School Readiness Checklist: Toilet Independence

For parents with children entering programs required a child to be independent in the bathroom:

This checklist is a reflective tool to help you recognize your child's developing independence skills—it's not essential that all boxes are checked, but rather important to be mindful of what your child might already be capable of doing. Often, children are very ready for independence, but parents don't quite recognize how much they automatically do for their child that could be done independently. Use this as an opportunity to observe your child's current abilities and consider where you might step back to allow more self-sufficiency. Focus on one or two areas at a time, remembering that building independence takes practice and patience, and that your child's confidence grows when they're trusted with age-appropriate responsibilities.

For parents with children entering a program that offers toilet learning in the curriculum:

Your child does not need to have all these skills to start the potty learning process. The potty learning journey can begin as early as birth and as soon as the adults around your child are ready to support them in the process. This checklist serves as a guide to help you support your child in developing independence in ways that will enhance their potty learning and self-care education at school. Use it to identify areas where you can encourage your child's growing autonomy while building the foundation for successful potty learning.