Potty Learning Fun at our #PampersEasyUps Potty Party!

This potty learning post was sponsored by Pampers. All opinions are my own.

I can’t believe it’s almost time! Time to pack away our cloth diapers, time to put away our diaper bag, time to stop keeping a stash of sposies in the car. Our 2-year-old is starting to learn how to use the potty!

::queue tears of sorrow…and joy::

So when Pampers asked us to throw a party to kick off our milestone and spread some useful tips about potty learning, we were all about it. After all, we want to make this a fun and positive experience for our last little learner.

::more tears::

Ok. Enough tears. Let’s party!

Pampers sent us a big box of fun stuff – everything we’d need to throw the ultimate potty learning party for kids of all ages.

Because some of our guests were older, we decided to go with a Letter P theme. Potty, of course, but also popcorn! And pops! And playing games for prizes!

We even played a game that everyone, big or little, could participate in: Put the Pompon in the Potty Ring!

And naturally, we busted out the bouncy house…until we got rained out, that is.

But any excuse to get out the bouncy house is a good one, right? Even if only for a little while!

Our guest of honor (Elliette, above) was excited to send all of her friends home with a pack of Easy Ups and a copy of the super cute book, It’s You and Me Against the Pee… and the Poop too! written by Julia Cook and Laura Jana, M.D, who also sent along a few of her best potty learning tips for me to pass along to you.

Promote potty learning. Instead of referring to your child’s transition from wearing diapers to using the potty as “potty training,” consider calling it “potty learning.” After all, mastering this eagerly anticipated milestone of childhood takes time, teaching, and plenty of practice and patience!

Take a teamwork approach. From the outset, I find it helps to keep in mind that potty training is a team sport. If you simply remind yourself that you are (and always will be) on the same team as your child, it can really help you stay calm in the face of potty accidents and be a much more positive and effective potty training coach.

Stock your deck. Part of the secret to your child’s potty success will involve being well equipped and removing any obstacles that stand between your child and potty success. Sure, this typically includes a fun trip out to purchase a brand new first set of coveted “big-boy” or “big-girl” underwear. But it also means having on hand other practical supplies that can help foster your child’s interest and independence – from a step stool (to improve access to the toilet) or potty seat to training pants. That’s why I’m happy to partner with Pampers, whose Easy Ups training pants are designed to help the diaper-to-underwear transition by allowing potty-training toddlers to set aside their diapers and wear something with more of an underwear-like look and feel that still helps contain accidental messes no matter whether they happen at home, on-the-go or overnight.

Embrace success. As with any learning experience, young children can learn a lot from both their potty successes and their failures. While potty accidents are an inevitable (and admittedly inconvenient) aspect of potty learning, they shouldn’t dominate your day-to-day discussions. Instead, simply help your child learn to cope with (and clean up) any messes and focus your attention on celebrating your child’s successes with plenty of hugs and words of encouragement.

Watch for the signs. There are several characteristic signs and developmental abilities you can watch for that suggest children are ready to potty train. These signs of potty training readiness typically include the ability to use their words to express themselves, toddle their own way to the bathroom, pull down their own pants, and to be aware of the sensation of peeing or pooping (characteristically noticeable when young children suddenly stop what they’re doing as they feel themselves start to pee. Or when they start hiding behind the sofa or standing in a corner to poop. It is also helpful (and increases the likelihood of potty training interest) when children start to be bothered by their poopy and/or wet diapers, as that can serve as a good motivation for using the potty instead!

Start making connections. There’s a lot that you can do to help your child be well-prepared to use the potty successfully long before he actually starts to. Reading fun and engaging children’s books about potty training, such as You and Me Against the Pee! (which I co-authored) can go a long way towards making the idea of potty training a family and eagerly anticipated one. You can take this familiarity a step further by letting your toddler accompany you in to the bathroom when you need to go so that he both becomes familiar with the routine and comfortable with the idea of using the toilet, rather than being afraid of or intimidated by it!

About Pampers® Easy Ups

Potty learning is an important milestone, and comes at a time when kids are starting to become fiercely independent. Pampers Easy Ups can help the diaper-to-underwear transition by allowing potty-training toddlers to set aside their diapers and wear something with more of an underwear-like design that still helps keep accidental messes contained no matter whether they happen at home, on-the-go or overnight. With up to 12 hours of protection, it works during the day AND night, enabling toddlers and moms to confidently and completely transition from diapers towards underwear.

 Why are we using Pampers Easy Ups?

We’re a family on the go, and since they have an absorbent core that holds 25% more than the other leading training pant, Pampers Easy Ups® which means we can trust them not to slow us down. (We’re slow enough now that we’ve starting introducing the idea of public restrooms!) The stretchy sides make it easy for our little one to potty on her own, and that’s good because she CAN DO IT HERSELF, MAMA.

Other fun features:

• Fun Thomas & Friends® designs for boys and Dora the Explorer® designs for girls (or either, for both 😉 )
• A more underwear-like design for growing toddlers
• Graphics that fade when wet to help little ones learn
• Available for Boys and Girls sizes 2T/3T through 4T/5T

Visit the Pampers Website to learn more about Easy Ups and their Rewards program (you can earn by submitting reviews at Pampers.com.) Stay in the loop on current news and promotions by following Pampers on Twitter and Facebook.

Huge thanks to Pampers for starting our latest potty learning journey off with a bang. As much as I get sentimental about my baby growing up, there’s no question that it’s cause to celebrate!

Potty on, little one!

Have your kids started learning how to use the potty yet? What’s your best potty learning tip?