Potty training tip: make your own personalized potty training book

 

Books are an invaluable piece of the potty learning puzzle.  Here's how to make a customized "My Potty Book" with pictures of your child and her personal potty training experience. 

Children love seeing pictures of themselves.  This potty photo book helps your child feel confident and capable with her new potty choices.  She can read it over and over - when she's happy, proud, frustrated, sad or confused.  This book is her potty story.

Instructions:

1. Take 6 to 10 potty-related photos.  Here are a few suggestions for pictures and captions but feel free to adapt to your child's personal story.
   • a picture of your child wearing a diaper - Once upon a time I wore a diaper.
   • a picture of your child playing - I can feel it when I need to use the potty.
   • a picture of your child going to the bathroom...waving, smiling, and acting it up - Got to go!  or Got to go....NOW!
   • a picture of your child sitting on the potty - Look at me...I'm using the potty.
   • A picture of your child washing her hands - This is the way I wash my hands, wash my hands...after going potty.
   • A picture of you hugging  or high-fiving your child - Yeah, I did it!
   • Additional pictures might be of different bathrooms, the potty without your child on it, a teddy bear on the potty, friends and family cheering for the potty-goer, or a picture of soon-to-have favorite underpants.
2. Paste or print your pictures on heavy cardstock paper.
3. Write or print your personalized captions.  Fewer words the better for the youngest readers.
4. Decorate with stickers or designs, if desired.
5. Laminate your pages at your local office store.
6. Hole-punch and bind with ribbon or have the store add commercial plastic binding.

Books have power!  They teach and reassure.  Your child can read her "My Potty Book" anytime anywhere.  She can read it alone or with someone else.  The "My Potty Book" helps your child understand this new potty-going adventure.

Enjoy!