Ah, the dreaded “potty training days.” I feared these days when my daughter showed readiness signs because I was unaware of how to potty train, let alone how to potty train a girl. So, I did plenty of research and learned tips and tricks from other moms with girls to make this experience as effective, fun, and educational as possible. And since potty training a girl can be tricky, I’m sharing with you the tricks I learned that helped me have potty training success with my daughter!
Potty Training Tips for Girls That Work
Potty training a toddler girl can feel overwhelming, but these five real-life strategies made the process easier—and even fun—for our family.
1. Go Shopping Together for “Big Girl Panties”
Before the training even begins, get some potty training must-haves. Even better, get your little girl excited about this change with a shopping trip. My daughter and I made a big deal about our “big girl panties shopping day.” I hyped it up for a couple of days, letting her know she would have a special mommy-daughter bonding time to buy something just for her. While she didn’t fully understand the meaning or functionality behind the panties, the fact that she got to choose her favorite designs made it something she was excited to start wearing. This also created a desire for her to select Peppa Pig over Pampers.
2. Go Diaper-less for a Few Days
Once it came time for the training to start, I blocked off an entire long weekend with no plans—no leaving the house, no going to the zoo, no running errands. For three days, I let my daughter run around diaper-less, and I placed puppy pads on the furniture. I explained that when she needed to potty, she should go to the bathroom and sit on the potty to do it. And very often, I said to her, “Tell me when you have to go potty.” It’s important to note that I never asked her if she had to go potty because the answer would likely be no!
Of course, she had plenty of accidents because she wasn’t used to relieving herself anywhere but inside her diaper. And if I noticed she started to trickle a little bit, I’d pick her up and lead her over to the nearest potty. Once she finished, I let her look at it, so she started to grasp the concept little by little. By the third day, she mostly had it figured out!
3. Give Her a Treat Every Time She Goes
Bribery, what a beautiful thing! Many moms might not agree with me on this one, but this worked for my little girl. And you don’t have to think of it as bribery, but rather a reward! I explained that I’d give her a treat if she went potty on the potty. Of course, these treats don’t have to be sugar-filled or candy-coated. It could be anything that interests your little girl — time outside, a sticker, a chance to watch her favorite TV show, etc. On top of the treat, we would exuberantly rejoice every time she used the potty. We’d dance, shout, sing, and giggle, which brought joy to the event, lessening fear and eliminating frustrations.
4. Show Her the Proper Way to Wipe / Clean Up
Here’s the deal with little girls — teaching them how to wipe is essential. Since their bodies are designed differently from a little boy’s, educating her on how to clean herself will help her develop hygiene skills that she will practice for the rest of her life. After every time Lace would pee, I’d wipe for her and show her the importance of wiping front to back. Once I wiped for her, I’d let her have a turn so that she could get the hang of it herself. When it comes to going poop on the potty, you can ask your little girl to lean forward (while she’s still sitting on the potty), and you wipe her from behind and then let her have a chance to try it, too. And finally, of course, after flushing, hand washing is essential!
5. Overall, Be Consistent
The main thing about potty training a girl is to be consistent. Trust me. I know it can be a frustrating process. She will have accidents, meltdowns, and days when she refuses to go. And it might take way longer than just one weekend for her to understand the process — and if that’s the case, that’s okay; do it again when you both feel ready. However, I recommend not going back to diapers as much as possible because when you say goodbye to diapers, it really should be forever; otherwise, it’s not as serious.
Either way, give your little girl some credit—she is brilliant. And give her some extra patience, because this is like learning a new language for her. She will ultimately understand this, and once she does, she (and you) will feel empowered and accomplished. Potty training takes time, patience, and flexibility, but you’ve got this. Stay consistent, celebrate the small wins, and know that every step forward is a victory worth cheering for.
