Did you know that June is Potty Training Awareness Month? It also happens to be vacation season! For many families that means road trips, flights, and loads of new adventures. But if your child has recently said goodbye to diapers, the idea of traveling might feel a little intimidating. As the ParentCo Village Potty Expert, I’m here to tell you that you don’t need to cancel your vacation plans. With a little preparation (and the right tools!), travel and potty training can go hand in hand.
Here’s how to make your trip smoother, with five practical tips plus my top travel potty recommendations to keep you calm, confident, and accident-free.
Build Your Potty Training Survival Kit
Turn your old diaper bag into your new Potty Training Survival Kit! By packing some essentials, you can easily create a toolkit for any potty-related emergency that comes your way, setting you up for both success AND confidence. Here’s what to include:
- Extra underwear and changes of clothes (at least 2 sets of each - don’t forget socks and shoes too!)
- Travel potty or seat insert (I’ll share my favorites below!)
- Old burp cloths or small towels (for quick cleanup)
- Wet bags or diaper disposal bags (to keep soiled clothing separate from clean items until you can get it in the laundry)
- Wipes and hand sanitizer
- Your usual potty rewards (for a consistent experience both at home and on the go!)
- A spare shirt for yourself (just in case, and YES I speak from experience here!)
One small but mighty addition? Sticky notes. These are great for covering automatic toilet sensors, which can flush unexpectedly and scare your child. If a sticky note is blocking the sensor, you can ensure the toilet won’t flush until you’re ready!
Pro Tip: Let your toddler help pack their own “big kid potty bag.” Giving them some ownership over the process empowers them and creates a positive association with using the potty in every environment!
Choose the Right Travel Potty
A good travel potty is one of the most important tools you can have, and is a surefire way to combat any post-diaper travel stress. Here are my top 3 expert-approved picks:
Ingenuity My Size Potty Pro in White, Toddler Potty Training Toilet
Public bathrooms can be tricky for little ones to navigate, so sometimes the best answer is a “car potty”! Having their own private potty available to use in the car can bring your child comfort and reassurance during an unpredictable, overwhelming time. I love the My Size Potty Pro because it’s a petite size which keeps it portable, but also prepares your child for the next phase by resembling a standard toilet.
This compact, foldable potty works as both a standalone potty with disposable bags or a seat reducer on standard toilets. Its versatility makes it just as easy to use in a busy public bathroom as it is on the beach!
Ingenuity Foldaway Potty Training Seat with Storage Bag, Folding & Portable Toddler Potty Seat
If your child is already comfortable on full-sized toilets but needs a little extra support, this foldable seat reducer is a great add-on. It’s perfectly portable and discrete so you can easily toss it in your survival kit or purse.
Practice Before You Leave
If your child hasn’t used their travel potty yet, don’t wait until your first roadside stop. You don’t want your child’s first exposure to it to be when they are in panic mode because they really need to go, but they aren’t sure about this new contraption they’ve never seen before!
Practicing using a travel potty at home BEFORE hitting the road can work wonders in maintaining your child's potty training progress.
This helps reduce stress and resistance and gives some predictability over what could otherwise be a brand-new, confusing experience in the middle of a busy trip. Also let your child know you have it and show it to them before leaving the house or once you’re in the car so they know it is available for them to use if needed.
Stick with Underwear
It’s tempting to reach for pull-ups before a long drive or flight, but this can actually send mixed messages to your child. It may cause confusion about when it’s okay to use the potty and when it’s not, potentially undoing all the hard work you've both put in. Plus, it might delay their confidence in using the toilet independently.
So, as tempting as it might be for the sake of convenience, sticking to your potty training routine even during travels is usually the better bet in the long run. If you’re really not feeling confident in your child’s potty abilities, try an absorbent cloth training pant instead of disposables. This will feel more like the underwear your child has grown used to but still offer some protection for accidents!
Seek Out Family Restrooms
Family restrooms are generally a less overwhelming experience than bustling multi-stall bathrooms, especially for kids who are still getting the hang of this whole potty training thing. Public bathrooms can lead to sensory overload with the larger crowds, odd smells, and unpredictable (often loud!) sounds. Using a family restroom at the airport or a resort helps you control the environment better, and helps remove some of the stress for both of you. It also offers more privacy to be able to use your travel potty without feeling rushed!
Plan for Extra Bathroom Breaks
It’s pretty unrealistic to fully rely on your child to tell you when they need to go, especially when they’re distracted by all the vacation excitement. So it can be helpful to add some time to your itinerary for scheduled potty breaks. For road trips, plan on stopping every 1.5 to 2 hours. For air travel, offer a bathroom visit before boarding, during the flight (if practical), and immediately after landing when you get back into the airport.
Try to avoid singling out your child for these bathroom breaks. Make potty time part of the routine for the WHOLE FAMILY by saying things like:
“After lunch, we’ll all go potty before heading back to the beach.”
“Once we get off this ride, it’s potty time!”
This normalizes the process, removes pressure, and helps your child feel supported to prevent power struggles that can ultimately lead to accidents.
Final Thoughts
There’s no doubt that traveling with a newly potty trained child can feel overwhelming, but with the right plans in place, it doesn’t have to be. Some preparation, a few reliable tools, and a calm mindset will go a long way in making your trip enjoyable for everyone.
Remember: accidents may happen, and that’s okay. Every experience, whether at home or away, is part of your child’s learning journey. You’ve got this!
If you want more potty training tips be sure to check out my resources at www.pottytrainingconsultant.com for courses, guides, and one-on-one help. You’re never in this alone! Safe travels and happy pottying!
