Planning a vacation with a potty-training toddler?  Follow these simple real-parent tips to help make potty training while traveling more comfortable for all involved.

Stay consistent

The biggest mistake you can make is postponing or “taking a break” from potty training during travel. It makes it much more difficult to reinforce commitment and consistency by switching back into diapers out of convenience. So, no matter how long the voyage is, keep at it.

We first started potty training Jack when he was two-and-a-half years old, and we spent about a year stopping and starting the process because my fear of training him on-the-go kept me from staying focused.  Because of that inconsistency, we’re still at it now almost a year later.  Kids model your behaviour and if you don’t maintain your focus, neither will they.

Know and share your potty plan

Before you start your trip, explain to all adults involved what the plan will be if your child says, “I have to go!”  If you try to figure how you’re going to handle things in the moment, you waste valuable seconds/minutes, which increases potential for an accident.

We assign everyone in the car a potty training task before we head out on the road so that we know exactly how to approach it.  As soon as we see the signs from our toddler, we all jump into action.

Our sample road trip potty plan:

• Dad: Find somewhere to pullover and safely stop the vehicle

• Mom: Verbally reassure Jack of the process and timeline (“we’ll use the potty in 1-minute,” etc.)

• Big Brother: entertain baby Harrison in his car seat while we focus on Jack’s pit stop

• Mom: Encourage Jack to pull his own Pull-Ups down so that he can continue to practice the actions of using big kid underwear, just like at home

• Dad: Clean up potty

• Mom: Reward Jack/celebrate and reassure him

Everyone should know exactly what the plan will be (whether it’s related to plane or car travel) and what his/her role is in getting the child to the restroom.  Eventually it will become second nature to everyone involved.

Pack with your child

Get your child involved in putting together a potty-on-the-go kit before your trip. Include all of the training essentials like Pull-Ups® training pants, wipes, bum spray (or a small water spray bottle) and a portable potty or potty seat. When your child sees all of this coming together before the trip, it will remind him/her that you’re all still committed to the process.  Jack has a special little knap-sack for all of his essentials and he now looks forward to putting it all inside.  I see the pride in his face when he zips up the packed bag.

Communicate with your child

Before you leave, make sure you explain to your child that you’re still ready to support them in any way if they need to use the potty. We constantly remind Jack of all elements of the adventure and make potty training one part of the discussion.  We show our supplies and continue to remind him to speak up if he feels the urge.

Consider extra protection

No matter how you’re traveling – plane, train or car – it’s hard to anticipate unexpected situations like traffic, construction, turbulence or your child falling asleep. Using a training pant, like Pull-Ups, during travel will help keep your child comfortable and protected – even if they are already primarily potty trained. They’re also ideal for on-the-go accidents because the easy-open sides help reduce the mess (and you don’t need to find somewhere to lie the child down to change him/her).

We’ve encountered hours of turbulence on planes and been forced to remain seated.  But, when a child has to go, he/she has to go!  Our son didn’t understand that we couldn’t access the toilet.  Thankfully, we were prepared and had put him in Pull-Ups prior to the flight.

“Travel size” your potty

There are a lot of different travel potty options – you can even find seats that fold-up to fit into a carry-on bag. No matter where you take washroom breaks with your child, you’ll want to have something on hand that they can use comfortably.  We take ours out at home, periodically, so it’s not entirely foreign to our son when we’re on trips.

Plan for extra stops and delays

When travelling by car, you’ll likely make quite a few more stops so your child can potty – sometimes they’ll go and other times it might be a false alarm. Same goes for long travel days spent in airports. Be sure to add on extra time to your travel day so there’s no pressure or rush.  And don’t get discouraged or frustrated if your child makes you stop but they don’t go or if they have accidents.  We’ve had to take a few deep breaths along the way, that’s for sure.

Pack extra clothes and plastic bags

When travelling, opportunities for potty time might be out of your control, so accidents are more likely to occur. I’ve run out of clothes on flights when my son had an accident– and it’s not fun. Extra clothes (and plastic bags to store wet clothes) will ensure the travel experience is comfortable for everyone.

Continue to celebrate each potty achievement with your child

If potty training loses excitement for your child during travel, there’s potential for them to regress. Pack stickers, snacks and other favorite rewards that are set aside specifically for potty training. Check out Pull-Ups.com for a wealth of incentive and rewards ideas along with on-the-go resources.

NOTE: This post is sponsored by Pull-Ups and is part of our potty training partnership #pottypartnership #ad