Using a free potty training chart is a smart way to help your child visually track his progress as he adjusts to the demands of toilet training.

Here are 4 tips for using a potty chart that will help keep this training aid fresh and useful.

1. Use rewards.

Most parents understand that using small rewards help their toddler get excited about working on the potty process. To a toddler, potty training is like a game – and you know how quickly toddlers tire and lose focus when playing games.

Small rewards such as candy bits and stickers are perfect to start with. Some kids are happy with these and continue using them all during potty training.

Many children, however, get bored with the same small prize and when that happens you’ll need to be prepared to shake it up a little and use something different, at least temporarily.

Try small prizes such as reading a book together, coloring a picture together, getting to do a “big boy job” (such as putting napkins around the table); you get the idea.

Just remember to keep these prizes small; once the child is more advanced in her training, then you can add longer goals and bigger prizes.

2. Start off slow.

At first, you’ll want to place a sticker on the chart for each and every success.

Did your child come willingly to the potty when you told him to? He gets a sticker.

Did she get her own undies off? She gets a sticker.

Certainly peeing and pooping get stickers – and lots of praise!

As your child gets more practiced you can change charts and requirements. A sticker for going to the potty all by himself without any help from mom is a sticker well earned.

3. Choose your chart.

There are a lot of different free potty charts online. Take some time to gather several of them. You’ll notice some are designed for beginner potty-ers and some for more advanced children. The truth is that while 10 potty charts look the same to you, to your child they can be completely different and each one an exciting treat for the week.

You can also use different characters or colors from day to day or week to week simply to keep your toddler interested in the process. Place the potty chart where it’s prominently displayed and your child can reach it. Make it a source of pride for your child and encourage her to share her chart of achievement with others.

4. Make it a team effort.

One trick to keep a bored toddler interested in her potty training chart is for you, Mom or Dad, to use a chart of some sort, too. Place your chart next to your child’s and let her watch you add stickers as you get your jobs done for the day.

Also, if your toddler uses charts for other activities he does throughout the day, the potty chart will become an automatic tool that makes sense to him. This can benefit him in many ways besides just toilet training.

Effective potty training chart usage means incorporating a variety of charts and rewards, as well as extending the chart usage to other people and activities. Used in this way, the potty chart is a great tool that your child can use to actually see his progress and stay excited about the potty training process.

Which is exactly what you want.

Author Bio: Colleen Langenfeld has potty trained four kids and helps other moms get more out of their mothering at http://www.paintedgold.com . Visit her website and choose your free potty training chart today.

Category: Parenting
Keywords: free potty training chart,potty training,potty chart,potty training chart