
- 1–2 pairs of underwear
- Extra pants or shorts
- Socks
- Wipes
- A small pack of tissues
- Hand sanitizer
- A plastic bag or second wet bag for shoes if needed
7. A Full Change of Clothes Ready to Grab
The wet bag is only half the system.
The other half is having a full change of clothes ready before you need it.
Potty training confidence is fragile. When an accident happens, being able to calmly say, “No big deal, let’s change,” is so much easier when you are actually prepared.
I liked having a small potty training go-bag ready with underwear, pants, socks, and wipes.
Not because I expected perfection.
Because I expected real life.
Best for: keeping outings from being derailed by one accident.
Mom tip: Do not forget socks. Somehow socks always get involved.
8. A Small Prize or Reward That Fits Your Family
Rewards do not have to be candy or big toys.
A prize can be:
- A sticker
- A stamp
- A high five
- A silly dance
- A game you play together
- A book you read together
- A small token
- A sticker chart
- A special song
- One-on-one attention
For my toddler, the reward worked best when it felt fun and positive, not like pressure.
Some kids love sticker charts. Some kids do better with immediate praise. Some kids want to call Grandma and announce their accomplishment to the entire family.
The best reward is the one that motivates your actual child without making the potty feel stressful.
Best for: toddlers who respond well to encouragement, celebration, or visual progress.
Worth remembering: You can reward effort, not just success. Sitting, trying, telling you, washing hands, and helping change can all be part of the learning process.
Looking for small rewards perfect for little hands? Check out my list of 12 Montessori aligned toys that would be perfect.
Shop the Potty Training Must Have List
See all my toddler potty training essentials in one place on my Amazon storefront.
9. A Step Stool for the Toilet and Sink
A step stool helps with two things: comfort and independence.
If your toddler is using the big toilet, having their feet supported can help them feel more stable. It also makes handwashing easier, which becomes a huge part of the routine.
A step stool near the sink also helps the whole process flow:
Potty. Wipe. Flush. Wash hands. Done.
The more predictable the routine feels, the less you have to narrate every single step.
Best for: toddlers using a regular toilet or potty seat, and toddlers learning the full bathroom routine.
10. Easy-Off Pants
This is not glamorous, but it matters.
Potty training is not the moment for complicated buttons, tight leggings, overalls, rompers, or anything that requires adult-level fine motor skills.
Choose pants your toddler can pull down quickly.
Think:
- Loose joggers
- Elastic-waist shorts
- Soft pants
- Dresses with shorts underneath if that works for your child
- Pajama-style bottoms at home
Those extra seconds matter when your toddler announces they have to go with approximately 1.5 seconds of warning.
Best for: building independence and reducing last-second panic.
11. A Simple Potty Routine or Visual Reminder
Some toddlers do better when they know what to expect.
You can keep this very simple:
- Potty after waking up
- Potty before leaving the house
- Potty before nap
- Potty before bath
- Potty before bedtime
A visual routine can be helpful if your child likes pictures. You can make one with simple icons: potty, wipe, flush, wash hands, sticker.
This is not about forcing them to go constantly. It is about giving the day a rhythm.
Best for: toddlers who like routines, visual cues, or predictable steps.
12. Wipes, Hand Sanitizer, and Public Bathroom Helpers
Public bathrooms are their own chapter of potty training.
A few small items can make them less chaotic:
- Wipes
- Hand sanitizer
- Sticky notes to cover automatic flush sensors
- A travel toilet seat
- Extra training underwear
- A wet bag
- A small pack of tissues
- A change of clothes
Automatic flush toilets can scare toddlers, so covering the sensor with a sticky note can help prevent the surprise flush while they are sitting.
Best for: public bathroom fear, errands, travel, and newly potty trained toddlers.
13. Waterproof Mattress Protection for the Next Phase
Daytime potty training and sleep dryness are not always the same timeline.
A waterproof mattress protector or washable pad can make the nap and nighttime transition feel less stressful when your child is ready.
This is more of a later-stage item, but I still think it is worth having on hand.
Best for: nap training, nighttime transitions, or toddlers who are mostly trained but still have occasional accidents.
What I Would Pack in a Potty Training Car Kit
Here is the simple car kit I would keep ready:
- Travel potty or fold-up toilet seat
- Wet bag
- 2 pairs of underwear
- 1–2 pairs of pants
- Socks
- Wipes
- Hand sanitizer
- Sticky notes for automatic flush toilets
- Small reward or sticker sheet
- Disposable liners if using a portable potty
This made leaving the house feel so much less intimidating.
Shop the Potty Training Accident Bag
See all my toddler potty training essentials in one place on my Amazon storefront.
What Helped My Toddler the Most
The biggest lesson for me was that potty training was not just about teaching a skill.
It was about helping my toddler feel safe, comfortable, confident, and not embarrassed while learning something completely new.
The bubble trick helped him relax.
The travel potty helped us leave the house.
The wet bag and extra clothes helped accidents feel like a quick reset instead of a disaster.
The fun underwear helped him feel excited.
The prizes helped us keep the energy positive.
None of these items made potty training magically easy, but together they made it feel a lot more manageable.
And honestly, that is the goal.
My Potty Training Favorites
Best overall helper: Bubble tool, bubble kazoo, pinwheel, or straw-in-a-cup trick
Best for outings: Fold-up travel potty or travel toilet seat
Best for toilet fear: Mini potty chair
Best confidence-builder: Fun training underwear they choose
Best accident-management item: Wet bag and change of clothes
Best motivation: Stickers, special books, games, or small rewards
Best bathroom routine helper: Step stool
Shop the Potty Training Must Haves List
See all my toddler potty training essentials in one place on my Amazon storefront.
Toddler Potty Training Tips Final Thoughts
Potty training can feel like a lot, but you do not need a complicated system or a house full of potty gear.
You need a few thoughtful tools that solve the real problems:
Helping your toddler relax.
Making the toilet less scary.
Making outings possible.
Handling accidents calmly.
Keeping the process positive.
These were the potty training items that actually helped us, and they made the whole season feel less overwhelming for both of us.
If you are in the thick of it, take a breath. Pack the extra pants. Bring the wet bag. Celebrate the tiny wins.
Your toddler is learning, and you are learning how to support them through it.
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