Bathroom Storytime

Start a "potty library" to keep your child occupied when she complains that "nothing's coming out."

How it Plays

Find a nice basket or box and place it near the potty. Have your child choose books to go in it, and let her decorate the box with felt-tip pens and stickers. When she's waiting to go, read to her to pass the time. There's no need to restrict your potty library to books specifically on that subject. Try some of the many great children's books about growing up, such as Jamie Lee Curtis's When I Was Little: A Four-Year-Old's Memoir of Her Youth (HarperCollins Juvenile, 1993) and Pig-Pig Grows Up by David McPhail (Dutton, 1992). These books and many more should be available at your local library or bookstore.

For other books on potty training, click here.

What You'll Need

At this age kids love having their own special spaces, and a library box or basket in the bathroom will help your child feel it's her own private space.