Potty Seat for Toddler Boy

Updated on February 25, 2010
N.K. asks from Marblehead, MA
13 answers

My toddler boy is almost 21 months now. We have a seat that goes on top of the regular toilet seat and he has used it several times to go potty without any problems. He does NOT yet say that he needs to go potty, but I try to take him when I realize he needs to go so he gets used to the idea :-) The problem is, we have a 1-bathroom house and the bathroom is not always available. So I want to buy a potty seat to use when someone else is using the bathroom. I am considering the 3-in-1 potties, as we do not have a step stool either but could not decide as they seemed like they are a bit bulky and have too many pieces. And we already have the ring that goes on the regular toilet, so I do not need the 3rd function of the 3-in-1 potty. Should I go with a simple potty and a separate step stool (to use when washing hands in the sink)? Which brands would you recommend for a little boy?

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So What Happened?

Thank you for all the helpful suggestions! We got the froggy potty, which is cute and my son likes to sit on it. He still needs to learn to go potty on it though, not just sit :-)))

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K.L.

answers from Madison on

We have the seat cover and both sizes of Baby Bjorn potties. The smaller one was liked by my son, at first, but also awkward for him at the same time due to its smaller size. Seemed like his knees went to his chin :) It is also just one piece and I found it harder to clean out. The larger size was great and the "seat" comes out for easy cleaning. Has been easy to travel with too.

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A.B.

answers from Fargo on

I would get a separate step stool and potty since your reason for buying one in the first place is so he has somewhere to potty when the bathroom is being used by someone else. If you had the combo one, wouldn't that always be in the bathroom and thus defeat the purpose of buying it? As far as him telling you when he has to go, just stat consistent in taking him to the bathroom and eventually he'll start to understand when it is that he has to go. We've been potty training my son since November and he's now really getting the hang of it and telling us before he has an accident. It's SO nice! :)

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R.D.

answers from Des Moines on

For best practicality and use, I'd look into a travel potty for use when the bathroom is occupied and get a separate step stool.

There are several different types of travel potties (some have liners or bags that can just be tossed if you're on the go), so I recommend just looking around for something that suits your needs/budget. I think Boon makes a nice one, and I got the Fisher-Price model as it seemed sturdy and has a travel bag. It works well for us as I can just throw it in the back of the car to have along if we're at a park or someplace without facilities.

We have two inexpensive plastic stepstools with the rubber grips on the bottom and they are much better than the "fancy" wooden one that we paid a lot more for. They're easier for my son to move where he needs them and they don't slip.

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M.O.

answers from Chicago on

I'd get the 3 in1 potty seat. Not only can he use it outside of the bathroom then, but also as a step stool later. Also, don't expect him to stick with the potty training. There seems to be a window at 18-22 mos where they are interested and start going...then that fades and they get too busy to stop playing to go potty. Many parents get very upset with this.

My point is, when it's summer time, you can bring the 3 in 1 potty outside onto your patio/deck like we did. My kids use their little "port o potty" when they are covered with sand. I also have a fridge jug that has a spout on it that they turn "on" to wash their hands outside. When we did potty training outside, accidents are no big deal and they can run around with simple elastic shorts on (no underpants, training pants or diapers).

We also have brought our port o potty camping too. That way, little ones don't have to trek all the way to the bath house (not always close by, esp at the state parks). It's great for middle of the night too! Our kids were 5 nad 3 at the time. (My DH thought I was overpacking until he saw our kids using it regularly. He forgot how hard it is for them to hold it very long once they tell you they have to go - not to mention WALK all the way to the bath house. Not to mention the real port o potties in the parks are big, stinky and I was afraid the kids might fall in!)

Also, we do have a step stool in our downstairs bathroom. It's from Target. It's wooden, has two steps and has storage underneath.

If you want a cheap step stool otherwise, IKEA has a plain plastic one with little non-slip treads on it. It's easy to stack or use for grownups too.

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R.V.

answers from Minneapolis on

One if the best pieces of advice that I got for potty training was to let my son pick out his own potty. He ended up picking one of the 3-in-1 styles and he did very well with it. We have an elongated toilet so the seat did not work to transition to the big potty and I already had a bjorn seat for the big potty. None of us liked the stool phase of the potty chair so it was not used very much as a stool. So in short I recommend letting him pick the one he wants, keep your ring and get a good step stool.

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R.M.

answers from Nashville on

I second the baby Bjorn. I got a 3 in 1 first, and honestly, the step stool part of it didn't feel nearly as secure as it should, so I won't be using it to step on.

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S.S.

answers from Minneapolis on

Target has a simple $8 stool that is white with a non skid blue top that doesn't come apart. It works great as a second stool and a step stool.

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K.B.

answers from Minneapolis on

I would get a seperate step stool and potty. As your son gets older and is potty trained, he may still need a step stool for washing hands, brushing teeth, or helping in the kitchen, etc. He probably won't want to use his baby potty as the step stool and it takes more room then a seperate step stool would as well.

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M.R.

answers from Chicago on

I'd say skip the ones that double as a step-stool. My kid is nearly 3, been "showing interest in the potty" since 18 months, but all he wants to do is play on the darn step stool (which is the actually potty when the lid is closed). He could careless about it being a potty chair.

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R.J.

answers from El Paso on

We personally used the Fisher Price Royal stepstool potty chair. Worked great for us cause it makes noise every time they potty into it. Great reward for him! We could transport it to any room which worked great when you're trying to remember to make them go every hour. And we used it for a stepstool when he was in the bathroom. Now that he's using the potty full time, we still use it as a stepstool in the kids bathroom upstairs. It'll do double duty in a few months once we start potty training baby girl.

We also had the seat that goes right on top and used the potty step stool just as a step stool once he started wanting to go like a "big boy" (his words). We didn't mind spending the extra money just because we knew would have more kids and all of the equipment would be used again.

If you already have the toilet seat that fits on top, you can just buy one of those small Rubbermaid steps that are small and less than 10 bucks. We push it into the corner of the bathroom whenever it's not being used and it works great cause it's small enough for them but not big and in the way when anyone else needs to use the bathroom. HTH!

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N.F.

answers from Minneapolis on

We tried this one... http://www.target.com/Boon-Potty-Bench-Training-Toilet/dp... ...and it was way too small for our boy and he made such a mess because the splash guard was just weird.
I got this potty and we love it!! http://www.walmart.com/ip/Fisher-Price-Precious-Planet-Fr... I did see it at Target the other day as well.

Good Luck!! Our 34 month old still doesn't ask to go to the potty but will go anytime we sit him down. Boys are usually a little more stubborn...don't push it just go with the flow and he will eventually get it.

N.B.

answers from Minneapolis on

I highly recommend the Fisher Price Froggy Potty. Its very simplistic in design...making it very easy to clean...no nooks and crannys and weird places for "overspray" to get thru and drip all over when you seperate things to clean it or empty it out. Its 2 pieces..the base..and a formed piece to catch the waste. A child has to sit a bit wide legged on it..great for boys or girls, but I bought it to train a few boys in my childcare....I needed something with that higher front and did not want to spend alot of money, or have something complicated or difficult to clean.

I got mine at Walmart for about $12...worth every penny. Its cute, simplistic, easy to clean and inexpensive.

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

We have the Baby Bjorn potty chair.
Here is a link:
http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Bjorn-Large-Potty-Chair/dp/B00...

You can take it to any room and use it, putting it near your child. They don't need a step stool for it. They just sit on it.
Both my kids, have potty trained using this. And they also then went on the toilet with a toilet seat ring, as they progressed.

Right now, your son is still learning, and they may not be able to "hold" it, until the bathroom is available. So, in the meantime, a potty chair is really useful.

Also, as he progresses in potty training, in time, he will on his own, start to tell you when he has to pee/poop. Just not yet. Potty training occurs in stages and is a process. It also has to do with the myelin development of the nerves.

Keep in mind, that dryness during night-time and naps, will not or may not occur yet. Night-time dryness... can even take until 7 years old, which is normal. And accidents may still occur. And per our Pediatrician.
One step at a time.
For night-time... once he is at that stage, a waterproof bed-pad is very good to have... put it right under him, and it makes clean up much easier. I have about 4 that I change out and launder as needed, if my kids wet the bed at night or during naps.

Also useful, is a car potty. For times you are in a car and there is no bathroom in sight or the child cannot hold it or wait until you reach your destination. On www.amazon.com just put in the search words "on the go potty". The car potty, has been a literal life saver for us and our kids. Our friends have these car potty's too. Very useful.

Potty training is in 3-4 stages:
1) daytime peeing "mastery" and in the toilet, being able to tell you and pull down their own pants.
2) pooping in toilet and mastery of it.
3) night-time/nap time dryness.
Also, their ability to "hold" it until they reach the bathroom and them telling you before they have to go pee/poop. AND their gradual ability to actually wipe themselves... which will take until he gets older.

Well sorry for rambling and the extra suggestions.
But the baby bjorn potty chair is really great.

All the best,
Susan

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