Toddler Tips

Inside: Struggling with nap boycotts and sleepless nights? Find out step by step 2 year old sleep regression solutions including all your questions answered.

I just got into a smooth groove with my 2 year old…and then it happened…

We hit the 2 year sleep regression. (Cue the doom music)

Here’s the good news, it doesn’t last forever!

If your once wonderful little sleeper has quickly flipped upside down, I’ll show you all the tips and tricks to help you not only survive the 2 year sleep regression but get through it as quickly as possible while meeting your baby’s needs.

Find out why this sleep regression happens, and what possible culprits could be causing the regression for your child, and learn 7 easy 2 year old sleep regression solutions to help you help your little one sleep again.

Let’s jump in.

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What is the 2 year old Sleep Regression?

Ever had so much on your mind that you just tossed and turned all night?

Your once tiny baby is now entering toddlerhood and with toddlerhood comes a whole lot of independence, growth, and milestone development. Your little one’s brain is growing at such a rapid rate and they are constantly soaking in tons of new information.

As your toddler is now learning new things, this rapid development can lead to a disruption of sleep.

They are “tossing and turning” but can’t regulate their own emotions and sleep patterns just yet so they need your help. Which leads to interrupted sleep, nap resistance, and night wakings.

Sleep Regression Vs. Sleep Progression

You will often hear a sleep regression called a “sleep progression”. Since your toddler’s rapid growth and development are affecting your child’s sleep, it can be called a sleep progression- an advancement in your child’s sleep that regresses from where it once was before it progresses again.

I believe many sleep specialists call this time a “sleep progression” because it removes the negative stigma from what you and your child are experiencing…

Sleepless nights. Long days. Napless days. Early wakings. Night wakings.

Feel free to call this 2 year old sleep disruption anything that you like! But the 2 year old sleep regression and sleep progression are usually referring to the same thing.

Signs your Toddler Might be in the 2 Year Old Sleep Regression

If your little one is over 24 months and is starting to show some of these signs, then it’s time to shift sleep needs and tackle the 2 year sleep regression.

Some sleep regression signs include sudden changes in:

• Struggling to nap during the day
• Trouble settling at bedtime
• Enter the stalling tactics
• Night wakings

Find out more 2 year old sleep regression signs to better help your toddler get better sleep!

How Long Does the Sleep Regression Last?

To be every parent’s demise, there is no “start time and end time” to a sleep regression or sleep progression. 🙁

Each child is different, develops at different rates, and deals with sleep change differently. The best way forward is to focus on how to handle the sleep regression vs. when will it end.

When does it begin?

The 2 year old sleep regression can happen as early as 24 months. Or it can begin at 2.5 years old or as late as right when your toddler is about to turn 3. I know this answer isn’t really helpful, but it can happen anytime that your child is 2.

When does it end?

There is no specific amount of time that a sleep regression can last. Some times is 1-2 weeks, other times it can be 3-4 weeks. Remember, the sleep regression is sparked because of developmetal growth. As your child is experinging this growth, sleep can always be

Does it happen to every child?

No, the sleep regression does not affect every child the same. There is no textbook answer that can tell you “Do ABC and your child will sleep perfectly again”.

That’s why it’s so hard to get through!

My first child didn’t experience this sleep regression when she was 2 other than a few sleep hiccups here and there. My second child went through 2 year old sleep regression at 27 months.

What Causes the Regression? Why Does it Happen?

The magic of toddler life is easy to see as you watch your child grow every day. But this period of increased growth can also lead to an increase in sleep disruptions.

Here are some different sleep interruption culprits:

• Sleep Needs Have Shifted: As your baby grows, their wake time increases and the number of nap decreases
• Milestone Development: Developmental growth is the basis of the sleep regression but it’s important to try to pinpoint the different milestones your child is undergoing, such as
  • Potty training
  • Increased talking and vocabulary
  • Learning new motor functions such as bike riding, tumbling

• Changes in Sleep Environment: Has anything in your child’s sleep environment changed recently? Sleep environment changes can include:
  • A switch from a crib to a toddler bed
  • Moving rooms
  • Your baby moving from your room to their own room
  • Adding a sibling to the room

• Big Changes in the Home: A big change at home can add to all of the things your child is already naturally experiencing, including:
  • Moving
  • Starting daycare
  • A sibling starting school and not being with them all day anymore
  • A change in a childcare provider

• Growing Independence: Your little one is experiencing the world around them like they never have before. They are seeing things differently, constantly learning new things, and becoming more aware of their personality and will

• Separation Anxiety: Added to their rapidly growing mind, they are becoming more aware of your presence like never before. Knowing where you are and where you aren’t.
• Possible Teething: It is totally possible that your toddler may be also teething with their second molars that can come in between 25-33 months old.

Find out all of the possible culprits to 2 year old sleep regression here so you can pinpoint which ones apply to your family and help your child sleep better!

10 Simple 2 Year Old Sleep Regression Solutions

The number one piece of advice I can offer to parents during any sleep regression is to track your child’s moods, behaviors, and actions.

Do you see any patterns? Are there patterns at certain times of the day?

Knowing this information can empower you to get through this regression with confidence- and informed. Remember, YOU know your child best. You know their quirks. You know their needs better than anyone else.

How do you track toddler sleep patterns?

Download my You Got This Mama Organizer for all things routines and tacker! Included in the You Got This Mama Organizer is a:

• toddler habit tracker,
• Daily toddler journal/tracker that gives you a place to write their activities, moods, and even meals all day,
• a potty training chart
• a baby & toddler side-by-side tracker to help you manage both kids at the same time
• milestone charts to track your child’s milestones

The Organizer also includes 40+ other organizational trackers, routines, and schedules that you can use for every member of your family.

Using an organizer such as this and being aware of your child’s habits and patterns can help you to easily notice when something is “off”.  Such as teething, sleep regressions, or illness.

Learn more here!

2 Year Old Sleep Regression Solutions

Okay, let’s jump into 10 simple 2 year old sleep regression solutions…

1. Reassess your Child’s Sleep Schedule and Sleep Timing

The first step to getting through a sleep regression is to assess your child’s daily sleep schedule. What time do they go to bed? Is it showing to be too early or too late? What time do they nap? Are showing tired cues before nap?

Answering these questions can help you assess your child’s current sleep needs. As your child gets older, their ability to be awake grows, making wake windows stretch and lengthen, therefore reducing naps.

Extending Wake Windows

If your child is fighting naps then try extending their wake window (the amount of time they are awake before needing sleep). For example, if your toddler was napping at 12:30 but now is fighting their nap, it might be time to push the nap back a half hour. Try naptime at 1:00 pm for a few days and assess once again.

Offering a Later Bedtime

If your child doesn’t nap at the “usual time” they normally do and ends up falling asleep an hour or 2 later, then bedtime should be pushed back to accommodate for the length of wake time your child will have before bed.

If your child naps late and then goes to bed early, they might not be tired enough for nighttime sleep. This can lead to trouble setting and fighting bedtime.

Offering a slightly later bedtime can prevent bedtime struggles. You can shift your whole bedtime routine 15-20 minutes later (depending on when your child woke up from their nap based on their normal wake window). Be sure to follow your child’s tired cues and signs that they are tired. Let those cues guide you through uncharted territory.

Offering Earlier Bedtime

If your toddler does not nap at all one day, that’s okay- it happens! Instead of waiting until normal bedtime to start your bedtime routine, push it forward 45 min-1 hour (depending on how long they have been awake).

You want to follow your child’s tired cues because your toddler can easily become overtired and it may become difficult to wind down.

After reassessing your child’s sleep schedule and now understanding their sleep needs, you will know what to do. Not because someone else told you, but because you are following YOUR baby’s needs and communication cues.

2. Examine and Fine Tune Sleep Routines

Sleep routines are the life raft in the murky water of baby sleep. Why? Because you cannot control IF your child sleeps or how LONG they sleep. But you can control how you help your baby prepare for sleep.

And the best way to help your baby prepare for sleep is to use a nap routine before nap time and a bedtime routine before nighttime sleep.

As your child gets older, the routines will shift but its purpose is to signal to your child that it’s time for sleep. In the middle of a developmental sleep regression, these routines can really help your child feel safe and secure.

Since your child is already experiencing a disruption of sleep, you can add different elements to your sleep routine to offer them extra comfort as they prepare for sleep.

During my daughters 2 year old sleep regression, I started rocking her a bit longer in the rocking chair while reading a book that she would choose. Before the regression, we would sit on my eldest daughter’s bed and read a book altogether. But during this sleep regression season, she needed the extra comfort and 1 on 1 attention and care from us.

Maybe your child needs you a bit more before they go to sleep, and that’s ok!

The goals is to examine your existing nap and bedtime routines to make sure your routines are aligned with what your child needs.

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3. Filling your Child’s “Tired Cup”

In between your child’s sleep, the time they are awakw is often refeered to as a wake window or wake times. As your child approaches todderhood, their wakw windows lengthen and they are awakw for longer streteches of time.

Every wake window has a “tired cup”. This cup fills up as your child does activites–causing them to becoe a little more tired as time passes. As they become more tired, they show tired cues and that’s how youll know when its’ time to offer your child sleep.

In theory, the more illed your tired cup is, the better going to sleep and staying asleep will be. Of oucrse this is different for every child but the goal is to offer your child a robust awake time to enhance sleep.

The best way to fill your child’s tired cup is to offer them different kinds of activities every day.

Here are some simple activities I do every day with my toddler.

4. Offer Choices and Set Boundaries

The best thing you can do to foster your child’s new-found independence is to offer them choices. This nurture’s their growing independence within a limit, so they feel they are exercising their independence without letting them completely have full control over every situation that arises every day.

Trust me, you don’t want your toddler throwing themselves on the floor in the middle of Target because you said no to the cereal with the marshmallows. (Speaking from experience here!)

Instead, you offer 2 choices that you know they can have- and it keeps the authority with the parent while giving your child independence. Allowing them to exercise their independence will allow them to feel like they are useful and even contribute to your decisions as a family.

But with growing independence comes boundaries. If you let your child run anywhere anytime they want, whats to stop them from running in the parking lot while walking back to the car?

Boundaries are in place to keep your child safe.

Just as we teach our babies not to touch fire because they can get burned, we must use that principle to teach our children that there are boundaries.

Which boundaries you want to draw are completely up to you and your family!

But if you are struggling with a strong-willed toddler that often leads to multiple tantrums a day, check out my Positive Discipline Guide.

It’s a complete step-by-step guide to setting boundaries for your little one using positive parenting methods. My goal is to help you set those necessary boundaries without yelling and tantrums 🙂

5. Set a course to slowly move back to original sleep patterns

The number one question I receive is: “Will my baby go back to their normal good sleep habits?”

In short- yes!

If you’ve been working on your child’s sleep foundation since they were a baby- don’t worry, it’s about to come to your rescue.

All of your baby’s sleep habits will begin to reemerge- from sleeping long stretches at night with minimal to no waking and solid, consistent naps.

Come to your baby’s aid through this sleep regression and help him/her through their developmental milestones with as much positive reinforcement and support as possible. As you journey through the sleep regression you will see that your toddler sleep may start to improve. Maybe not by leaps and bounds, but even just crying 5 minutes less is a major win!

As you see your child’s sleep repression patterns starting to subside a bit, it’s time to begin gently shifting back into your child’s normal sleep habits. Such as, attempting to put your toddler down to bed at their normal time before the sleep regression began.

As their parent, only YOU know what their “normal” sleep habits were. So try not to follow someone elses sleep schedule- follow YOUR baby’s cues.

At this age, your baby should still be napping once a day for at least 1.5-2.5 hours. So if your baby is not napping at all during this sleep regression, it’s time to start offering that nap again as normal and see how your baby responds.

6. Building on your Child’s Sleep Foundation

Remember, your baby’s sleep foundation is still there- it’s only temporarily buried under a regression. Now it’s time to start digging to reach it again.  Such as beginning an age-appropriate bedtime and bedtime routine and age-appropriate nap time and nap routine.

Some aspects of your child’s sleep may permanently change after the 2 year sleep regression, such as sleeping with a new lovey or a blanket that brings them security. (Don’t worry, these aren’t  “sleep props”– your child is old enough to know what brings them comfort at night just as an adult loves to sleep with their favorite fluffy, cozy blanket)

These things don’t have to change. Don’t feel the need to try to revert back to every single little detail from before the sleep regression. Some new sleep habits will be added to your baby’s sleep foundation- and that’s good!

Dealing with a sleep regression is all about trial and error based on your baby’s needs.

As your child continues to grow and development, some aspects of their sleep needs increase, decrease, shift and change. It’s all part of the process 🙂

7. Keep the crib

Don’t be afraid to make those sleep changes in the future but for now, to get through this regression, its’ best if you keep your little as secure as possible. Even if that means keeping the crib for a bit longer. This also gives you a chance to undergo this change when your child is developmentally ready for it. And helps you keep your sanity by only tackling one sleep disruptance at a time!

It’s okay if this isn’t the right time.

Every time I attempted a sleep change for my kids I had to almost always backtrack to get them acclimated to the new environment. So doing this during the 2 year sleep regression is like throwing salt on a wound (lol).

8. Recruit Help

There is no easy way to get through a sleep regression- except for just getting through it. The days are long, the nights are endless and it seems like you’re captive to a stop in time.

It’s okay if you feel completely overwhelmed. In fact, it’s totally normal!

If you have a network of family and friends, now is the time to raise your hand and ask for help. Even if it’s just to entertain your toddler while you get a second to regroup. If possible, tag team nights with your spouse or partner of help. This really saved my sanity!

Also adding another caregiver to your routine will help your baby know that more people are there to support them and comfort them.

9. Be Consistent and Offer Tons of Positive Reinforcement

10. Have a plan of response for stalling

When your toddler is not ready for bed, you might quickly see stalling tactions coming into action.

Stalling such as:

• I need to go potty
• I’m thirsty
• Can I have a snack?
• I’m too hot
• I’m too cold
• and on it goes…

Some of these are very valid! If your little one is potty training them ofcourse whent hey say they need to go to the bathroom, you’re going to take them. And if you nee your toddler uncomfortable, your going to want to cater those those needs.

As you totally should!

But what happens when your little one is just stalling?

The best thing to do is to prepare for stalling is the include those common requests into your bedtime and naptime routines.

Yes, those tantrums will begin to peek out…

But the easiest way to avoid and manage those tantrums is to know the culprits and prevent them

There Isn’t a Wrong Way

You know your child better than anyone else. There is nothing that anyone on social media, the internet, and even a doctor can tell you that you may not know about your child. As their parent, you are connected with them in such a special way. This translates into you knowing your child’s needs. You may not know *exactly* what your child needs all the time, but you can sense when something is just off.

Trust your instincts, mama.

Someone told you that the cry-it-out method will help get your child back on track but you just can’t bear it? That’s ok!

If you know your toddler cries for a minute at night to adjust when you walk away, and you leave them, that’s okay!

You do what works for you and your baby. You will get through this 2 year sleep regression by trusting your instincts, staying connected to your toddler, and following their cues to offer them what they need.

My Toddler Sleep Regression story

One of the first clues that I noticed when we were entering the 2 year sleep regression was when I saw my baby’s mood change during naptime routine and the way she fought naps. After consistently knowing how she normally reacts during nap routine, when she began to fight it, I knew something was going on. And it’s all because I was used to monitor her daily patterns!

A major addition to this sleep regression was potty training. As soon as we started our potty training journey and she actually started to learn to go on the potty throughout the day- our sleep was impacted.

It started with skipped naps and struggling to fall asleep at bedtime. Then it turned into late naps and crying 30 minutes after being put down for bed.

What I Did

I offered her a nap as she was tired. Even if it was later in the day, I pushed bedtime later. If she cried after I left her room at bedtime, I would wait for a few minutes and then go back in to reassure her. I know she cries sometimes just to let her emotions out, so I wasn’t following any “cry it out” procedure.

After going into her room a few times, she would then settle. Which would mean she’s falling asleep later and waking up the next morning later. Our whole daily schedule was just off! But that’s okay, I followed her lead and comforted her along the way.

1.5 weeks of following her cues and meeting her needs, she began to show signs that she was tired at her normal naptime (pre-sleep regression). I started to gently adjust her naps again to reflect more normalcy, giving her 4/5 hours of wake time between morning and nap and between nap and bedtime.

She started showing great signs of sleep improvement! We were successful at the end of the sleep regression and I was overjoyed. It meant that not only had we tackled the battle of sleepless nights but my toddler had gone through her growth development and was adjusting to her new little mind and all that she is learning.

There were a few nights here and there when she would whimper for a few minutes, but it seemed like she was dreaming so didn’t want to go in and disturb her and wake her up.

That’s why it’s so important to know your baby’s sleep needs and cries 🙂

2 Year Old Sleep Regression Solutions Recap

Your once wonderful sleeper will return to you- don’t worry! Remember, follow your baby’s cues- especially his/her tired cues. Your baby is experiencing such a great growth that they don’t know how to react. You are their support and comfort. Yes, it is HARD.

Be sure to care for your mental and physical health as well!

Here is a quick recap of 10 Simple 2 year old sleep regression solutions:

1. Reassess your Child’s Sleep Schedule and Sleep Timing
2. Examine and Fine Tune Sleep Routines
3. Filling your Child’s “Tired Cup”
4. Offer choices and set boundaries
5. Slowly move back to original sleep patterns
6. Build on your child’s sleep foundation
7. Keep the crib
8. Recruit help
9. Be consistent with positive reinforcement
10. Have a plan of action for stall tactics

One day your toddler will look at you with sparkling eyes and you’ll no longer see them as your tiny baby, but as a resilient toddler filled with great passion, emotion, and strength.

You got this mama!

Related Reading for Easy Toddler Tips!

2 Year Old Sleep Regression Causes

Simple & Awesome Daily Toddler Schedule

How to Easily Handle the Terrible Twos

Toddler Screentime Rules

The Best Potty Training Essentials

Inside: Learn step by step how to use toddler positive discipline strategies to gently set boundaries for your little one without yelling or tears!

Does your little one have BIG emotions? If you’re tired of struggling with your toddler to actually listen and having trouble knowing when or how to discipline your little one- you’re in the right place!

Toddlers are natural-born boundary pushers…your child isn’t trying to frustrate or manipulate you– they just want to know where their boundaries are.

Learn step by step how to use positive discipline strategies to set boundaries for your little one with love, compassion, and patience- that WORKS.

You CAN teach your little one how to listen without using harsh discipline tactics so you can help your child feel loved and secure!

Imagine how it would feel to:

• Not have to worry about whether your child will listen to you outside of the home
• Establish a lasting connection with your child through affirmation & security
• Run an errand without worrying about how your child will act
• Have a simple plan of action for your when your toddler throws tantrums
• Easily manage your toddler’s BIG emotions with constant reassurance
• Feel confident you are taking the right steps to keep your toddler healthy (emotionally, physically, & mentally)

Download the Unlocking Toddler Positive Discipline Workbook to learn the exact strategy you need to help you set boundaries with love!

In this Ultimate Guide & workbook, I’ll show you a routine you can use to help you begin to set boundaries for babies 18 months to 4 years old!

You’ll learn what causes toddlers to act out and how to prevent those meltdowns with love, understanding, and compassion.

Get ready to…

• Effortlessly follow each practical step of the training so you can create your own gentle discipline routine at YOUR pace.
• Easily track your child’s behaviors and moods to see your progress on a daily basis.
• Get instant access to step by step guidance PLUS tools & resources to help you set boundaries for your little one with love, compassion and patience! 
• Instantly download the Unlocking Positive Discipline Workbook to have the gentle discipline strategy right at your finger tips so you can keep coming back to it as your child grows!

Here’s Everything You Get!

A complete step-by-step workbook that offers a step-by-step guide on how to create a positive discipline routine using a super simple, gentle framework- the 5 C’s of Positive Discipline.

Does this Toddler Positive Discipline Guide work?

I was standing in the Target checkout line and my daughter decided to have a full-blown, red-faced, screaming match tantrum…

Long story short, my daughter just didn’t like when I told her “no”. She wanted to go back to the toy aisle and didn’t like that she couldn’t. So she had a meltdown…in the middle of Target.

Turns out, I needed to set boundaries. I needed to communicate with her in a way that she understood. And it worked!

I learned how to assess the situation and how my daughter was communicating, prevent her triggers, help her through those triggers, all while setting boundaries without using harsh discipline tactics.

Build Your Confidence!

Being a mom is the hardest job on earth. Between naps, feedings, activities, cooking, laundry, and errands, you have A LOT on your plate.

It’s time to build your confidence! Caring for a toddler can feel like holding an umbrella in a hurricane. But by when you provide them with boundaries, your child will feel safe, loved, and secure.

Don’t feel like you’ve lost control! By setting boundaries in love you are showing your little that you are in charge- helping them feel your loving security.

What You Will Learn in the Toddler Positive Discipline Guide

• When is the best time to begin a discipline strategy
• What causes toddlers to act out
• How to prevent tantrums in love and compassion.
• Why you should track your child’s behavior/moods for progress
• How to enforce boundaries without yelling
• Gain the confidence you need to help your child understand boundaries & feel secure!

The UNLOCKING POSITIVE DISCIPLINE WORKBOOK is everything you need to finally feel CONFIDENT in how you set boundaries for your child!

Related Reading:

• Easy Toddler Bedtime Routine for Calm Nights
• Stress-Free Potty Training Tips & Routine

Inside: Super easy baby and toddler activities to keep your little one busy & stimulated while helping them meet milestones & practice existing skills!

Tired of racking your brain trying to think of easy baby and toddler activities?

What if you could finally plan easy, fun, cheap, educational activities without spending 3 hours prepping for activities that last 10 minutes?

Finally keep your little one stimulated, busy, and reaching new milestones without wanting to pull out your hair!

Your #momlife JUST got a million times easier…

Plan a week’s worth of easy activities in under 10 minutes to keep your baby stimulated and reaching new milestones.

No more losing your mind trying to find and plan fun, cheap, easy activities to help you finally feel confident teaching your baby new things- you can download it right now!

Imagine if you could…

• Get your little one on a rockin’ play routine without pulling out your hair
• Help your baby reach new milestones & easily track their growth
• Have a simple plan of action for your baby or toddler’s activities
• Keep your little one entertained without breaking the bank
• Quickly prep each activity to maximize your time
• Accomplish a well balanced play routine with independent play AND parent/child bonding

FINALLY, say goodbye to super complicated activities that your little one is going to play with for only 5 minutes…

And HELLO to a whole goldmine of fun, easy, affordable activities that will take you less than 10 minutes to prep AND that your little one will have a blast doing.

Tiny One’s Boredom Buster Activity Toolkit

This treasure chest of fun, easy, educational, and cheap activities for babies and toddlers is perfect for the busy mom who wants to keep their little one growing and having fun…

…without the burden of unnecessary prep and stress!

You’ll get an entire activity planning system— 100 pages of awesomeness to help you feel confident to easily prep fun activities so your baby can continue to grow and thrive!

Plus, the toolkit includes a well-balanced combination of independent play activities as well as activities to encourage parent/child bonding.

That means you’ll be able to not only teach your little one to play on their own (so you can get stuff done!) but also encourage beautiful bonding time between you and your child that will also be strengthening development.

Here’s a glimpse at everything you get!

• 10 Done For You Activity Planning Templates to help you customize each activity to fit YOUR baby
• 35+ Skill-Building Activities with step by step instructions & set up for babies 2 months old to 2 years old!
• 20 Activity Worksheets to whip out when you’re in a pinch
• Everything your little one needs to promote developmental milestones, play independently, and stay stimulated while having fun!
• A detailed review of how to implement activities & independent play in your weekly routine

This activity toolkit is perfectly designed to HELP you take the overwhelm OUT of planning fun, educational & affordable activities for your children while encouraging independent play AND parent bonding!

It’s time to easily organize & plan your little one’s activities for maximum growth & development while eliminating frustration!

Don’t feel tied down to someone else’s play routine- easily create YOUR OWN your baby can thrive!

This is a FLEXIBLE step-by-step activity system where you can easily plan your own weekly activities by plugging in activities based on the provided activity worksheets and templates!

Does this sound familiar?

• “I have no idea what to do with my baby all day”
• “I don’t have much money to spend on activities so I tend not to do fun ones”
• “I don’t have a clue where to even begin with planning activities”
• “I’m tired of doing the same activities over and over again”
• “I just don’t have the time to spend prepping activities”
• “My baby puts everything in her mouth so I can’t do many activities”
• “My toddler gets bored with things easily”

I’m right there with ya! I have felt ALL of the above!

But I can help you feel confident in your little one’s development while they have fun!

The Tiny One’s Boredom Buster Activity Toolkit includes 40+ low-cost, screen-free, easy activities with little to no prep.

With activities for babies and toddlers from 2 months old to 3 years old, and over 10 templates to help you create an easy playtime activity routine that works for YOUR family, this activity toolkit is your life raft back to sanity!

HOW TO USE

Download the easy baby and toddler activities toolkit with the click of a button.

All pages are quick and easy to print.

I know some moms who print the organizer and laminate the pages to keep reusing with a dry erase marker. (Like the picture above!)

Or print out key pages you’ll use every week and place them in an 8.5×11 frame that you can also use with a dry erase marker.

To take advantage of the whole organizer, print and place it in a binder. Even use sheet protectors to personalize them so you don’t have to keep copies of the same page!

With 10+ pages of activity planning templates, 40+ easy activity ideas, AND 25+ worksheets to whip out when you’re in a pinch, you’ll be able to help your little one grow in each stage of development with ease and confidence.

KICK OVERWHELM

Let’s face it––there’s nothing more frustrating than spending 3 hours prepping for an activity that your baby only plays with for 5 minutes. 

And there’s nothing more disheartening than feeling guilty for not knowing what to do with your baby all day. You are not alone!

The truth is that having an easy activity routine is a game-changer, one that will help you feel more connected to your baby, keep your little one entertained & stimulated, and even promote milestone development!

Not ready to purchase the toolkit? Grab this free activity routine!

Related Reading:

• Simple Toddler Morning Routine and Activities
• The Best Toddler Screen Time Rules

Inside: Start a super simple toddler bedtime routine to help make nights calm while flourishing connections and promoting better sleep.

It was 6:45 pm and my toddler was prancing around the house with her pants on her head pretending she was a superhero…

Let’s just say, it felt like bedtime was nowhere in sight.

Bedtime was kryptonite to my toddler!

So I was determined to begin an easy toddler bedtime routine that wasn’t rigid and unbending, but a bedtime routine that was structured enough to be predictable but flexible enough to help my child freely unwind.

And it was a success!

Following this exact routine, my toddler now knows what to expect from before bedtime and it helps her sleep soooo much better!

I’ll share with you the exact step-by-step toddler bedtime routine to help make nights calm, encourage your toddler to unwind, and flourish your connection with them while promoting better sleep.

Score!

Here’s an overview of the 5 step toddler bedtime routine:

1. Cleaning
2. Dressing
3. Drink
4. Bathroom
5. Bonding & Books
6. Bedtime & Cuddles

We’ll dive into the details and activities of each step and I’ll show you how you can add flexibility to each of the steps as well.

You want to make them feel as safe, comfortable and rested as possible while giving them some independence as they continue to grow and develop.

This bedtime routine can be used for little ones 18 months & up all the way to toddlerhood (4-5 years old)! I’ll show you how to add flexibility to the routine based on your child’s age.

Let’s dive in…

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This printable is toddler-friendly so you can print it out and place it on your toddler’s wall and they can easily learn and follow it with you throughout the evening.

Also, save the step by step guide to your device so you always have it on hand 🙂

Why is a Bedtime Routine Important?

Bedtime routines can be simple as you make them or as detailed as you like.

A bedtime routine is simply just to send a signal to your child that it’s almost time for nighttime sleep.

It’s a great way to unwind from the day, connect, and get your child ready for bed. You’ll want to send certain “cues” to your toddler that it’s nighttime and time for sleep.

These cues can be anywhere from a bath to a book before bed!

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Best Toddler Bedtime Routine

Remember, every child is different so feel free to use this routine as a guide and tweak what you need to in order to meet your toddler where they are.

This toddler bedtime routine just has all of the “ingredients” your toddler needs to successfully wind down from the day and promote a calm night with good rest. But you can mix up these ingredients in any way you see fit!

1. Cleaning

It’s bath time!

Bath time has been the start of our bedtime routine since my daughter was 6 months old. It’s a great way for a toddler to transition from dinner to “wind down” mode.

Even if you’re toddler doesn’t have an actual bath every night, this step is just the act of cleaning your child. Whether that’s a bath or a good wipe down, this step is the first one to help your child understand it’s time for nighttime.

Bath time is also a great way to let your little one get the wiggles out before bed. They can play with toys and this could be counted as their last “activity time” of the day.

This time can also be a great connection activity where you sing songs with your toddler and have fun together.

You can make up a “bath time” song or sing a Cocomelon bath song and teach your little one how to clean their body.

Here are some bath toys my toddler loves:

• Baby Shark Swim Bath Toy
• Spill, Spin & Flow Bath Toy Set
• Munchkin Fishin’ Bath Toy

Safety Note: Never leave your child unattended in the bath. I always sit in the bathroom with my children and fold clothes or play with them but I’m always giving them my undivided attention and watching them.

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2. Get Dressed

Now that bath time is over it’s time to get dressed in cozy pajamas.

I like to dry my daughter and apply lotion right after her bath. The lotion absorbs so much better into her skin and leaves her smooth and moisturized.

(My daughter battles itchy, dry skin so this really helps prevent her from scratching all night)

Then, if your toddler is old enough, let them dress themselves as much as possible. If your toddler is still little, get them dressed and use this time to teach them how to put each arm in the shirt and each leg in the pants.

I used to sing my baby the hokey pokey when I was getting her dressed after a 4bath. She associated that song with getting ready for bed!

I also give my children 10 minutes of playtime after they are dressed. Another opportunity to get the wiggles out!

They play with each other and clean up their room getting their beds ready for sleep. When my daughters were little and not able to do as much, I would use this time to connect with them and play little games- like peek a boo.

Remember, each step in the bedtime routine is used to help your child understand it’s almost time for bed and unwind but also connect with them before bedtime.

3. Drink

Ever since my children were little, they always loved milk before bed. Whether it was a few ounces in a bottle when they were babies or a little milk in their favorite cup before bedtime.

I like to give them milk when they ask for it at this time because it’s one of their “nighttime cues”.

I have milk as step 3 because it’s a perfect time – they haven’t gone potty yet so I like to wait a couple of minutes after they drink it and then make them go to the bathroom.

(So we don’t have any potty break night wakings!)

My oldest likes to drink her milk sitting in bed. We get our books ready and her pillow nice and fluffed, then go to the bathroom for our final potty trip.

If your little one is still getting a bottle/sippy cup for any reason, this is the step I used to give it to them. (As I mentioned, I’ve been using this routine since my babies were 1 so it’s changed a lot since they were that age as they continue to grow & develop)

4. Bathroom

Here’s the last potty break!

If your little one isn’t potty trained yet, don’t worry- it will happen when your child is ready. During this bathroom time, you can sit your toddler on the toilet if you’re in the process of potty training or you can just use this time to brush teeth.

If you’re wanting to potty train soon, you can add this to your bedtime routine as early as you like so your child can get used to the routine and it will become very predictable for them when it’s time for them to start going potty. It will be something they’re already used to!

If your toddler is potty trained, make sure they actually go to the bathroom. If they “don’t have to go”, ask them to sit on the toilet for an extra 30 seconds to a minute. Sometimes I play a counting game or sing a counting song to distract my toddler from being antsy as she waits.

Giving them that extra time just ensures they actually don’t have to go and not just saying they don’t. This can help prevent an accident or night potty trip.

If your child is younger and still in diapers, this is the time I change them and apply fresh diaper cream.

5. Book

We finally made it to book time…

I love this step in our bedtime routine because it means we are one step closer to lights off (cue the mom dance!)

When my daughter was little (18-20 months) I would sit with her on the glider and read her a book after her nighttime milk and diaper change.

As my kids got older and we transitioned them from a crib to a toddler bed/twin bed, we tweaked our bedtime routine to reflect their growth.

Now my oldest is 4.5 years old and we read her books laying down on her bed. She chooses 2-3 books and we read them together.

Here are some fun books that we read every night:

• First 100 Words
• Trace & Flip Book
• Princess Bedtime Stories
• Peppa Bedtime Stories
• Mickey Bedtime Favorite Stories

6. Bedtime

That time has arrived—bedtime!

After reading, we…

• cuddle for a few minutes
• turn off the lights,
• switch on the nightlight,
• put on the sound machine,
• and give her a big kiss.

I sit on a chair in her room and sing her a few songs until she drifts into sleep.

Some nights I sit for a few minutes and leave. Other nights I sit for a while until she falls asleep. It depends on my toddler’s mode and what she needs that night.

I’ve used a sound machine for my children’s naps and nighttime sleep since they were babies. It helped them sleep better and was a great sleep cue. As your baby gets older, you can begin to wean from the sound machine as you see fit.

My 4-year-old still uses the sound machine on its lowest setting. She likes the noise because we live in very noisy New York City (the city that literally never sleeps when my kid needs to sleep haha)

But I also know parents who play an hour loop of instrumental lullabies or beach waves for their child to fall asleep.

A good rule of thumb is to use whatever method has been working for your toddler to fall asleep for naps and just replicate it for bedtime.

And there you have it!

How to Get a Toddler in a Bedtime Routine

Babies and toddlers love predictability. It helps them feel secure in what they’re doing throughout the day and helps them know what to expect.

Routines are a great way to offer them that predictability and structure!

If your toddler does not have any bedtime routine whatsoever- do not fret…you can easily start one at any point.

It’s never too late to begin a new routine.

It’s also never too late to tweak or alter an existing routine. If you have a bedtime routine but it doesn’t seem to be working, don’t fear changing it a bit.

It’s all about giving your toddler what they need and meeting them where they are developmentally.

• To start or alter a bedtime routine, it always begins with the first day. Don’t be afraid to just jump in and begin!

• Follow the routine for the first night and see how many steps you get through.

• Explain to your toddler each step as you do it so they understand the importance of each activity in the bedtime routine and how it helps them wind down.

Tell them what the next step is so they can begin to be aware of the predictability of the routine pattern.

• As each night of the week progresses, continue to do the same steps in somewhat the same order (it doesn’t have to be perfect!) while explain to your child what you’re doing, why, and what’s next.

After 7-10 days you should see a noticeable improvement in your bedtime endeavor. More on this later so keep reading!

Also, be sure to download the toddler bedtime routine guide. It not only comes with a download/printable bedtime routine you can follow and teach your child but it also has a nighttime tracker to help you pinpoint changes in your child’s sleep and nighttime mood!

What you document & track will help you tweak the bedtime routine to fit your child’s needs to get you even better results.

Grab the free guide by signing up using the form below!

Keep track of how your child sleeps those nights to see if there are any changes. Tweak the routine as you see fit. Remember, this is all about following YOUR child’s cues!

How Long Should a Toddler Bedtime Routine Be?

Don’t get too hung up on doing this super long, detailed and complicated bedtime routine. A bedtime routine is simply to let your little one knows that it’s time for nighttime sleep.

I’m specific in saying nighttime sleep because nighttime sleep is much different from daytime sleep. A nap ends after 1-2 hours. Nighttime sleep lasts 10-12 hours.

A huge difference!

Little actions such as reading a book before bed or putting on lotion before pajamas are sending your child cues that it’s time for nighttime sleep.

This sample bedtime routine (that I’ve used for all of my kids) is about 45 minutes to an hour long. I begin the routine with a bath, and depending on how long bath time lasts will determine how long from that point it takes for my toddler to go to sleep.

But your bedtime routine can be 30 minutes- that’s totally fine!

You can use the steps in this bedtime routine as a guide and shorten or lengthen it as you see necessary.

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Tips for Toddler Bedtime Routine

Here are some tips to help you be as successful as possible in your bedtime routine…

Be Consistent

Consistency is the key to any good routine. That’s what makes a routine a routine- the pattern and predictability of it!

And that only comes with consistency. Keep in mind, that doesn’t mean every day has to be a minute for minute clone of the previous day!

It just means to consistently keep the same steps and pattern of the routine as best as you can so your toddler can begin to become aware of its predictability.

Give Your Toddler Options

There’s nothing worse than a defiant toddler refusing to do anything you say. Trust me, I’ve been there…

I’ve learned the very hard way a great way to prevent this little tantrum is to give your child options. Not a crazy amount of options that would overwhelm them but a couple of options to help them feel independent.

For example:

• pick out 2 pajamas and let your toddler choose which one they want to wear
• let your toddler choose the books they want to read that night
• offer them 3-4 different bath toys and allow them to choose

Allowing your toddler to make these small choices gives them autonomy and will even help them with growth and development!

Will I see an improvement in our night times?

After 7-10 days of consistently doing a bedtime routine, you should see a noticeable improvement in your bedtime endeavor.

Keep track of how your child sleeps those nights to see if there are any changes. Tweak the routine as you see fit. Remember, this is all about following YOUR child’s cues!

If you see your child is taking a long time to fall asleep, stretch the amount of time your child is up before starting the bedtime routine.

If your toddler is waking up 2 hours after falling asleep to go potty, be sure to take your little one to the bathroom later, preferably right before they lay down.

Tracking your child’s nights can help you see where you need to make those little changes to enable your toddler to have the best night’s rest possible!

FREE Download/Printable Toddler Bedtime Routine & Tracker

Be sure to get the Toddler Bedtime Routine to access my FREE toddler bedtime tracker

It also comes with a printable toddler bedtime routine chart you can hang up and show your toddler so they can follow along with the routine steps and pictures!

Includes:

• Bedtime improvement tracker
• Printable Pictured Routine for toddlers
• Downloadable step by step routine

Complete the form below to get it sent straight to your inbox 🙂

Recap Time!

Bedtime routines are one of the best ways to help your toddler unwind while giving them the “nighttime sleep” cue.

Overview of the 6 step toddler bedtime routine:

1. Cleaning
2. Dressing
3. Drink
4. Bathroom
5. Bonding & Books
6. Cuddles & Bedtime

The goal is to make them feel as safe, comfortable, and restful as possible while giving them some independence as they continue to grow and develop.

This exact step-by-step toddler bedtime routine is designed to help make nights calm, encourage your toddler to unwind, flourish your connection with them while promoting better sleep.

Remember, YOU know your child best!

Tweak this routine as you see fit to meet your child where he/she needs.

Don’t forget to grab that free Toddler Bedtime Routine (fill out the form above!) so you can have these steps sent straight to your device 🙂

You got this, mama!

Related Reading:

• Simple Toddler Morning Activity Routine to Keep them Busy
• How to Easily Create Toddler Screen Time Rules
• Potty Training Tips & Essentials

Inside: Find out how to make screen time learning fun with the FirstCry Playbees Educational App!

Ready to make screen time learning fun?

As a new mom, I was extremely anti-screen time. I thought screens for toddlers were counterintuitive to learning…but man, was I wrong!

With the right boundaries and with the right apps you can make screen time for your toddler full of learning fun.

When my daughter reached 2 and a half years old, I began to implement educational screen time filled with apps that promoted age-appropriate learning alongside our morning learning time.

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It taught my daughter independent learning while reiterating what I was teaching her, such as helping her learn colors, sharps, and rhymes. And we’ve continued to search for educational apps ever since.

I recently partnered with FirstCry to try their brand new educational app and it was a completely hit!

The FirstCry PlayBees educational app is great for children to build and work on existing skills while keeping the fun in learning. From colors and numbers to rhymes and letters, your child can begin learning in a fun, new way!

In this review, I’ll walk you through the complete app and show you the best features my daughter enjoyed as well as share my personal thoughts on this educational app.

FirstCry PlayBees Educational App

How to Download

The FirstCry Playbees learning app can be easily downloaded and installed on any iOS or Android device. You simply open the app store, search for the app, and then you’ll be prompted to download it.

Here are the direct links to the PlayBees app in the app store for each device:

Android PlayStore
iOS AppStore

The First Cry Playbees app is free to download so you can poke around the app and get a feel for it.

How it Works

What I love most about the First Cry PlayBees educational app is the ability to download certain games within the app that can be used with an internet connection. Which is great for car rides and errand runs!

There is a free section in the app which includes some stories, games, and songs. You can let your little one play around with the free section to see if this educational app is the right fit.

You can also start a free 14 day trial to access the entire app that includes all of its features:

• Educational Games
• Stories
• Rhymes
• Read Aloud
• Flip Books & more!

It currently has over 1,000 games, rhymes, stories and books.

Within the app, you can set the age range for your child so the app gives you age-appropriate games and activities for your little one. I love this app because it can grow with your child and meet their developmental needs as they continue to learn!

There are 3 age ranges:

• 0-2 years old
• 2-4 years old
• 4-6 years old

My Honest Review

I’m usually skeptical to purchase subscription-based learning apps because I usually find all of them to be the same. And honestly, it’s sometimes cheaper to just download different free learning apps instead of purchasing a yearlong subscription to one app that your child will get bored with…

But I can honestly admit, this is the first educational subscription-based app my daughter has truly enjoyed.

So far, my daughter has enjoyed most games and really likes the story section of the app. She has used it long enough to switch her age range from 2-4 years old to 4-6 years old.

She recently turned 4 so I was afraid the app wouldn’t be able to meet her where she is in her developmental transition from 3-4 but the creators did a good job with the difficulty levels and activity variety.

I also really like the ability to download different games and activities within the app that you can use without internet. You can tap the little red arrow in the top right corner of the activity for it to be downloaded within the app.

When I first started poking around the app my daughter was a bit confused with how it worked but we later figured out that you have to individually download each activity you want to play with. I prefer this because it saves on device storage!

That was honestly the only hiccup we had with the app when we first started using it.

How I Schedule Screen time

As you know, screen time is a controversial topic in the parenting world but I believe screen time can be used as a great educational tool when boundaries are set.

Every day after our morning activity lessons, my daughter is able to have 30 minutes of educational screen time. This helps her independently play while reiterating what we were just learning!

For the first 10 minutes, I sit with her on the app to engage and use that time for bonding and for the last 20 minutes she is able to play on the educational app as she wants. I personally have very strict standards for what my daughter is exposed to at such a young age so having an educational app that I trust really makes all the difference!

Subscription Details

Basic– includes rhymes, games, and stories for $24.99 a year

Gold– includes rhymes, games, stories and read aloud books for $34.99 a year

Platinum– includes rhymes, games, stories, read aloud books, and flip books for $39.99 a year

Each subscription package does include a monthly subscription option starting from $2.99 a month.

Disclaimer: I was gifted with a year subscription to the First Cry PlayBees app but this in no way affects my review of the app. My opinions and views are my own.

Recap:

Educational screen time can be a great tool to practice existing skills with proper boundaries.

The FirstCry PlayBees educational app is one of these great tools to help your child learn new milestones and exercise existing skills!

Inside: Find out the easiest tips to help your toddler adjust to new baby by making them feel included, loved, important, and well prepared so you can make the transition easy!

As I stared down at the 2 little pink lines I was immediately excited but my mind began to race…

How can I juggle 2 kids?

Will I be able to divide my love?

How is my daughter going to handle being a big sister?

My excitement morphed into worry because the relationship I have with my daughter is so special that I didn’t know how she would react to the news that I’m pregnant with another baby.

Fast forward 9 months…

And everything turned out great! Actually, better than I could have ever imagined!

I’ll share my exact tips and tricks to help your toddler adjust to your new baby so you can eliminate jealousy and promote a healthy bonding between your newly grown family.

After you implement these tips, your toddler and baby are on the road to truly becoming best friends 🙂

I’ll walk you through exactly the best steps you can take to help your toddler feel included, loved, and fall in love with your new little one!

No time to read this now? That’s okay! Pin it to your favorite board for later!

These tips will cover what you can do to start preparing your toddler for your new baby starting when you first find out you’re pregnant all the way until you finally bring your sweet little one home.

I’ll help you help your toddler feel helpful and useful instead of unnoticed or overlooked.

Let’s get down to it!

Tips to Help your Toddler Adjust to New Baby

The best way to help your toddler adjust to new baby is to actually begin when you find out you’re pregnant.

These tips will help keep your toddler in the loop as your belly grows and help them feel included while you prepare for your new little one.

If you’re already past this part and your baby is here, you can just skip down to the next section of tips!

How to Prepare Toddler for Baby While You’re Still Pregnant

Tell your toddler the news first

The best tip to help your toddler adjust and prepare for a new baby is to actually tell your toddler you’re pregnant before you tell everyone else.

Your toddler is an important member of your little family so discuss with your husband when is the best time to share the big news with your toddler.

You don’t have to tell your toddler right away, just be sure to tell them before you tell everyone else. Even if it’s just a day before.

You don’t want your toddler to be blindsided in front of your whole family with the news. Especially since you don’t exactly know how your toddler will react.

Maybe they need extra cuddles, maybe they’ll need a better explanation.

And giving them this one on one time will start the whole journey in the best way possible!

Have your toddler help with your pregnancy announcement/gender reveal

Now that your toddler knows your big news, let them help you announce it to your family and friends!

Here are some pregnancy announcement ideas with toddler:

• Toddler holds a balloon that says baby
• Have toddler hold a letter board that says promoted to “big sister” or “big brother”
• Take a family maternity photo

Pregnancy gender reveal ideas:

• Have toddler bite into a pink or blue cupcake
• Toddler can hold a pink or blue balloon
• Toddler can open a box with something pink or blue inside

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Show your toddler books about the baby growing

Another really great tip to help your toddler adjust to new baby is to show him/her how the baby is growing in your belly.

You can use a pregnancy book like this one and walk them through how your baby grows every well.

You can also download an app like Baby Center and your toddler can see pictures and videos of your baby growing.

My daughter absolutely LOVED watching videos of the baby growing every week and every month.

We’d talk about how her sisters finger nails were growing or how she looks inside of the belly when she kicks.

You can use this opportunity also as a way to teach how the body forms and grows and go over parts of the body!

Let them help you pick items for your registry

The next step is to get ready for the new baby and your toddler will looveeee this part.

Plan a day to go to your registry store of choice such as Target or Buy Buy Baby.

Have a special breakfast that morning, visit the store, and let your toddler look at all the items you need. Let her/him pick out crib sheets, patterned burp cloths, a cute onesie, and anything else that you allow them to decide.

This will help your toddler feel connected with your baby when they see the baby using the item they picked out!

Show them the bottles, the baby’s crib, and other baby items.

Tell them what each item does for the baby too!

And if the store has a registry machine, let your toddler scan the items- they’ll have so much fun 🙂

If you’re setting up an online registry like Amazon Baby (which is my favorite option!) you can still make it fun by having your toddler help you scroll through items!

Include Toddler in your Baby Shower

Once your registry is all set up, next, it’s time for the baby shower…yay!

It may be difficult to watch your toddler when you’re waddling around at a party dedicated to you so don’t worry about having your toddler be there the whole time.

Maybe your husband can watch your toddler for most of the shower and your toddler can come help you open gifts or take pictures.

My cousin gave my daughter a gift at my baby shower and it was a sash that said “Super Big Sister” and she wore it the whole time!

Buy toddler baby doll

The last tip to help your toddler adjust to new baby while you’re still pregnant is to let your toddler chose a baby doll of their choice that can become “their baby”.

This can be a pretty baby doll or even a spider man plush!

It doesn’t matter what kind of “doll” it is, as long as your child:

1. Picked it out themselves
2. Learns to care for it

This will come in handy when you need to feed or change your new baby so your toddler can stay involved by taking care of theirs!

Tips to help toddler adjust to new baby when baby comes home

The beauty of having a toddler is they are just a bit old enough to understand more than your baby does. So these tips will help you include your toddler in caring for your baby in simple ways that will have a great impact.

Involve your toddler in everyday baby tasks

Infants need constant care and attention which means that it’s really easy for you to feel torn between your toddler and your newbon.

But it including your toddler in those daily, repetive baby tasks can help you easily juggle both your new baby and your toddler.

I’ll show you 2 easy tips here:

Ask toddler to help with diaper changes

I started off by including my daughter in routines that we would be doing over and over again each day, like diaper changes.

I set up a little toddler chair next to the changing table and would give L different tasks. Such as:

Please give mommy the diaper

Can you open the diaper cream cap?

Please throw the diaper in the trash

Then after a few weeks your toddler will be so used to your diaper changing routine that they will feel needed and helpful instead of feeling jealous or even ignored.

Let toddler help you wash bottles/laundry

If your toddler is old enough to stand on a step stool and help you do some basic chores, this is a great way to help your toddler feel included and adjust to your new baby.

When you have to wash bottles, have your toddler stand on a step stool by the sink and help you rinse or dry the bottles.

When you do your baby’s laundry, ask your toddler to unsnap onesies buttons or throw each piece of clothing int eh washing machine.

Making these everyday tasks into a little game can help your toddler feel even more included and allows them to feel they are helping.

Implement a reward system

If your toddler begins to help you with diaper changes or bottle washing or laundry, begin to start a reward system so your toddler feels like they are working towards something by helping you and the baby.

For every time your toddler helps with a diaper change, give them a sticker. After 20 stickers (or an amount you decide), your toddler can choose one gift out of a special treasure box.

You can fill the treasure box with little items from the Dollar Store or Target dollar spot. Maybe a coloring book or a little surprise egg with their favorite character.

Rewarding your toddler for helping you with the baby will keep them encouraged!

Explain to your toddler what you are doing and why

Toddlers are like sponges. They retain information and process things differently than we do so it’s important to keep them in the loop so they understand what is going on around them.

As you change the baby’s diaper, explain to your toddler how babies go peepee in the diaper and then when they become big girls or big boys, they go peepee in the potty.

As your breastfeeding, explain to your toddler that mommy makes special milk that makes the baby strong and healthy.

As your bottle feeding, explain how feeing the baby sitting in an upright position helps make the baby’s belly less bubbly and gassy.

Use words your toddler will understand but teaching and explaining to them key actions that you do throughout the day will help your toddler feel included!

Have a positive discipline strategy in place

Let’s face it- toddlers can be a handful…and sometimes they can be downright bad.

• Refusng to listen
• Throwing tantrums
• Running away from you
• Making messes
• The list can go on and on.

And if you’re juggling a newborn PLUS a toddler having a bad day, things can get hairy really fast.

The best thing to do is to have a positive discipline routine in place.

Go over the discipline routine with your toddler so they know what to expect when they do not listen to you.

Explain to your toddler how important it is to listen and how they can help you with the baby by putting on their listening ears.

If you’re looking for a positive disciple strategy that actually WORKS, downloadguide this article for my step by step discipline routine.

This is the exact routine I use with my daughter, starting when she was 2 years old!

I created the Positive Discipline Strategy guide with simple steps so you can slowly implement the discipline routine at your own pace and in a way that your toddler will respond well to it.

Download the guide below!

Free Positive Discipline Guide

Have a special snack/treat/show ready just for when you have baby around

There will be many times when you’re caring for the baby that your toddler can’t really help you much.

To be honest, there will be some times where their help will just make the situation harder for you.

And that’s okay!

To keep your toddler calm and not feeling ignored, choose a special treat or snack that they can have during these times.

It doesn’t have to be every day, but your toddler will feel more special by playing with a special toy or eating a special treat instead of potentially feeling unseen.

You can even have a special movie or show that your toddler loves that they can watch just when you’re with the baby.

Use whatever works for your family!

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Related Reading

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Plan quality time with toddler

I noticed that toddler’s love language is quality time. Special time with mommy and daddy is like pure gold to any little one.

I know when my daughter starts saying “Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy” 50 times a day, she’s really craving time with me.

Toddlers just want your attention and when you have a new baby around, that can seem almost impossible.

But quality time doesn’t have to be a 2 hour movie…

• Sit on the couch and cuddle for 5 minutes.
• Play with your toddler and their favorite toy.
• Ask them what they would like to do for 20 minutes and they get to choose the activity.

Anything that give you and your toddler time together where they are your only attention, is great quality time.

So don’t beat yourself up and feel guilty for not giving 100% of your attention to your toddler 100% of the time.

Just plan little pockets of quality time with your toddler throughout the day and you’ll notice any tantrums start to disappear 🙂

Make Baby & Toddler Life Easy!

Download the FREE Mommy & Me Mini Planner to help you juggle baby feedings, diaper changes, toddler activities AND your to-do list in ONE place!

Download the Free 10 page printable planner + organizer now!

Well there you have it!

I hope this extensive list of tips to help your toddler adjust to a new baby will help you feel confident knowing that you can successfully juggle and newborn and a toddler AND not spread yourself too thin!

Don’t feel guilty for having to split your time between your 2 little ones. They are both getting 100% of your love and care, even if it a looks a little different than it used to.

Remember, the goal is to help your toddler feel loved, appreciated, and important by actively including them in your daily routine with your baby.

Don’t worry, it’ll come like second nature to you <3

You got this mama!

Want easy, fun & cheap activities to keep your baby and toddler entertained?

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Inside: Thinking of potty training? Learn the best toddler potty training tips to help you make this pivotal transition an easy one!

I plopped down at my kitchen table, completely exhausted from throwing my daughter’s 2^nd birthday party. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw my daughter skipping around her new toys and it hit me– oh my gosh, I have a toddler!

Immediately the thought of potty training flooded my mind.

How am I going to potty train her?

Will it be hard?

At that moment, potty training seemed like a huge mountain I could never climb. I dreaded even starting because of all the horror stories I’ve heard.

But I couldn’t let my fear and anxiety keep me from teaching my daughter this essential life skill.

So I buckled down and began potty training my toddler. And to my amazement—it wasn’t that hard!

On my potty training journey, I learned some amazing tips and tricks that made toddler potty training an absolute breeze.

Within 10 days, my daughter was completely out of diapers, using the potty, and accident-free!

I don’t necessarily believe in those “potty train your baby in 3 days” articles, mainly because like with any other milestone, potty training is a process.

But with these tips and tricks, I’m hoping to make your toddler potty training process as simple and stress-free as possible 🙂

So let’s get down to it!

Best Toddler Potty Training Tips

Remember to be patient with your toddler and yourself. Trust your instincts and take it one day at a time!

This post contains affiliate links. Mastering Mom Life is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please view Mastering Mom Life’s Terms, Disclosure & Disclaimer Policy and Privacy Policy. I wholeheartedly believe in all of the products I recommend and use them all! 

1. Stock up on Potty training essentials

The last thing you want to do is start the potty training process without your major essentials. That’s like baking cookies without any ingredients—it’s impossible!

Make sure to have all of the essentials before you start potty training. That way, nothing will disrupt your process once you’ve begun.

You can read my list of potty training essentials here.

Or you can download my free Potty Training Essentials Checklist below!

2. Involve your child in buying underwear

The first potty training tip is to involve your little one in as much as possible in this transition. Starting with buying their first training underwear. If you read my potty training essentials article, then you know how amazing these training undies can be!

They come in different characters and colors so your toddler can get excited about wearing their favorite underwear.

When you involve your toddler in the buying process and let them choose their own underwear, it sets them up for success because they feel empowered that they are making their own choice. And ultimately, entering into their “big kid” phase!

3. Make your bathroom as comfortable as possible

The next toddler potty training tip is to make your bathroom a toddler sanctuary. You want your child to know the difference between playroom and bathroom, but also not be intimidated by the bathroom.

Many toddlers are afraid of bathrooms because it is a foreign concept to them. They know diapers and wipes but the porcelain chair and flushing are completely foreign to them!

That’s why you want to get your child accustomed to the bathroom by making it comfortable for them. When you remove their reservations, they are way more likely to actually *want* to use the bathroom.

That way, you aren’t forcing your child to sit on the potty. They are asking to go.

I made some minor changes to our bathroom during potty training season. I purchased a fun Finding Nemo shower curtain, a fun toddler toilet seat, added some fun color towels, and made a “potty basket” filled with potty books and potty training dolls.

As soon as Baby L saw the bathroom with Nemo, she immediately wanted to go in!

4. Create a reward system

I am a strong believer in reward systems because not only do they work but then can be completely customized to fit ay family!

My favorite potty training tip is to use a Potty Chart. (You can get my FREE potty training chart here!)

This helps get your toddler involved with their potty training! For every time they sit on the potty, use the potty, flush the potty, and wash their hands, they get a different reward. This encourages then to learn each step of the potty training process as easy as possible!

Step by Step Reward System

Because every part of the potty training process is important, I like to reward Baby L for every time that she does anything potty related.

• If she sits on the potty and tries to go, she gets to play with her fish toy in the bathroom sink.
• If she actually goes, she gets a chocolate chip (I buy sugar-free chocolate chips that are healthy so no worries about overloading your child with sugar!)
• If she does the whole process, flushes the toilet and washes her hands, she gets a sticker on her potty chart that she completed the steps.
• If she gets 4 stickers that day, she gets a surprise.

I went to the dollar store and bought $10 worth of toys, coloring books, and little surprises to give her over the course of her potty training days. (You can find all of these on my potty training essentials checklist here!)

It’s worked like a charm!

And if she initiates to go on the potty without me asking, she gets an extra surprise. This could be her playing with a certain toy that she’s not allowed to play with all the time or something else that is meaningful to her.

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel!

Use rewards that make sense to your child

It doesn’t have to be big or elaborate. Just something that is special to them.

To help you perfectly track your toddlers potty training progress, I created a customizable Potty Training Chart & Tracker for you!

The potty chart includes a chart for you to check off each time your toddler does one of the potty training steps. You can print the chart so they can see their progress and they can even use a marker to check off each star once they are done!

Then you can let them put a sticker on the chart so they can feel accomplished 🙂

It also includes a tracker to help you keep track of what is working and what isn’t. Plus it has a place for you to write notes about each potty trip as well.

This is the exact chart and tracker I used and it was perfect!

You can download the FREE Potty Training Chart & Tracker by clicking below!

5. Set some time to be home

My next potty training tip is to set a couple of days aside to just be home. You don’t want to start potty training your little one only to find that you need to run a bunch of errands. This can disrupt the training process and cause a delay.

I made the mistake of starting to potty training during a week where we had a lot to do. This confused my daughter because she didn’t know when it was okay to go in her diaper and when it wasn’t.

If you truly want potty training to stick the first time, you’ll have to teach your child that going to the bathroom in a diaper isn’t an option anymore. Of course, there will be accidents and special cases! But as a whole, the goal is to teach them the new place to do their business is on the potty, and nowhere else.

This will help them understand what it means to “hold it” and go pee-pee on the potty.

If they are confused about when they can go on themselves and when they can go on the potty, it will be hard for them to understand what going on the potty actually means.

To eliminate all confusion, being in the comfort of their own home where they can go potty as they please will really help solidify potty training!

6. It’s okay to have accidents

This potty training tip will cause some controversy but that’s okay!

I truly believe that it is okay for your child to have accidents during the potty training process. This is completely normal. After years of going to the bathroom in their diaper, they are now learning that it’s something they cannot do. And with that, comes a huge learning curve.

My daughter would have an accident at least twice a day. She either wouldn’t make it to the bathroom or she would just be playing and would pee—because she forgot she wasn’t wearing a diaper.

Don’t worry, this is normal!

Having accidents will actually help teach your toddler that they need to go on the potty. When they feel wet, they will know something isn’t right and then you can use that situation as an opportunity to take them to the potty.

Also, because they have on their training underwear, the mess isn’t as bad too!

Don’t forget to have some disinfectant on hand for those accidents too 😉

7. Set a reminder for every hour

To prevent a million accidents taking place in one day, my final potty training tip is to set a reminder for your little one to go potty.

Every time your little one has some water or juice, make a note of the time and set a reminder. At first, they won’t understand that they need to hold it until they get to the potty. So to help them, you sit them on the potty even if they aren’t telling you they have to go. Because odds are, they do!

8. Celebrate it up!

Don’t forget to celebrate every time your toddler uses the potty! Jump up and down, sing a song, clap your hands—use positive reinforcement to give them as much praise as possible.

And don’t forget to give yourself some praise too. After your baby foes to sleep, have a cup of coffee, treat yourself to your favorite snack, watch a guilty-pleasure show and take a breather. You deserve it! Potty training is not easy. Teaching your child something new is always a difficult task so don’t forget to take some time out for yourself too J

Download the Free Potty Training Chart & Tracker!

Don’t struggle through potty training! Download the free potty training chart and tracker to help you easily keep track of your child’s progress. Plus use the potty chart as a reward system to keep encouraging your toddler!

Keep track of any notes and your toddler’s potty progress during this pivotal step in their development!

Take the stress out of potty training!

Download the free chart now!

And there you have it!

I hope these potty training tips were able to bring you some relief about starting to train your toddler to use the toilet.

Now potty training doesn’t have to be a daunting mountain that feels like you can never climb. With these easy tips and resources, make potty training a celebratory step into toddlerhood!

Have any questions or other potty training tips you’d like to share? Drop it in the comments below!

You got this, mama!

Check out these other toddler hacks!

• Potty Training Must-Have Essentials to Make it Easy
• How to Handle the Terrible Twos with ONE Easy Thing
• 3 Routines Your Toddler Needs for a Tantrum-Free Day

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Inside: Are you wondering how to handle the terrible twos? Don’t worry, escaping the terrible twos is possible! Find out how I used ONE thing to turn the terrible twos into terrific twos…

Last week my daughter decided to go from happy baby to terrible toddler in the matter of a hot second.

Boy, oh boy, was I flooded with the reality of toddlerhood!

They say the “terrible two’s” are inevitable…. that you can’t escape the wrath of a developing toddler. And for a second, I truly believed it.

My sweet, loving baby went to bed one night blowing kisses at me and woke up the next morning reigning terror in the house.

The more she didn’t listen, the angrier I became.

And the angrier I became, the less patience I had.

Everything that worked for me a week before suddenly became history as I was stuck with a toddler who refused to nap, refused to sit and eat and refused to listen.

I was baffled and honestly didn’t know what to do.

Have you ever felt this way? I’m sure you can relate!

Dealing with the terrible twos isn’t easy, but it IS possible. I refused to listen to the terrifying stories of parents who dealt with a terrible toddler for over 6 months.  I knew there had to be a better way!

And one day, I found the perfect solution for how to deal with the terrible twos.

The Great Epiphany

One afternoon, as my daughter was screaming her head off sitting on her bed (refusing to nap!) I sat on her floor with my face buried in my hands. I suddenly had an epiphany…maybe it wasn’t just her.

Maybe she’s genuinely going through a transition and doesn’t know how to deal with it or express it to me so she’s acting out. And maybe I keep fueling her because of how frustrated and overwhelmed I am.

I looked at my sweet baby girl and saw her face was all red and blotchy from crying– my heart immediately melted. I looked into her eyes and said “can mommy give you a hug?” and she jumped into my arms and nestled her head into my shoulder.

From that moment on, I was determined to make the terrible twos the terrific twos!

I use the Mommy & Me Planner to help me track her schedule and my tasks so I was able to go back to the week that she started to change and see if anything out of the ordinary happened.

And I realized that particular week she skipped all of her naps, we ate at odd times, and I didn’t take the time to play with her.

Then it hit me—she was out of her normal routine and schedule!

She felt like a fish out of water flopping around desperately trying to get back into her water.

So I immediately went into damage control and started to work on getting her back on her schedule and routine that she thrived on.

Take One step at a time

Every day, I took one step at a time.

I stayed calm and did not get angry through every tantrum she threw. I talked to her with love and patience even though I wanted to yell. I sat with her in her room during her nap times to make her feel like she wasn’t missing anything. I put my phone on silent and would sit on the floor and play with her. I sat at her little table and ate with her.

I worked on building her confidence while re-establishing her routine. I failed a couple of times but I was determined to keep trying to stay calm and radiate patience.

It took almost 10 days, but it PAID OFF.

No more tantrums before nap or bedtime.

No more refusing to eat or sleep.

No more kicking and screaming every time I ask her to do something.

A complete 180 turn!

The ONE Thing That Stopped the Terrible Twos

The one thing I did to stop the terrible twos was– give my daughter extra love. I re-evaluated the way I was parenting and my emotions.

I exercised an insane amount of patience.

When your toddler acts out, it’s usually because of an emotion they are feeling or an action that triggered an emotion. Instead of just dealing with my toddler’s bad actions, I dealt with why she was feeling that way.

Instead of getting angry and frustrated, I would show compassion and empathy, letting her know I understood what she was feeling.

This didn’t mean I didn’t disciple her for her bad actions, telling her it was okay to yell or throw. But I disciplined in a way that didn’t make her feel worse than she did already.

How to Deal with the Terrible Twos

If you’re truly struggling with terrible two symptoms then I encourage you to try at least 1 of these tactics. These strategies completely helped me kick the terrible twos to the curb!

• Show Extra Love

When your little one is throwing tantrums and flailing their body around like a windmill, give him a hug. When your toddler is screaming at the top of her lungs, give her a kiss.

I know this sounds crazy, but it really works!

You are showing your child sympathy and understanding. Not because you approve of their behavior, but because you want them to feel better. And as you are showing your toddler extra love, be sure to explain that you don’t approve of their behavior, but you are sorry that they are angry (or sad or frustrated).

• Be Patient & Slow to Anger

It’s reaalllyyyy easy to just want to blow up when your baby is in mid-tantrum. Trust me, I’ve done it plenty of times.

But ever since I’ve started to truly exercise patience, my daughter no longer *expects* me to react.

Sometimes I truly think she would do something bad just to get a rise out of me. Instead of giving her my TeKa wrath (you know the big lava monster in Moana, with sweeping red fire arms…), I stay calm.

• Remove Your Child From Things That Would Cause Bad Actions

Sometimes you just have to remove your child from a situation altogether. If you know your toddler screams every time you put the playdoh away, don’t let him play with it for a while in order to not provoke the emotion.

Little actions like this will prevent meltdowns. And then once you feel like your little one is getting better at handling things, you can start introducing it again.

3 Things I’ve Learned

I’ve learned 3 things from this recent experience:

1. Toddlers need more love and attention than we think.

Just when we think they know how much we love them, always show more! That extra tight hug and bedtime kiss help solidify their emotions.

2. Babies THRIVE on schedules and routines.

A schedule and routine will help your child know what their day looks like. It gives them a sense of comfort because they can expect what is going to happen next.

If your child is used to napping and suddenly doesn’t nap, they don’t understand why they feel tired and will act out. A routine also helps you anticipate their needs too!

If you want to find out all the awesome benefits of a schedule for your baby, read this article!

3. Investing more time into the small moments with your children will always pay off.

Bonding is still so important! Spend more time playing with your child and enjoy the little moments. Watch your child as the color. Sit on the floor with them as they play.

The dishes can wait. The laundry can wait. Those moments may seem insignificant, but you are bonding with your child in such a special way.

Download a Free Mommy & Me Planner!

If it wasn’t for the Mommy & Me Planner, I wouldn’t have been able to pinpoint what was making my daughter act out.

I would have just chalked it up to “terrible twos” and accepted that she had changed. But in reality, it was ME who had changed things and it negatively affected her!

The Mommy & Me Planner is a mom planner and baby tracker combo—so you can track your child’s schedule and routine WHILE planning your tasks, all in one place!

The Mommy & Me Planner is 15 FREE pages from the full planner, and I know you will absolutely love it!

Get the Free Mini Planner now!

So, if you’re experiencing your own meltdown and your baby suddenly went from angel to terror, I’m right there with ya!

Put in the time to give them some extra love and be patient and slow to anger. I know it seems like it’s absolutely impossible sometimes, but it will really pay off!

Remember, sometimes it’s the smallest things that make the biggest impact.

A week ago, I thought I was doomed to live in the land of terrible twos. And today, I’m sitting at my table with a cup of coffee watching Hallmark Christmas movies while my daughter is napping. Tantrum-free.

Don’t lose hope and know that you’re doing a great job.

You got this, mama!

Want To read more posts about #toddlerlife? Check out these articles!

• The Perfect Toddler Daily Routine to Prevent Tantrums
• The Best Toddler Morning Activities to Keep Them Busy
• How to Create Your Own Toddler Screen Time Rules

Inside: Want to find out the best potty training essentials to help make potty training as easy and stress-free as possible? Keep reading!

Goodbye diapers, hello big kid underwear!

Saying goodbye to diapers is not only a huge milestone for your little one but it’s also a whole lot lighter on your wallet.

The thought of potty training can be extremely stressful but with these essentials, potty training is going to be more like potty fun-ing!

These 8 potty training essentials will help you prepare your kiddie for the potty training process to help them feel comfortable and confident in this huge transition. These essentials will also help you accomplish potty training in the easiest way possible.

It’s a win-win!

To help you really master potty training, I created a FREE essentials checklist so you know exactly what to get and never forget anything. Be sure to grab it below!

8 Potty Training Essentials

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please view Mastering Mom Life’s Terms, Disclosure & Disclaimer Policy and Privacy Policy. I wholeheartedly believe in all of the products I recommend and use them all! 

Potty

One of the first potty training essentials you need is a potty seat that fits into your potty.

It’s best to look for a seat that is comfortable and it attractive to your child. That way, they will *want* to sit on it.

At first, I purchased a child-size potty but I found that Baby L was getting used to playing with it instead of using it. It also didn’t accurately prepare her for using the toilet in public places.

So, I purchased a potty seat that fits into our toilet and it did the trick!

You can find inexpensive potty seats here!

 

Training undies

The second must-have potty training essential is training underwear. Potty training undies are specially designed for training your little one to use the toilet because they are extra padded.

If your child has an accident, it’s prone to be waayyy less messy because most of the liquid will be soaked up in the extra underwear padding.

You want to give yourself enough pairs of underwear to be able to switch out if multiple accidents happen in one day.

Where to Find Training Underwear

I purchased 3 packs of training undies, where 3 came in a pack. I washed them by hand and then threw them in the dryer so I can have clean ones for the next day.

You can find training underwear in your local Target, Walmart or multi-purpose store. Be sure to look at the packaging for the term “training underwear”. You don’t want to waste money on normal toddler underwear that isn’t padded or designed for toilet training.

You can purchase training underwear on Amazon with free shipping here!

Toys & Books

A huge potty training hurdle is actually getting your child to sit and stay on the potty. So, you’re going to have to whip out some goodies to keep your little one entertained.

That’s why the third potty training essentials are toys and books.

Use the toys and books as an opportunity to further teach your child about going to the bathroom. You can purchase books that talk about the potty and toys that help your child understand what using the toilet means.

These are some really great toys and books that helped my daughter not only stay on the potty, but *want* to use the potty.

I started putting a doll on a little training potty that we didn’t use anymore and I helped my daughter so much!

She started sitting on the potty when I put her doll on the potty because she wanted to be just like her doll. But then she started wanting to put her doll on the potty and pretended like she was potty training her little baby.

Sometimes the silliest and simplest things work!

Where to Find the Best Potty Training Books & Toys

Here’s a list of some of my favorite books and toys to help your little one fall in love with the potty.

Books

• Sesame Street: P is for Potty!
• Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Potty Time
• The Potty Book: for Girls
• The Potty Book: for Boys

Toys

• Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Potty Time Toy
• Drink & Wet Baby Doll with Training Potty

Incentive Treats

The fourth potty training essential is purely for incentive reasons. Whether it be snacks or stickers, having incentives will encourage your baby to use the potty because they know and awesome reward is on the horizon.

Some parents opt out of snacks because they don’t want their child having 15 snacks a day, but the decision is ultimately up to you and what you think would work best for your child.

Our incentive started out very simple—chocolate chips. Baby L would get one chocolate chip if she sat on the potty and tried to go.

If she actually went, then she would get a sticker.

After a couple of days, we weaned her from the chocolate chips because she started telling us when she needed to go. And we didn’t have to bribe her with a chocolate chip anymore!

When she started getting better at potty training, we would give her one snack at the end of the day as her reward.

Don’t be afraid to start with snacks if you know it would work for your child. You can always find organic and sugar-free snacks that are a healthier option too!

You want your incentive item to be something your child would normally not play with or eat on a normal basis. This will help make the incentive item special and associated with accomplishing going to the bathroom on the toilet.

My favorite incentive items:

• Organic Lollipops
• Chocolate Chips
• Stickers
• Bag of plastic toys (like little toy soldiers or rings)
• Fruit Snack Gummies
• Cheddar crackers

You can find some potty training reward sticker books and packets here!

Timer

The next essential is a timer.

You may be thinking, “why in the world do I need a timer?”

Because when you first start potty training, you’ll need to sit your little on the potty every 20-30 minutes to get them used to sitting on the toilet and to start catching when they have to actually pee or poop.

It’s really easy to lose track of time and then by the time you remember, you have an accident on your hands.

Normally, whenever I gave Baby L some water or juice, I set a timer for 30 minutes. This would remind me to ask her if she needs to go to the bathroom!

If I’m not cooking, then I use my ovens built-in timer, but then I purchased a little, inexpensive old-school timer and it worked perfectly.

You can also find nifty potty training timers that are fun for your toddler to use that will help them know when they have to use the toiler. Here are some cool ones!

BONUS: Don’t forget to download the FREE Potty Training Essentials checklist for an easy and stress-free potty training! Click here to get it now!

Disinfectant wipes

Potty training is awesome, but it also means that you’ll have a lot of accidents on your hands. But that’s okay!

The sixth potty training essential is disinfectant supplies. You want to have on hand some disinfectant spray and wipes that are easy to use and that can be easily accessible.

Simply wipe down the floor where your little one had an accident with some disinfectant as soon as it happens and you won’t have to deal with any longe term stains, smells, or messes.

You can use these alcohol-free Seventh Generation multipurpose wipes or original Lysol wipes.

Dreft spray

The seventh potty training essential goes hand in hand with the sixth—stain remover.

Now that you have your floors and house clean from the accident, you’ll have to deal with the actual clothes your baby was wearing.

Whether the accident was number 1 or number 2, I found that Dreft spray is the best to use! It takes out the stain almost immediately and you never have to worry about having a residual smell or foul color on the clothes.

It’s also super affordable and can be found at most local stores, like Walmart or Target. I actually started ordering Dreft spray through my Amazon Family subscription and you can save 15% on each bottle. You can choose for the spray to come every month, 2 months or 3 months and it automatically ships when you tell it to. It’s really neat!

If you don’t have an Amazon Family account yet, you can sign up for a FREE 30-Day trial here!

 

Travel potty

Because you trained your little one on a potty seat, it’ll be hard for them to immediately transition to a large rimmed toilet when you go out. If your child is still small, the toilet hole might even be way too big for your child to even sit on!

To solve this problem, purchasing a portable child potty seat is perfect! I found this travel potty seat on Amazon and it’s been a lifesaver. It suctions to any size toilet and it super comfortable for the kiddos. It also folds up small enough for you to just throw in your bag.

You can find different travel potty seats here.

Bonus: On the Go Potty Training Essentials

Here are some other potty training essentials that I use when I’m on the go:

• Clorox travel wipes- to wipe down the bathroom in case if it’s dirty.
• Lysol travel spray- to spray travel potty seat down before putting it back in your bag.
• Extra outfit- in case of an accident.
• Ziplock bag- for dirty clothes after an accident.
• Flushable wipes- they are softer on your baby’s bottom than public restroom toilet paper.
• Travel size Dreft Spray– to eliminate stains on soiled clothes.

 

Download the Free Potty Traning Essentials Checklist!

Don’t forget to grab your copy of the free checklist! Potty training can be stressful, but with this checklist, you’ll have everything you need to stress-free potty train your kiddie from A to Z.

I also include my exact list of potty training items that I pack in my bag for when we are on the go!

There you have it! Potty training can be a stressful milestone, but if you are properly prepared it can really easy.

These potty training essentials can help you say bye-bye to stress and help you enjoy the transition of your baby turning into a toddler.

Plus, your wallet will thank you for not having to pay so much for diapers anymore 🙂

Happy potty training!

Do you have any potty training tips? Let me know in the comments below!

Check out more posts about making toddler life easier!

• How to Create Toddler Screen Time Rules & Routine
• How to Keep Your House Clean with a Toddler: Easy Step by Step Guide!

Wait! Do you love free printables??

Become part of the Mastering Mom Life Insider tribe and get instant, exclusive access to my Mom Treasury filled with FREE printables + worksheets to make mom life easier!