9 Best Potty Training Books and Books About Pooping From the Constipation Gurus Poop Library
Let’s be honest, you probably never thought you’d be searching for books about pooping and potty training books to help your child. But here you are, scouring the internet for the best potty training books and books about poop. We’re glad you found us!
Welcome to our roundup of nine of the best books for potty training and pooping to help your child (and your family) understand why going to the potty and pooping, in particular, is so important.
What we hear from clients dealing with potty training issues is that peeing usually isn’t the issue. Their kids struggle with pooping. This is because pooping is scary for a lot of kids.
Here at the Constipation Gurus, we’ve got a whole Poop Library. We’ve spent countless hours searching for just the right children’s books about potty training and books about pooping, so you don’t have to.
These books are incredibly valuable for kids who struggle with constipation, withholding, enuresis, and encopresis. When a child sees themselves and their emotions in a character in a story, sometimes it speaks to them like no adult ever could.
As a bonus, the books can give you child-friendly words to use and ways to remind your child that the character they love is going through and doing the same things. Stories provide children with solutions in a fun and engaging way.
Children’s books about pooping, peeing, and using the bathroom can be a great way to help normalize using the bathroom for kids. The humor in these books can help kids and parents feel more comfortable talking about poop and toileting issues.
Want to see these books in action? Check out our video here.
Books if Your Child Is Afraid Pooping Will Hurt
1. It Hurts When I Poop!: A Story for Children Who Are Scared to Use the Potty by Howard J. Bennet MD
This is one of the first books we reach for when a child is afraid that pooping will hurt. Let’s face it, once they’ve had a painful poop, they don’t want to do that again.
This book tells the story of Ryan, a boy who visits the doctor because he is scared that going poop will hurt.
Through an imaginative story about Bill the Cyoyte, the doctor calms Ryan’s fears. The doctor also explains how the body works to make poop from food and how different foods make it easier or harder to go.
2. My Puppy's A Poo Magician: A story about a puppy who is scared to poo by Melissa Yapp.
This is a book we recommend for children about two to three years old. It is one of the best books about pooping and potty training.
The main character is a puppy named Meatball. Meatball makes his poos disappear by holding them in. Then embarrassing accidents happen later. He learns the only way to make poops disappear for good is to push them out into the toilet.
This book opens the complex conversation about:
● Constipation
● Stool withholding
● Encopresis
This cute and colorful story is something kids will relate to. We love that this book makes it easy for you and your child to talk about withholding poop.
3. Softy the Poop: Helping Families Talk About Poop by Thomas R DuHamel PhD
A little unconventional and very silly, this story is told from the point of view of “Softy the Poop!”
Softy helps kids understand why he wants to be soft instead of hard. He also talks about how to eat the right foods to make that happen.
Softy teaches kids the difference between normal and constipated poop in a way that toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners can understand.
One goal of the book is to help get both parents and children comfortable talking about pooping. And, we think it does a great job achieving this goal.
Reviewers say that their children talk about Softy when they need to poop. Several have even called this book “life-changing.” We’ve seen the positive impacts with our clients.
4. I Can’t, I Won’t, No Way!: A Book for Children Who Refuse to Poop by Tracey J. Vessillo
We recommend this book for parents of children who are potty training and refusing to sit on the potty to go.
If this sounds like your child, then they’ll identify with the character who has the same fears and apprehension. As the story unfolds, the main character overcomes their fears and is able to just go on the potty!
Reviewers mention that this book has helped with potty training and fear of using the toilet. We call that a win!
Books for Kids Who Don’t Know That Their Body Is Telling Them to Potty
5. I Feel… Something: Listening to Your Body for Kids by DJ Corchin
If your child tells you they don’t feel like they have to pee or poo, a couple of things may be happening. They may not know that those feelings are telling them that they need to pee or poop. Or, they may be dealing with a sensory disorder relating to interoception (the process of sensing body signals).
This book about potty training introduces the concept of interoception to kids in a fun way and helps them interpret and deal appropriately with the signals their body sending them.
As a bonus, this book is not just for toileting issues but for other inner body sensations such as hunger and thirst as well.
In this story, the main character wonders, “What is that rumbling noise in my belly?”
Through the rhyming story, and by using fun sounds, he learns that his body is letting him know it’s time to use the potty!
This book and the fun sounds it uses teach your child how to recognize what their body is telling them and make it to the potty in time!
Book for Kids Who Are Afraid of the Potty
7. The Saddest Toilet in the World by Sam Apple
In a twist from all the books, this book’s main character is the toilet. The toilet gets very sad and leaves home when Danny, his little boy owner, refuses to sit on him.
When Danny is finally ready to sit on the toilet, it’s gone! Danny and his family have to search high and low to find it. The story adds levity to a stressful situation of not wanting to sit on the potty.
Reviewers constantly mention how funny and fun this book is. It also has darling pictures that make it even more fun for kids and adults alike.
Book to Make Potty Time Fly By
8. Where’s the Poo? A Pooptastic Search and Find Book by Hachette Children’s Group
Sometimes doing sits can be B-O-R-I-N-G.
This search-and-find book is perfect for keeping your child busy and distracted looking for poo while sitting on the potty.
It’s a “Where’s Waldo” style book, except they are looking for poo instead of Waldo! And, there’s not just one poo in each picture but SIX!
With a 4.7 rating and over 2,400 reviews on Amazon, this book can help make those times sitting on the potty fly by.
Book You Can Personalize for Your Child
9. Social Story: “I Can Push Out My Poos” and “I Can Wipe After Poos” by Melissa Yapp
These downloadable, customizable, and printable social stories allow you to create a personalized book based on gender and your child’s specific situation. Your child can even help create their own personal story or plan.
The stories help teach your child what to expect and relieve feelings of anxiety and overwhelm about using the potty.
These Books Are Great, but Do You Need More Help?
If after reading through these recommendations, you want more personalized help, we’re here for you!
Our Poop Boot Camp gives you the tools and resources to help your child overcome their toileting issues. After going through Poop Boot Camp, you’ll:
● Understand why your child is constipated and know what to do about it
● Be able to help your child avoid accidents at school
● Help your child learn to listen to their body’s signals and go to the bathroom before having an accident
We created Poop Boot Camp as a shortcut for families that couldn’t work with us in a one-on-one situation. Poop Boot Camp graduates rave about the improvement their children have made in a short period of time - even more, and quicker than working with doctors.
Sometimes you need more than the best books for potty training. Sometimes you may need professional help. When you purchase Poop Boot Camp, you get immediate access to the course. So, you can get started today! There’s no reason to wait. Get Poop Boot Camp and get started on putting all those toileting problems behind you and your child.
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