7 Playful Potty Training Games for Toddlers Who Refuse to Sit
Contains affiliate links which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Potty learning has been my biggest parenting challenge yet – more than bedtime, more than getting dressed.
I trained my daughter using the Oh Crap! Potty Training method at around 32 months, and she picked it up within a week. We still had a few accidents afterwards, but she knew what to do and was happy to do it.
With my son, I felt so much more confident second time round. Using the same method at 2, I couldn’t believe how fast he picked it up – especially since he wasn’t talking yet. But the novelty wore off. Between too much prompting, a holiday, and starting nursery, we hit a full regression, and he went back into nappies for five months.
When I picked it back up, he still had the skill but the refusal crept back in within weeks. I tried sticker charts (worked sometimes), backing off entirely (no self-initiation at all), more reminders, and yes – bribes, screen time, a surprise toy – even knowing they’re not advisable.
So, here’s where the games come in.
They just take the pressure out of the moment, and as soon as my toddler realises it’s playtime rather than another instruction, he’s usually a lot more willing to give it a go.
The goal isn’t to trick them onto the potty. It’s to use play to help them feel more in control of a moment that can otherwise feel quite big.
7 playful potty training ideas for toddlers
Here are seven playful potty ideas for toddlers that you can try when potty time has become one of those daily battles.
1. Potty Detective
Best for: Toddlers who won’t sit still long enough to try
What you need:
- Just the potty
The idea
Turn sitting down into a little mission rather than a demand.
Instead of asking your toddler to sit and wait, give them something to listen out for.
Try saying: “I wonder if we’ll hear a little splash today. Shall we go and check?”
How to play
Sit your toddler down and narrate what you’re “listening” for, like a tiny investigation.
“I’m listening really carefully…” “Did you hear that? Was that you?” “Let’s see if anything’s happening down there.”
The idea is simply to give them a reason to sit for a moment rather than hearing “just try” for the tenth time.
If they resist
Let them “listen” for you first, sitting next to you while you pretend to try. Swapping roles first often takes the pressure off.
Builds: Sitting tolerance and body awareness
Make it easier: You do all the talking and let them simply sit and watch.
Make it more independent: Let your toddler decide when they think they’re “done listening.”
2. Road Trip
Best for: Toddlers who want control
What you need:
- A toy with wheels (though really this can work with anything!)
The idea
Some toddlers resist potty time simply because it’s one of the few moments in the day where they’re told exactly what to do and when.
Handing over a bit of the control can be enough to shift things.
How to play
Have a toy car drive up asking for directions to the potty. Your toddler gets to be the one to show it the way.
If they resist
Give the journey an ending: the car’s looking for the waterfall (we’ll let your imagination fill in the rest!). That way it’s up to your toddler to “finish the adventure.”
Builds: A sense of control, which often reduces resistance
Make it easier: Throw in a couple of red lights and roundabouts to slow things down and make it feel more like a game – or if you need to get there in a hurry, speed along the motorway!
Make it more independent: Let them choose the route, and what’s waiting for the car at the end.
3. Superhero Needs the Potty First (but more than just watching a toy do it!)
Best for: Toddlers who don’t want to start
What you need:
- A favourite toy
The idea
Sometimes the hardest part isn’t the potty itself, it’s the transition into starting.
Let a toy go through the motions first, so your toddler can watch rather than immediately participate. Line up a few superheroes (or favourite toys) next to a toy potty by the big potty – they’re excited to go but don’t know what to do, so they call out for help. Your toddler gets to be the hero.
Here’s how it plays out with Spiderman.
How to play
Put Spiderman next to the potty.
“Uh-oh, I’m bursting for a wee, but I don’t know what to do! Do I sit first, then pull my pants down? Excuse me – can you show me what to do so I don’t get my Spider suit wet?”
If they resist
Bring in a second toy who pretends to know what to do, but gives the wrong instructions – now they both need your toddler’s help.
Builds: Familiarity with the process without direct pressure
Make it easier: Let the toys do all the talking – my toddler responds to Spiderman a lot better than he does to me some days!
Make it more independent: Let your toddler run the whole rescue themselves, from start to finish.
4. The Hungry and Thirsty Potty
Best for: Toddlers who love pretend play
What you need:
- Just imagination (and your silliest voice!)
The idea
Turn the potty itself into a character who’s hungry and thirsty – and very specific about who’s allowed to feed it.
How to play
In your best potty voice: “Oh finally! I’ve been SO hungry and thirsty today. I don’t want teddy’s food, I don’t want mummy’s food, I don’t want daddy’s food either – I only want your food!”
Let your toddler decide what they’re “feeding” it, and react like it’s the best thing the potty’s ever had. (We’ll leave exactly how dramatic you want to get with that part to your imagination!)
If they resist
Have the potty get sad rather than pushy – “Oh no, I’m still SO hungry, I wonder who might come and feed me…” – then leave it there and let curiosity do the work rather than repeating the invitation.
Builds: A sense of being the only one who can help, which some toddlers respond to more than general encouragement
Make it easier: Keep the voice simple and don’t push for your toddler to talk back or perform.
Make it more independent: Let your toddler choose the potty’s voice, or come up with its lines themselves.
5. Potty Race
Best for: Toddlers who get distracted on the way there
What you need:
- Nothing extra
The idea
If the walk to the bathroom is where things fall apart, turn the transition itself into the game rather than waiting until you arrive.
How to play
“Race you to the bathroom!” “Can you get there before I count to five?” “Big steps, tiny steps, silly steps, go!”
The potty itself doesn’t need to be part of the game yet, just getting there without a meltdown.
If they resist
Make yourself deliberately slow or silly so they “win,” which often gets them moving without realising they’ve agreed to anything.
Builds: Willingness to make the transition without a battle
Make it easier: Walk together rather than racing.
Make it more independent: Let your toddler set the rules of the race themselves.
6. Blowing and Breathing Out Games
Best for: Toddlers who tense up or get anxious about sitting
What you need:
- Just you!
The idea
Some toddlers hold everything in simply because they’re tense. A silly distraction can help their body relax without them even noticing.
How to play
Sit facing your toddler and act out a pretend scenario for them to copy:
- Blowing up pretend balloons for a birthday party
- Baking a pretend cake, singing happy birthday and blowing out the candles (there’s always one that won’t go out!)
- An imaginary fly that keeps landing on your hand, which they need to blow off
If they resist
Try it away from the potty first – blow bubbles in the bath, or blow out a pretend candle in the lounge – so the blowing itself feels normal before you ever ask them to do it while sitting down.
Builds: A relaxed body and breath control, which can physically help things along
Make it easier: Do a couple of actions together, then let them get off.
Make it more independent: Let your toddler invent the next thing to “blow out” and direct you on how to play it.
7. The Potty DJ
Best for: Toddlers who need predictability
What you need:
- A few songs you can hum or sing
The idea
For toddlers who like routine and repetition, having the same little songs every time can make potty time feel familiar rather than uncertain.
How to play
Tell your toddler the potty is a DJ booth. Hold up your hand and tell them each fingertip is a button for a different song.
If they resist
Play it yourself – make the songs as dramatic and silly as you can, or pretend you’re fighting an invisible DJ over who gets to choose, flipping wildly from one “channel” to the next.
Builds: A fun but predictable routine cue they can rely on every time
Make it easier: Turn the songs into simple sounds instead – animal noises, claps, whistles.
Make it more independent: Let your toddler choose or invent the songs themselves.
What If Your Toddler Still Refuses?
This is probably the most important part of this whole article. I don’t want to give you seven playful games and leave you thinking that if your toddler still refuses the potty, you’ve somehow done it wrong.
Play isn’t magic. Sometimes your toddler will still say no. Getting frustrated and pushing the game is definitely not going to make it suddenly work. Sometimes you need to move on and try again later. In my own experience, there’s been a very fine line between prompting at the right moment when they’re too distracted to self-initiate, and piling on the pressure with too much prompting.
You can simply introduce the idea without insisting they play.
Spiderman: “Make way! I’ve gotta get to the potty!”
The game is an invitation, not another thing they have to perform.
Start before the potty even appears
The transition into potty time can sometimes be just as tricky as the sitting itself.
You can start the play while you’re still walking towards the bathroom.
Ring ring. “Hello? Oh yes, just one moment. It’s someone asking for Detective Max — they need your help with an investigation.”
Or: “I bet I can get there in fifteen steps.”
The potty doesn’t even need to be involved yet.
How to Choose the Right Potty Game
You don’t need all seven games every time.
In fact, if your toddler is already refusing, you probably don’t want to stand there scrolling through a list trying to decide what to do.
Think about what’s making the moment difficult today.
| If your toddler… | Try… |
| Won’t sit still | Potty Detective |
| Wants control | Road Trip |
| Doesn’t want to start | Superhero Needs the Potty First |
| Loves pretend play | The Hungry and Thirsty Potty |
| Gets distracted on the way | Potty Race |
| Tenses up or gets anxious | Blowing & Breathing Out Games |
| Needs predictability | The Potty DJ |
You don’t need to remember all seven.
Pick one that suits the moment and see what happens.
And if it doesn’t work today, it might work tomorrow!
That’s one of the things I love about using games for routines. You’re not introducing another strict system that has to be followed perfectly, you’re simply having a few ideas ready for when you need them.
Turn Potty Time Into a Routine They Can Participate In
For me, the long-term goal isn’t to entertain my toddler every time they use the potty. It’s to help them feel more comfortable participating in the routine. Play isn’t just about getting your toddler to do something you need them to do, it’s also about giving them a way into the routine.
Prepare → play → participate → practise independence.
It certainly doesn’t mean there won’t still be moments when you find yourself saying, “just try, please!” through gritted teeth. But those little playful moments can make the routine feel very different, and it doesn’t have to be something you dread every single day. The feeling I get when one of the games work, the potty has been used successfully, and we’ve both been silly and relaxed about it is absolutely worth the effort.
More Playful Toddler Routine Ideas
Since you’re reading this, perhaps potty training isn’t the only everyday routine that has become a bit of a battle in your house? If so, I’m right there with you! Which is why I create so many games for these tricky little transitions. I love being able to play with my little ones while still getting the job done, especially on those mornings when they’re about to head off to nursery for the day.
I’ve found that the same idea can work across so many of those little moments toddlers don’t necessarily want to do.
Getting dressed.
Brushing teeth.
Getting into the bath.
Putting shoes on.
Leaving the house.
Getting into the car or pushchair.
Winding down for bedtime.
You don’t need to turn every one of them into an elaborate activity. Sometimes it’s simply about finding a playful way into the thing that needs to happen.
I’m creating more resources around exactly this – simple games that help turn those tricky everyday routines into opportunities for play, connection and growing independence. And because I’m a mum too, I’m particularly interested in games that work in real life. Not activities that require an hour of preparation before your toddler even wakes up or another complicated routine to follow – we have enough to do already!
Just ideas you can actually use when you’re standing in the bathroom with five minutes to leave the house and a toddler who won’t sit down.
I’m so glad you’ve made it this far, and I hope these games help. And if getting dressed, breakfast, leaving the house or getting into the car are also tricky parts of your morning, I’ve got something that might help with those too.
Pop your email in below and I’ll send you my free Morning Routine Games Starter Kit, with some of my favourite morning games – one for each of those tricky moments.