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Edutaining Kids
.COM
Parents' Guide to Children's Products for Fun & Learning
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Edutaining Kids
.COM
Parents' Guide to Children's Products for Fun & Learning
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Videos based on the classic
Once
Upon a Potty books by Alona Frankel are available, and they come in
two versions (just like the books)--one for "her" and
one for "him". These videos follow the stories of
Prudence and
Joshua, respectively. Although excellent, parents may be
disappointed that the portions of the videos aimed at children are
quite short. The rest of the videos are dedicated to parents, with
suggestions for potty training. While these instructional segments
are useful, parents need only see them once. 
It's Potty Time from the
Duke Family Series contains the catchiest potty tune we've ever
heard. Live-action video is featured, but be aware that the
children depicted using the potty are not toddlers or even two's,
and they are using the toilet rather than a potty. This video is
best for older kids who need help rather than younger beginners.
It's a fun video for reinforcing going to the toilet, and features
a real storyline revolving around preparations for a child's
birthday party. The potty theme is a scream--a real gem. But the
video may disappoint parents looking for a potty-training video
for their kids who are actually learning to use a potty rather
than the toilet. (Not available on DVD)
The Potty Book For Girls and
The
Potty Book for Boys are not quite as concise as others (they may
run a little long for young children with short attention spans),
but we enthusiastically recommend them. The books star Hannah and
Henry, respectively. These are pleasant books that show that
"accidents" are bound to occur, but kids should just
keep on trying. The stories are told in rhymes, and they follow
the process of going potty in a step-by-step manner. The result is
a thorough and enjoyable series.
A companion to
the video mentioned above (or the other way around), Once Upon
a Potty for Him and Once Upon a Potty for Her by Alona
Frankel aims to teach kids not only the concept of going potty,
but some of the mechanics (and products!) of the process. These
books actually show "poop" in the potty (in illustrated
format, that is) and give kids the message that "accidents
happen". As noted above, the euphemisms used in these books
are not going to appeal to every family. Fortunately, it's easy to
substitute your own family's language choices when you're reading
the book to your kids.