As your child makes potty progress, reward them with our free printable potty training certificate below. Positive reinforcement is a big part of making steps toward the big finish, and this potty training reward might just give them the encouragement they need to keep up the successes!
Our printable potty training awards have helped a lot of parent build excitement with their toddlers.
- Eager-to-please kids. Toddlers with this personality look to their parents for confirmation they’re doing the right thing, and they thrive on positive reinforcement. If your child is eager to please, don’t hold back on praise. Point out even the little successes, and consider rewards like our potty training certificate that they can hold on to and show to others like friends or grandparents.
- Free-spirited toddlers. Kids in this category definitely don’t like things to be too structured, and if you push too hard they might push pack. If you have a free-spirited child, give them choices and let them feel like they have as much freedom as possible while potty training. And watch for cues on what rewards make them smile. There’s a good chance they’d prefer coloring a mat with their favorite character or creating a My Potty Book to getting a certificate.
- High-energy kids. With can’t-stop, won’t-stop energy, these toddlers love playing — and they want to keep time spent on more serious stuff like potty training to a minimum. If your child’s always on the move, don’t bother with long explanations or quiet rewards. Instead, focus on games and celebrations like trips to the park when they achieve a potty training milestone.
- Shy personalities. These children can sometimes be hard to read, but they definitely need reassurance. If your toddler has this personality type, make sure you don’t just focus on the big moments in potty training. Offer small, thoughtful recognition for the little steps too, and be willing to adjust your approach if it isn’t working. Building on what your child already likes — like a sticker, an inexpensive little dinosaur or animal figure, or a chance to pick out books at the library — might work.
- Cautious personalities. Kids who are cautious expect a lot from themselves, and it can be important to make sure they don’t take on too much pressure. Consider rewards that add some fun to the potty training journey. Sticker charts can work well too as they show progress over time. Cautious kids love consistency and to show that they’ve been learning.
Fun ways to reward your child’s potty training successes
Keeping your child’s potty training personality in mind, check out our fun ideas for kicking off potty training and great ways to reward your child along the journey:
- Get a call from their favorite character. You can arrange a call from your child’s favorite Disney character! It’s a great way to reward their potty training success — including big moments like wearing Pull-Ups® training pants or going on the potty for the first time.
- Get musical. Come up with a special “going to the potty” song you can sing at special moments. You can repurpose a song you both already know with a funny new chorus or start from scratch. Not much for singing? Put on your child’s favorite songs and have an impromptu dance party!
- Make your child’s own book. Many parents keep a basket of books in the bathroom so they can read to their child. It’s a good way to help them patiently wait when they’re first learning to use the potty and can’t always recognize the urge to go. For a special reward, make your child their own My Potty Book. With your child as the star, the book can tell the story of their potty training journey — from your special trip to the store to buy Pull-Ups® training pants and a potty seat to the first time they use the potty all on their own. You can create the book together or do it as a surprise.
Whether we’re 3, 30 or any other age, rewards can make us feel appreciated. And celebrating our own successes — and others’ — is a great way to spread positivity and encourage those we love. So make sure you have a plan for making your toddler feel special during potty training. And be sure you reward yourself as well. This is your journey too, and you’ve earned a trip to the coffee shop, a night out or some quiet “me time.”
