Top Tips for Toddlers

When children start school, it helps if they can use the toilet independently. This includes being able to manage zips and buttons, sit on the loo, wipe their bottom, flush the toilet and wash and dry their hands.

We have years of experience in helping little ones become potty and toilet confident.
Here are our top tips for successful potty and toilet training:

Potty Training

1. One question we are often asked is when is the best time to start potty training? The simple answer is that all children become ready in their own time; it is best to take the lead from your child rather than start too early – this can lead to frustration on both sides.

2. Children can most often control their bowel movements before their bladder, and it may take children longer to stay at dry at night rather than during the day.

3. You might want to start using the potty when your child is between 18 months and two years, it is ok to start earlier if you feel your child is ready.

Signals that they might be ready include:

• Telling you they are wet or have a full nappy
• Their nappies stay dry for over an hour between changes
• They let you know they want to do a wee before it happens
• They go somewhere quiet or hidden to do it – going to another room or behind the sofa is common

4. Introduce a potty and explain to your child what it is for – encourage them to sit on it when you’re changing their nappy or getting ready for bed so that they know how it feels.

5. The best place to keep a potty is in the bathroom so that they get used to going there. Have one downstairs too for easy access if your bathroom is upstairs.

6. The best time to try them on the potty is after they’ve eaten. Encourage them to stay on the potty by reading them one of their favourite stories. This also reinforces that potty time is a positive occasion.

7. If your little one becomes upset by using the potty, then it’s best to go to back to nappies and try again in a few weeks. They will become dry in their own time.

8. Let us know about your child’s potty routine so we can follow it when they are at nursery, this will help to build consistency.

9. When your child uses the potty successfully, give them lots of praise. Rewarding them with a sticker will also foster a sense of accomplishment.

From Potty Training to Toilet Training

1. Some children skip the potty altogether and are keen to hop on to an adult toilet straight away – we encourage this as it builds confidence in using the toilet from the start.

2. Keep a small step in the bathroom that they can use to climb up on to the loo.

3. To make your child feel more supported, you can also use a clip-on toilet training seat. That said, if they can go without one, this is ideal as it means they will adjust to using toilets in different settings quicker.

Need potty or toilet training advice? If you would like more guidance, or feel your child is ready to use the potty/toilet, come and talk to us. We’ll work together to devise a plan that’s best for you and your little one.

Our new child-friendly toilets – perfect for helping children use the loo independently.

With Easter approaching, we thought we would put together some egg-citing Easter activities going on in Windsor, or close by:

1. Dinosaur Egg Hunt – No, it’s not a typo, that’s a dinosaur egg hunt. Held at Windsor Great Park on Wednesday 5^th April and Thursday 6^th April 10-2pm.

Add an edge to your egg hunt by looking for dinosaur eggs. This activity is ideal for children aged 4 to 11 years, but children of all ages can join in the fun.

Book and find out more here.

2. Easter Trail and Egg Hunt at Basildon Park, Reading – Follow the clues to find a chocolatey treat at National Trust’s Basildon Park. The event runs from 1^st to 16^th April 10-4pm and costs £3 per trail (including prize).

The egg hunt is suitable for children of all ages. So, get your wellies on and go!

Discover more here.

3. Easter Extravaganza at Wellington Country Park: Wellington Park has more Easter activities than you can shake a smartie-filled chocolate egg at on from April 1^st to April 16^th, including:

• Easter crafts – make-and-take fun
• Canary Mary and friends live on stage
• Big Top show tent with shows daily
• Easter train ride

There is also a huge Easter egg hunt on Sunday 9^th April.

Book tickets beforehand online here.

Looking for fun things to do with your little ones that don’t cost a fortune this Christmas? As experienced child practitioners we have one or two things up our sleeves. 

1. Windsor Sightseeing – Windsor is beautiful at Christmas. Take a look around Windsor Royal Station, see the Christmas tree outside Windsor Castle and swing by the ice skating at Alexandra Park – it’s open until 2^nd January if you fancy trying out your skating legs.
2. Christmas Bake Off! – Hold a Christmas cook off at home. Children love mixing up tasty mixtures, not to mention licking the spoon after. Treats such as crumbly mince pies or cookies only need a few ingredients, some of which you may already have in the cupboard.

See BBC Good Food’s Christmas Baking Recipes for inspiration – little ones will love the chocolate cornflake Robin’s nests.

3. Winter Walks – Windsor Great Park is free and open all year round to pedestrians. There are over 5,000 acres to explore. Wrap up snug, grab a thermos of hot chocolate, and take in the crisp scenery. There’s ancient woodlands and you may even spot the park’s Red Deer herd.

See more about the walks and trails here.

4. Christmas Games – Keep the children entertained by planning some games. Set up a Christmas scavenger hunt with simple clues – there’s some great ones for children online.

Or play a festive game like a guess the Christmas smell – pop a blindfold on players and see if they can identify a selection of smelly Christmas items, such as pine cones, chocolate, peppermints and cinnamon.

5. See The Lights at Wellington Country Park – Neverland Illuminova has arrived at Wellington Park. The grounds have been turned into a symphony of light – perfect for sparking little ones’ imaginations. The event is open until December 23^rd_.

Find out more and book tickets here.

Have a wonderful Christmas!

With the summer holidays here, many pre-school children will be starting to get ready for school in September.

To help make your child’s move to reception as smooth as possible we’ve put together some tips.

1.  Introduce them to their new school

We’ve no doubt you are doing this already but talk to your child about their new school. If they haven’t been able to go around the school, show them pictures from the website, tell them their teacher’s name, and talk about what their day might look like.

2.  Try on the school uniform

Around now you might start gathering and labeling school uniform and PE kit.

Ask your child to try it on and see what it feels like. It’s also a good idea to try out zips and buttons so that they are comfortable taking items on and off to go to the toilet or for PE.

Also make sure their shoes are comfy – wearing them for a few days before school will help wear them in – and that they can easily get them on and off.

3. Test drive the school run

The school run might be on a different route to your child’s nursery, and depending on whether you walk or drive, there might be different obstacles to consider, such as parking or roads to cross.

During the summer holidays try the route out with your child. It may be quieter but it will give them a taste of what to expect when September comes.

4. Foster independence

Encouraging independence will help build your child’s confidence. This will help them when they get to school as they will feel more comfortable in doing things for themselves.

Small steps such as giving them tasks to complete themselves, for example, cleaning their teeth, brushing their own hair (you can go over these things later if you need to!) and putting their own shoes or coat on, will give them confidence in their abilities.

5. Make it fun    

Don’t get hung up on your child’s ability before they start school. Your child may have started to recognise their own name in writing or be able to write the first letter of their name, but no one is expecting them to be able to write or read properly before – that’s what school is for.

The first year is also pretty like nursery, with an abundance of learning through play, so focus on the fun they are going to have – new things to play with, new friends, new adventures!