Have you heard about the “potty train in 3 days” method that’s so popular with parents everywhere? It actually works!
Even better, it’s not difficult.
You need lots and lots of patience, love, and the ability to give your child your complete attention for 3 days.
Expect some accidents and remember that they aren’t the end of the world. Learning to use the potty by themselves is a big deal for kids. Don’t give the accidents a spotlight but focus instead on every little win.
How to Potty Train in 3 Days…
Prepare to Potty Train
1. Block off 3 days that can be devoted entirely to your child and to potty training. Lots of parents set aside a weekend.
2. Get your head in a positive, calm space and make up your mind that the next 3 days are going to produce amazing results.
3. Shop for a few things that’ll make everything easier.
Plenty of your child’s favorite drinks.
Rewards – stickers, inexpensive little toys, bubbles. Anything small little treasure they’ll like is perfect.
Fun books. You’ll be reading books to them while they’re on the potty, so if they don’t have many, get some from the library.
Big kid underwear with their favorite characters on them.
A brand new potty – of course!
Potty Train – Day One
Taking off the diaper is the first step to the 3-day potty training method. Your little one is going to love walking around with nothing on their bottom!
Your constant attention is needed, and I do mean constant. We don’t want your kiddo peeing on the floor if you can help it.
Show them the awesome new potty they have and put it somewhere that’s easy for both of you to see, quick to get to, and easy to access.
Bring it out into the living room!
Give them plenty to drink. After all, that’s the key to having to go to the bathroom a lot, and that’s what you want.
Your job today is to watch them closely and every time they show any sign of possibly needing to go to the bathroom, take them to their potty. You’re going to have to move fast, which is why you need their potty to be close by.
Potty Train – Day Two
Start the day the same way as day one, with no diaper or pants. Offer lots of praise about how well they did yesterday.
On day two, you’ll be using a timer. Take them to their potty every 30 minutes whether they need to go or not.
Give them a fun book and read to them while they’re sitting there.
This will not be a “short sit.” They need to be on the potty a while, and you’ll want to make that a fun experience for them.
When they use the potty, make sure they get a reward and lots and lots of praise.
Remember, they’re going to have some accidents. Whatever you do, don’t chastise them for it.
An accident will give them the opportunity to know how uncomfortable it is to feel wet.
It’s not the same sensation as having a wet diaper. It’s good for them to feel the difference.
Potty Train – Day 3
Today you’ll let them go to the potty by themselves, but continue to watch them closely.
Pile on the praises and give a reward when they go to the potty by themselves.
Provide encouragement and a little bit of guidance when they need it.
That’s the 3-day potty training method!
If it takes a little longer than 3 days, that’s okay!
Their little brains are learning and just as important, they are getting lots of attention and accolades from Mom and Dad. That can only be a good thing, right?
I can’t wait to hear how the potty train in 3 days goes for you. If you’ve potty trained your kiddo, pretty please tell me about it. Comment with your ups, downs, and tips that work. Your experience can help lots of other parents potty train their kids.
You may also like these…
Leave a Review!
We LOVE hearing from you! Submit your question or comment here.
Your email address will not be published.
36 comments on “How to Potty Train In 3 Days”
My grandson is 4 does good with the peeing but will hide and poop on himself! I don’t know if maybe he fell in the toilet or what but he will not use a potty or toilet for #2!
I know my 20month old daughter is ready for potty training…..I ask her if she did “A Stinky” and she will tell me whether she has or not. She will lift toilet seat up and try to climb on herself, she grabs toilet paper and will wipe and even flush. I bought her a toilet, it actually looks just like a real toilet, it even flushes!!! However, we have to keep it in our closet, up high where she cant reach it. If I do keep it in living room, she will pick it up(the potty) and carry it into the kitchen, the use it as a stool to reach whatever she wants on my kitchen counter…. TV remote, my phone, markers etc. I will tell her No No, we dont stand on potty, u go Pee Pee on potty. I move it back into living room, she drags in back into kitchen, this goes on and on and on. Then I eventually have to put it back in closet on top shelf. What do I do????
Try putting it in the bathroom.
I am having trouble getting her to stay on the potty she wa simply walks away ♀️
I potty trained my 1.5 yo trying to use this method. It is definitely much harder the older they are (I think), in some cases. I honestly tried it because I wasn’t in a position where I could afford many diapers. We were very successful though it did take 4 days instead of the 3.
The first day I gave her breakfast before changing her diaper in the am. Loaded her with water (wouldn’t recommend giving them anything else). Explained what was going to happen and we waited. The first time she peed I timed 30 min after than but she constantly kept peeing on the floor (I wrote down the time she peed every time) and we couldn’t get it to work. So I put a diaper on her for her nap and we tried again afterwards. The difference was that every 5 min I would take her to the potty. Let her SIT there for 5 min. Let her play for 5 min. That worked a lot better.
Day 2:
Loaded her with water. 5 min sit on potty. 5 min play. On and on. This was a hell of a lot more work, but yielded better results.
Day 3:
Loaded with water. Do the 5 min on n off the potty. She started grabbing at herself when she had to go.
Day 4:
Loaded her with water and let her free. She’d grab at herself whenever she had to go and look around for the potty.
Bingo!! Potty trained.
The 3rd day she pooped in the potty and then refused to poop in it again. She would literally hold it till either nap time or sleep time.
By the time she was 2 I got rid of the diaper during nap time and she would stay awake instead because she wasn’t wearing a diaper. After about 1.5 weeks we managed to pee before bed, sleep 4 hours without an accident and pee as soon as she woke up.
She is almost 3 now and can go up to 6 hours holding her pee (If we are out… She doesn’t like public bathrooms). 4 hours of nap time accident free. And 3 months ago began refusing to poop in her diaper.