Knowing when it’s time to potty train your child is more about where they are developmentally and less about age(1). Choosing the right potty training pants will be a huge help during this transition time.
Based on absorbency, design, and practicality, I recommend the Nickelodeon Boys’ Toddler Potty Training Pants or Sesame Street Girls’ Toddler Potty Training Pant.
I pulled information on the highest-selling toddler training pants, ranking them myself by quality, absorbency, and design. The list includes the best potty training pants with girl designs and boy designs. It also includes training pants suited to be placed over diapers and pants that are worn like underwear.
The Best Potty Training Underwear
These training pants are very similar in every aspect except that the Nickelodeon Boys’ Potty Training Pants are made specifically for little boys from soft cotton material and feature PAW Patrol characters; whereas the Sesame Street Girls’ Potty Training Pants are designed for little girls, made without lace or elastic making them very soft, and feature Sesame Street characters.
Nickelodeon Boys’ Toddler Potty Training Pant
The Nickelodeon PAW Patrol Potty Training Pants are a comfortable potty training pant that is similar to traditional underwear. They have a soft cotton material that is easy to pull up. The size range is 2T-4T.
While comfortable and padded to absorb leaks, you do not want to rely on these to absorb large accidents. They are great for absorbing messes enough to save you the hassle of cleaning up an entire mess. I would not recommend using these for nighttime wear. Try a nighttime diaper instead.
Some customers have complained of sizing issues with the waist height not coming up high enough and the leg holes being a little too small, so that is something to keep in mind.
The potty training sticker chart and Paw Patrol designs help make potty training fun for your child. These pants are available in packs of 3 or 7.
Benefits
- Includes potty training chart and stickers
- 3 or 7 pairs per pack
- Tagless
- Soft (no uncomfortable elastic)
- Washable
Drawbacks
- Does not hold shape after multiple uses
- Some customers complain of small sizing issues (waist height and leg opening size)
Main Point
Your child may be extra motivated to potty train with these comfortable Paw Patrol underwear. As long as there are no sizing issues, these potty training pants will help collect accidents enough for you not to worry about cleaning all the mess off the floor.
Sesame Street Girls’ Toddler Potty Training Pant
The Sesame Street Girls’ Toddler Potty Training Pants are basically a girl version of the Paw Patrol pants listed above. Featuring Sesame Street designs plus a potty training chart and stickers, this underwear can help make potty training fun! The size range is 18m-4T.
Most girl underwear seems to feature scratchy lace or elastic, but you won’t find that here. These underwear are soft and do not have a tag. Although comfortable, some customers have complained that over time the underwear do not hold their shape and become loose when worn.
They are also padded so that leaks are more manageable. These are good for small leaks but probably will not handle a full mess. With that being said, they are not suitable for bedtime wearing either.
Benefits
- Includes potty training chart and stickers
- 3 or 7 pairs per pack
- Tagless
- Soft (no uncomfortable elastic or scratchy lace)
- Washable
Drawbacks
- Does not hold shape after multiple uses
- Some customers complain of not receiving same print underwear as pictured
Main Point
These Sesame Street Toddler Girls Pants are a nice comfortable selection for small leaks when potty training. Don’t expect them to last too long though because the shape may not hold. At least your child should have fun with the designs and potty training chart stickers.
The Best Waterproof Training Pants
The Dappi Waterproof 100% Nylon Diaper Pants are designed to be worn over cloth diapers, disposable diapers, or underwear as they are made from nylon and will not absorb accidents without something under them, however, the MooMoo Baby Training Pants are made from cotton with 4 different layers that absorb wetness but still allow your child to feel the dampness.
Dappi Waterproof 100% Nylon Diaper Pants
Dappi Waterproof Diaper Pants provides these diaper pants as a potty training resource. Created to be worn over cloth diapers, these can also be worn over disposable diapers, underwear, or alone. Sizes range from newborn-XL.
The waterproof nylon in these diaper pants helps absorb any messes as long as the absorbent material is not sticking out of the cover. It could be annoying to have to check on that but customers don’t seem to mention it too often.
Because these are intended to be over cloth diapers, they do run large so sizing down is important. They also give a more “bulky” appearance rather than fitting close to the skin like most underwear.
Benefits
- 2 pairs per pack
- Waterproof nylon
- Absorbs well
- Soft waist and leg openings
- Can wear at night for extra protection if over underwear
- Washable
Drawbacks
- Runs large if not over cloth diapers
- “Bulky” rather than close to skin
- Absorbent material may exit outer cover causing leaks
Main Point
From newborn to potty training toddler, you will get your money’s worth with these reusable Dappi Diaper Pants. As long as you size down when purchasing and the absorbent material stays in place, your child will be able to wear these waterproof pants multiple ways without any major leaking.
MooMoo Baby Padded Toddler Potty Training Underwear
These MooMoo Baby Cotton Training Pants offer a variety of boy and girls designs for sizes 12m-6T. Sizing is pretty true to size but some customers complain that the leg holes need to be stretched out otherwise the elastic is uncomfortable.
The training pants are known for their 4 layers of absorbency: (1) combed cotton outer (2) absorbent pad (3) waterproof lining (4) combed cotton inner. The layers absorb but also let your child feel that they’re wet to help with potty training.
Even though these absorb, I would not wear them at night unless over a diaper. MooMoo suggests changing them soon after they get wet so that there are no leaks. The elastic around the legs does help prevent leaks.
Benefits
- 4 layers of absorbent material
- Soft elastic around waist and legs
- Washable
Drawbacks
- Only holds accidents for a short time
Main Point
The variety of cute designs are an added plus to the fact that these 4-layer training pants help absorb and keep leaks in place with the added elastic around the legs. These are a bit more pricey than the average training pant though.
Skhls Baby Toddler 4 Layer Cotton Training Pants
Like the MooMoo pants, Skhls Toddler Training Pants also include 4 layers: (1) Combed cotton outer (2) Absorbent pad (3) TPU waterproof lining (4) Combed cotton inner. They come in sizes 2T-4T, with boy and girl designs, and there’s the choice of buying a 2 pk or 8 pk.
Customers love how comfortable these pants are and the cute designs, but some have complained that they do not absorb much at all for having four layers and being a bit pricier than other options.
Like other training pants, these are not created to wear solely as a diaper or at night-time alone. They should catch enough of an accident to save you some cleanup time but not enough to rely on them for big messes.
Benefits
- 4 layers of absorbent material
- Soft elastic around waist and legs
- Washable
- Cute designs
Drawbacks
- Thinner than expected / lack of absorbency
- Pricier than other options
Main Point
If you’re looking for cute designs and comfortable material in addition to spending a little more, Skhls Baby Toddler pants are a good fit. If you need that extra absorbency and don’t want to risk it, these aren’t the pants to purchase.
Comparing Potty Training Pants and Underwear
The table below compares only the recommended products on this page. A low or high Price means it is low or high compared to the other products listed. The Popularity Score reflects how often readers click on and buy the product. The Quality Score is our assessment of the overall performance and satisfaction with the product compared to others in the table.
| Nickelodeon Boys' Toddler Potty Training Pant | 3.9 | 9.4 | 25.99 |
| Skhls Baby Toddler 4 Layer Cotton Training Pants | 9.9 | 9.4 | 24.99 |
| Sesame Street Girls' Toddler Potty Training Pant | 9.9 | 9.6 | 18.48 |
| MooMoo Baby Padded Toddler Potty Training Underwear | 9.7 | 8.8 | 17.99 |
| Dappi Waterproof 100% Nylon Diaper Pants | 9.9 | 8.4 | 12.46 |
Buying Criteria for Potty Training Pants
No one wants a big mess to clean up! Consider a few things when purchasing baby/toddler training pants:
- Absorbency. Consider where your child is on the potty training chart. Are they new to potty training with lots of accidents or farther down the road where they may not have as many? Based on this info, it will help you decide which pants are safer to buy based on absorbency.
- Size. Make sure to check the size charts for each of the training pants. You’ll want a good fit to decrease the chance of leaks!
- Design. Will a fun pant design encourage and motivate your child to use the potty? Choosing training pants that have a design suited to your child’s likes may help!
- Price. How much do you want to spend on training pants? Consider the quality and pack size when deciding and what may be the best choice for your buck.
FAQs About Potty Training Pants
Do potty training pants work for wearing overnight?
No, because their not fully absorbent, they should not be worn at night unless worn over a nighttime diaper.
Are toddler potty training pants reusable (washable)?
Yes, you can wash these per the washing guidelines.
Can training pants be worn over disposable diapers?
The Dappi, MooMoo, and Skhls training pants will fit over disposable diapers. The Sesame Street and Nickelodeon training pants fit more like traditional underwear and would not fit over diapers well.
Are potty training underwear thicker than regular underwear?
Yes, the training pants are more absorbent than traditional underwear so they are a bit thicker.
Will toddler potty training underwear hold an entire leak?
No, in most cases these training pants will not hold an entire leak but will hold enough to create less of a mess for the parent to clean up. They are designed to absorb more than traditional underwear.
Can training pants replace diapers?
No, training pants are not meant to replace diapers – only absorb a bit more than underwear to help with potty training.
Sources
1 https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/in-depth/potty-training/art-20045230
