Toilet training and preschool: how we handle it

One of the first worries we hear from parents of two-year-olds is that their child is not toilet trained yet. That is completely normal, and it does not stop a child from joining playgroup. Most children are ready somewhere between two and three and a half, and many learn alongside friends at school.

Signs of readiness include staying dry for two hours, telling you when a nappy is wet or dirty, showing interest when others use the toilet, and being able to pull pants up and down. If your child shows some of these, start at home over a long weekend, and tell your child’s teacher the words your family uses for the toilet. Using the same words at home and school helps a lot.

At school, we take children to our child-sized toilets at set times: on arrival, before and after snack, before going outside and before going home. Helpers stay with the youngest children, and every adult who helps is a woman staff member who has been with us for at least a year. We praise trying, not just success, and we never shame or scold a child for an accident.

Please send two complete changes of clothes, including underwear and socks, in a cloth bag every day, and easy clothes with elastic waists rather than buttons or belts. Soiled clothes come home in a separate bag. If your child has a medical reason for delays, tell us at admission, and we will make a plan with you.