Here are 5 favorite potty books for potty training toddlers learning to pee in the potty.
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I have a specific checklist for choosing my favorite jeans, shampoo, and potty training books for toddlers.
Especially when it comes to toddlers learning to pee in the potty.
Meaning when I see certain details are checked, I'm typically looking at a keeper.
Looking at potty books, I'm checking toddler picture books that:
Normalize peeing in the potty. No baby words like tee-tee. Just matter-of-fact language presenting this is a potty and this is what we do...pee in a potty or a toilet, and that's what the potty is for.
Show real-life situations in the potty book to normalize what to expect as you move out of the house. For example, peeing in a public bathroom or having to wait to use the potty at school.
Share what to do when you feel the pee, what comes next that the toddler should do. Meaning the potty book shows the child independently getting to a potty.
So here's my go-to list for the best potty training picture books for toddlers (with a focus on getting pee in the potty!).
First I look to potty training picture books that highlight what a potty is for.
This board book by author of another favorite (Yummy YUCKY), highlights when you've got to go pee, where do you go? Told from the child's perspective, I also like how it shows that peeing in the potty can take a while (at first, when it's brand new!).
This book shares a lot of information about the potty — like how a potty is a little toilet, how you can take turns with using the potty, but how the potty isn't a toy to play with. The book also walks through different situations where the toddler can pee in a small potty in the yard, at grandma's, at preschool, or before bathtime at home.
I also think the best potty books for potty training toddlers show what to do when they really HAVE to go pee right away. (Since most toddlers will hold their pee to the last second in the beginning of the potty training process!)
Here are potty training picture books for learning how to get to the potty right away!
This potty book shows what happens when you urgently have to go pee in the potty (but others are using the potty!). I found this picture book by way of a librarian and it's been a favorite potty training picture book ever since!
We are big fans of author Mo Willems and this book is right up there with the Pigeon series as a favorite book. This potty book also shows what to do when you suddenly need to pee. The language is helpful.
You don't want to ignore the feeling.
You want to let someone know and walk to the bathroom.
The book shows how to use the toilet, from lifting the lid to pushing down your underwear so that you're ready to pee in the potty. This book also highlights how boys can stand and girls should sit. (But typically in the beginning, boys sit on the potty, too.)
What's my go-to potty book for normalizing peeing in a public bathroom?
I've talked about this Ninja potty book as a helpful one for preparing for daycare or preschool, but it's also a helpful potty training picture book for any toddler who's moving onto Block 3 of Oh Crap Potty Training where you start to normalize peeing in other bathrooms and other situations, including public bathrooms with stalls.
This potty book normalizes conquering peeing in a public bathroom with fun, whimsical illustrations of a toddler ninja on her way to master a toilet in a bathroom stall. The book also highlights the steps to wash hands after using the toilet.
So those 5 potty training picture books check the boxes for me (much like Madewell's high-waisted soft denim fit the jean equation for me when I'm searching ThredUp).
For more toddler book recommendations, you can check out:
favorite bedtime stories for your toddler (as you're setting up for night training)
books to help with getting dressed (including pants!)
If you're potty training your toddler and seeing a problem with your toddler holding their pee, here's how to help your child release their pee in the potty.
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