Going out while potty training

peggysue32 · 2025-07-25T07:45:57+00:00

Ive been potty training my 3.5 year old this week after one failed attempt just after she turned 3. So far, so good. Lots of successful wees and poos on the toilet but a few accidents too. If she is busy with something or not physically near the toilet she seems to forget and will have an accident. I don’t think she’s quite grasped knowing when a wee is coming and telling us she needs the toilet just yet which is normal at this stage. Lots of her wees happen after she’s been coaxed into sitting on the potty and when she’s been on it a while. Anyway because of this we haven’t done much this week. A few short walks but haven’t gone too far from home. I’m starting to get cabin fever and would like to take all my dc to a holiday activity at our local library today. I’m just worried about accidents while we’re out. Of course I’ll take spare clothes but it’s still not nice, and I don’t feel like a library is the type of place where I can whip a potty out for her to use either. Did you go out much during the first few days of potty training? I don’t want the confusion of going back to pull ups, but really do need to get out.

Holidaysandsunshine · 25/07/2025 08:50

What about a park with a carry around potty? Dont go back to pull ups if u can avoid it as my kids still talks about this to this day it was such a source of confusion for him

onetrickrockingpony · 25/07/2025 08:56

You must have a sense by now of her schedule and water intake? Make sure she uses the potty before you go out and take a carry potty with you to the park. My DD often said she didn’t need to go but if I said I was going then she’d change her mind once we were in the cubicle together.

Whereland · 25/07/2025 08:57

I brought a potty and sat my daughter on it in the boot of the car

Illbefinejustbloodyfine · 25/07/2025 09:03

As long as she'll go and try when you tell her, you should be fine. Go before you leave, while you're out. Just ask her to try. Don't stress if there's an accident.

unicornpower · 25/07/2025 09:04

We got a carry potty that was really useful and we went to the toilet before we left and I constantly asked her if she needed to go (every 20mins or so).

they’ll get the hang of it!

Isitreallysohard · 25/07/2025 09:06

Are you following a specific method, if so I'd follow that strictly even if it means not going out to make it stick (shirt term lain, long term gain). If she needs to be reminded, then I'm not sure she's really 'got it' yet. All that aside, if you do want to go out, take a potty. Good luck!

Coffeeishot · 25/07/2025 09:11

Take her before you go out, and when you get to the library take her again for a try before the activity starts. Take a potty for the car, at 3 .5 she should be able to hold a pee for a while but you do need to encourage "trys" before you leave the house, it will be fine.

Original poster

peggysue32 · 25/07/2025 09:21

Isitreallysohard · 25/07/2025 09:06

Are you following a specific method, if so I'd follow that strictly even if it means not going out to make it stick (shirt term lain, long term gain). If she needs to be reminded, then I'm not sure she's really 'got it' yet. All that aside, if you do want to go out, take a potty. Good luck!

She definitely hasn’t fully got it but it’s still early days. I’m chuffed that she’s done anything on the potty/toilet as last time we tried she flatly refused. But no she isn’t taking herself yet and sometimes forgetting and having accidents.

Not really following a method as such, just encouraging her to sit on the potty often, especially after she’s had a big drink and small rewards such as stickers or a chocolate button when she’s done something.

OP posts:

Fuzzypinetree · 25/07/2025 09:22

If you need something extra, besides the potty and constantly asking....we used some inlays when DS was potty training. They are a bit like sanitary towels but you just pop them into their normal underpants. That way, he didn't piddle all over the floor but it was obvious to him that he was wet and should have gone to the toilet. I think I go them from Amazon. I still have some spares in the loft for when DD starts potty training

Isitreallysohard · 25/07/2025 10:16

peggysue32 · 25/07/2025 09:21

She definitely hasn’t fully got it but it’s still early days. I’m chuffed that she’s done anything on the potty/toilet as last time we tried she flatly refused. But no she isn’t taking herself yet and sometimes forgetting and having accidents.

Not really following a method as such, just encouraging her to sit on the potty often, especially after she’s had a big drink and small rewards such as stickers or a chocolate button when she’s done something.

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You might be better trying the no undies and taking her as she starts to pee, I think this helps them recognise the sensation themselves. In saying that I'm no expert but it's the method I used and it worked really well (I never reminded DC). But I'm sure there will be loads of useful advice from other people too

Original poster

peggysue32 · 25/07/2025 10:44

Isitreallysohard · 25/07/2025 10:16

You might be better trying the no undies and taking her as she starts to pee, I think this helps them recognise the sensation themselves. In saying that I'm no expert but it's the method I used and it worked really well (I never reminded DC). But I'm sure there will be loads of useful advice from other people too

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So far I’ve missed the accidents. So for example I left her colouring at the kitchen table while I put some washing on and then I heard a big ‘oh no I did something wrong’ and when I came back she’s stood in a puddle of pee in the kitchen. Obviously cleaned up and didn’t make a big deal of it but it’s really hard to have constant eyes on them.

I’m just worried about accidents in public but I suppose we will have to chance it and see how she gets on outdoors. I don’t have a travel potty but I could put the normal potty in the car boot, not sure where I’d empty it though lol.

OP posts:

Didimum · 25/07/2025 11:04

Lots of her wees happen after she’s been coaxed into sitting on the potty and when she’s been on it a while.

Be careful with this approach. She needs to learn to recognise what the urge to go feels like, so she can practice holding and getting to the toilet/potty. She's not going to learn that if she is coaxed to sit on it when she doesn't feel the urge to go, or if she's sitting on it for a long time before she goes. For this reason, it's also best not to do the 'make them sit on the potty every 20 minutes' method.

Allswellthatendswelll · 25/07/2025 11:07

Just take her before you go and when you get somewhere. Take a load of spare trousers. Should be easier in summer.

We managed in Christmas holidays with DS. I go mad if we can't leave the house so we just went out and dealt with accidents. He got it in the end.

Isitreallysohard · 25/07/2025 11:32

peggysue32 · 25/07/2025 10:44

So far I’ve missed the accidents. So for example I left her colouring at the kitchen table while I put some washing on and then I heard a big ‘oh no I did something wrong’ and when I came back she’s stood in a puddle of pee in the kitchen. Obviously cleaned up and didn’t make a big deal of it but it’s really hard to have constant eyes on them.

I’m just worried about accidents in public but I suppose we will have to chance it and see how she gets on outdoors. I don’t have a travel potty but I could put the normal potty in the car boot, not sure where I’d empty it though lol.

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I just used a normal potty and empty it by a tree. I figure people have their dogs pissing everywhere, a kids pee seems must less offensive!

WhatNoRaisins · 25/07/2025 11:35

I'd be taking her to the toilet as soon as you arrive at the library. For some potty training kids the "shall we go and check out the toilets" approach out and about is actually quite a good way to get them into it.

Hankunamatata · 25/07/2025 11:36

I found soft tracksuit bottoms and easy pull down undies. Contained most of the accident and also much more aware of feeling wet so more likely to stop weeing

No bottoms never worked for us as air just made them wee all the time

Hankunamatata · 25/07/2025 11:37

You can stick a spare nappy in bottom of the potty to absorb pee

PollyBell · 25/07/2025 11:39

We just let our child go when they chose to so we never stayed in or went out for potty training we just lead normal lives

ZiggyZowie · 25/07/2025 11:41

Ideal time in summer to potty train.

I put my daughter in a dress all the time no pants underneath so it was easier. I carried a potty under the pushchair.

I popped a nappy on the pushchair in case of accident.
When she needed to go I would just find a quiet corner on pavement and then empty into gutter and put potty back under pushchair. Or if in park empty wee into a bush

AprilShowers25 · 25/07/2025 11:53

I would just put her in a nappy or pull up for the activity

PurpleThistle7 · 25/07/2025 12:58

I stayed home for a week with each of my kids until they got the hang of it. You might want to try a more specific method though as this seems like it’s dragging on for a while now.

Original poster

peggysue32 · 25/07/2025 22:58

To update…today was not great. Dd did a big wee on the potty this morning about 9am. Great start I thought. We got ready to go out, encouraged lots of potty time before we went but she didn’t do anything. While we were out she had no accidents but I was really on edge and kept taking her to the loo which I think freaked her out a bit as it was busy and new surroundings.

By 4pm she still hadn’t done anything despite having a fair amount to drink. Took her into the garden and she weed on the grass. Then put her pants back on to come indoors and she pooed in them. Glad this didn’t happen while we were out but still really frustrating and also worrying that she’s withholding. 9am-4pm is a really long time not to pee for!

Im just finding it really stressful and am aware that she’s probably picking up on my stress (although I’m trying very hard to be patient and encouraging). I feel that by 3.5 she should really be picking this up quicker. Any tips much appreciated. Actually dreading another day of it tomorrow.

OP posts:

OldMcDonaldHadABigMac · 26/07/2025 17:21

PurpleThistle7 · 25/07/2025 12:58

I stayed home for a week with each of my kids until they got the hang of it. You might want to try a more specific method though as this seems like it’s dragging on for a while now.

What method did you use?

Elephant788 · 26/07/2025 17:31

I fully potty trained my then 2.5year old at the time over 3 days. Stayed home and let her loose with no knickers with a potty handy and everytime she wet herself we'd encourage her to go on potty. Once she went on it and used it, we erupted in a clap and dance and she looked so puzzled but happy, so she expected this response everytime and we didn't disappoint! By day three she was dry and expected the celebrations. We made it fun and never went back to nappies. Shes now 3.5 and fully dry since.

So all am saying is dont forget to celebrate the little wins! Good luck and youve got this.

Oh and I had a potty in her bedroom. Lounge, nursery and in the car!

Kb26155 · 26/07/2025 17:34

At the risk of being lynched dya not think 3.5 is a bit late when kids start school at 4/5?what have you done since nappies? I was teaching mine early on an both were dry as toddlers in nursery albeit with the odd accident has something changed I'm unaware of?