20 Expert Tips on Potty Training Boys

Last Updated on October 4, 2023 by Michele Tripple

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Potty training boys
might seem difficult at first, but with these helpful tips and tricks, you will help your son be out of diapers in no time!

Potty Training Boys

Are you about ready to start potty training your son and are cringing inside just thinking about it?

I feel you so much on this one, trust me! We just finished potty training boy number 3 in our house and I still cringe just thinking about it! 

Only with little boys will you sit them on the toilet only to see pee shooting back at you because the cannon “AKA little boy parts” were not pointed down. 

Speaking from experience don’t sit on a stool in front of them. 

So how do you potty train boys? Do they sit? Do they stand? Do you place them on the toilet backwards?

Well, we are here to help! We are sharing potty training tips for boys to help you and your child be successful!

How to Potty Train a Boy

If you are looking to start potty training a boy, here are some great tips and tricks to help your son successfully use the toilet with hopefully not a lot of clean up! 

Make sure they are ready! 

The first step in how to potty train a boy is to make sure they are ready. There is nothing worse than trying to potty train before they show potty training signs or are motivated to do it. 

Gather Supplies

You might not think about gathering supplies at first, but having the right tools on hand will be a lifesaver! Create your very own potty training kit to have on hand.

So, grab your disinfectant wipes, your parenting potty training books, as well as your kid potty training books for them to look at! 

Don’t forget to have tons of extra pants and potty training underwear on hand! 

And be sure to grab your potty training sticker chart and ALL your potty training bribes

Make sure we are ready! 

Are you ready to start potty training? Be sure that you are emotionally and physically ready to endure lots of trips to the bathroom as well as lots of potty training accidents. 

Not only that make sure you free your schedule so that you are available to do potty training 100% of the time. Don’t plan big outings…

In your mind create a potty training schedule that you are going to try and follow. 

20 Tricks and Tips on How to Potty Train a Boy Easier

Don’t rush him, wait until he is ready!

I tried to potty train my first son when he was almost three and he just wasn’t ready. He had no interest at all. Just like all childhood milestones, each child developments at different times.

Most kids are ready to potty train between their third and fourth birthday. But we all know someone who can potty train their 18-month-old. The reality is, kids are all different and develop different skills at different times.

With that being said, don’t rush him, watch for potty training signs, and don’t stress if other kids are already potty trained. 

Get him involved!

When you are ready to start potty training your son, let him get involved as you prepare! Let him pick out his favorite character underwear or select his favorite candy. Whatever you can think of to help him be invested.

Special book/song for potty time only

Keep a special potty training book in the bathroom or sing a special song only in the bathroom. This helps make potty training time more exciting. 

They won’t mind stopping what they are doing because they know they have something fun to do while going potty.

Make it fun! 

First and foremost, make it fun! You’ll have a lot of one on one time with your kids as you potty train together. Read a lot of books, play with clay, color… anything to keep them busy and still while sitting! 

Be a Cheerleader! 

Be your son’s number one fan! When successful, make sure to make a BIG deal out of his success. It helps if everyone in the family can be excited, too! If you’re really wanting to create excitement, throw a “Big Boy” party!

Lots of praise 

Nothing is more exciting than having someone there to tell you “good job!” Any effort made to go on the toilet should be praised. Even if there are sprays and dribbles that don’t quite make it in the toilet, praise the fact that they tried their best.

Bribery is your friend!

Bribery is a must. At least for us, it was! Use whatever motivates! A small candy for using the potty to pee, and TWO if he poops OR use a potty chart so they can earn a prize. 

The last time we potty trained it was a STRUGGLE until I bought inexpensive toys and had them in a basket. Every time he went to the bathroom he got to pick a toy. He went from no interest to be potty trained with no accidents in just two days. Find what works for your little boy. 

Take him out of diapers and don’t put him back in 

I know it may seem like a daunting task, but once you take off the diapers, do not put it back on. Switching back and forth from diapers to underwear can be confusing for your child. Buy some really great training pants and jump all in when it comes to potty training him. 

Have a conscient schedule 

Make sure you set a timer on your phone every 30 minutes to an hour. This timer will remind you to ask your son if he needs to use the bathroom. Be sure to take him to the bathroom and have him try. Some kids won’t always go, but oftentimes some will. Getting a potty training watch is a huge help!

You can teach him to check to see if he is dry. Helping him recognize being wet is a huge sign of potty training. 

Get your son in the habit of using the bathroom after waking up, before nap times, or right before you leave the house. Make it a routine so they can remember when a good time to go is.

Be prepared when you leave the house

Be Prepared when you leave the house. The true test comes when you leave the house. Help reduce the risk of accidents by having a plan if an accident happens. Bring a change of clothes (or two or three) with you. I always keep a stash in the trunk of your car so you always have some with you. 

Take a potty chair with you

Some moms and dads recommend taking your potty chair with you on outings. This way your son always has a place to go to the bathroom. I personally did not do this, but it works for a lot of people. 

You have to remember when it comes to potty training boys you don’t have to do what others do. Do what works best for you and your son. 

Teach them to point it down…. The WHOLE TIME!

Boys need to point it down THE WHOLE TIME. If they let go for whatever reason, you might have clothes to change, a shower curtain that needs washing, and a puddle to clean up even though they’re sitting on the toilet. Trust me, I know from experience…

Sit first, then stand

When starting to potty train boys it is hard to know if you should have them sit or stand. It is easier to teach your boys to sit first. 

This helps them relax and just learn to use the bathroom rather than having to figure out how to aim at the same time.

Once they’ve mastered sitting, focus on standing and aiming!

Letting him decorate his toilet 

If you opt to buy a small potty training toilet, think about letting him decorate it with stickers. To little kids, the toilet can be a scary thing. In order to make the toilet less scary, go to the store with your son, and have him pick out stickers. Let your son decorate his toilet with the stickers that he has picked out or give him a sticker to place on his toilet everytime he is successful at using the bathroom. 

Avoid Frustrations by Knowing Limitations

Boys can’t stop peeing once they start without serious discomfort. Don’t get frustrated if they have an accident and it JUST. KEEPS. COMING!!!  

Be his example

Both mom and dad can help in this part of potty training boys. Since it’s easier to teach boys to sit down first moms can show the example of how to sit on the toilet.

As they master how to sit on the toilet, dads can then show boys how to stand and pee. Come on dads, we need you!

Science Experiment

Want to see a cool science experiment? Add a few drops of blue food dye to the toilet then let your son pee. Watch as the water turns from blue to green. 

This one can be tricky to get the timing right. Don’t leave blue dye in your toilet for too long. It should be done right before they pee. But knowing the timing of that can be difficult.

Another fun experiment is adding a few drops of dish soap to the toilet. As they pee they will make bubbles. Anything to get them excited, right?

Extra fluids

Giving extra fluids while potty training boys can make going easier. This leads to fuller bladders which means more attempts at trying throughout the day. So fill up those juice cups.

Salty Foods

Along with more fluids, give them salty foods. Think pretzels and chips. This helps them become thirsty and want to drink more. So break out the potato chips and let them get snacking. 

Stay home

Whatever you do, plan to stay home. If you want to be frustrated then by all means go ahead and plan outings. But if you want to make it fun and less stressed just stay home when you first start potty training. 

Ways to Teach Boys to Aim

Teaching boys to aim in the toilet can be difficult. Here are a couple of ways to teach them to aim. 

Pee on a cheerio

If you really want to teach boys to aim, throw a cheerio or two into the toilet. See if they can hit it while they pee. 

Place colored ice cubes in the toilet to practice aim.

Adding colored ice cubes to the toilet gives them an easy target. Plus color makes it more fun! To make these just add water to ice cube trays, add a few drops of food coloring, stir with a spoon or toothpick and freeze. 

What happens if your son has an accident?

Don’t punish mistakes

It can be easy to get mad about accidents that occur. But that is just what they are, accidents. Your son most likely isn’t peeing on the floor on purpose. He is still learning.

If you punish mistakes, they may not want to tell you when they have an accident. Then you will  find it on your own later. Punishing mistakes can also lead to potty training regression.

If he has an accident just say, “uh-oh, let’s clean it up together.” Involve him in the clean up so he can learn.

Don’t be discouraged

If potty training boys has you stressed, don’t worry. All boy moms have felt it. 

Maybe it’s not quite time? 

Give it a week or two and try again. I promise they will be out of diapers by the time they go to school.

Potty training boys is definitely an adventure if you haven’t done it before. But with these helpful tips hopefully, you will feel more confident and ready to potty train them soon! 

What are some of your favorite potty training boy tips? Share in the comments below.

Ready to Potty Train? Check out all these Potty Training Posts to help!

 

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