Choosing the Right Toilet Seat for Your Child: Supporting Children to Learn to Use the Toilet Confidently

Choosing the Right Toilet Seat for Your Child: Supporting Children to Learn to Use the Toilet Confidently

Using the toilet is a major milestone for children. However, for many children an adult-sized toilet can feel uncomfortable and insecure.

A simple modification such as a smaller toilet seat can make a significant difference to a child’s confidence, comfort, and success on the toilet.

Why a Smaller Toilet Seat Helps

Adult toilet seats are designed for adult bodies. For many children, the opening feels too large, creating a fear of falling in.

When children do not feel secure, they often:

• Hold tightly onto the toilet seat
• Clench their legs together
• Sit on the edge of the seat
• Avoid using the toilet altogether

Unfortunately doing these things can increase tension in the pelvic floor muscles, making it harder to relax and fully empty the bladder or bowels.

By using a toilet seat with a smaller opening (in combination with an appropriately sized footstool) the child can be more stable and secure, allowing the pelvic floor a better chance of relaxing to let wee and poo out.

Types of Child-Sized Toilet Seats

Portable Child Toilet Seats

These include portable smaller toilet seats that sit on top or under the existing adult toilet seat and can be removed when not in use. There are also ones that have a folding mechanism with a stepladder for children to climb up to the toilet. 

Pros

• Low cost
• Easy to purchase
• Portable
• Available in fun colours and designs
• Some are padded

Cons

• Need to be positioned each time
• Can move or wobble
• Require storage when not in use
• Some models may have pinch points
• Many children find them unstable

Family Toilet Seats with Integrated Child Seats

These seats combine an adult seat and a child seat in one unit. The child seat folds down when needed and lifts away for adult use.

Pros

• Stable and secure
• Always available
• Encourages independence
• No separate seat to store
• Suitable for shared family bathrooms
• Often preferred by children who need consistency

Cons 

• More expensive 
• Must suit the shape of your toilet
• Some models may have pinch points
• Smaller openings may be outgrown sooner
• Not easily portable (but can be re-fitted to a different toilet if suitable)

For many families, these seats provide the best balance of convenience, stability, and long-term use. Family toilet seats can be purchased online at a variety of stores; however, a range of seats can be seen at most Bunnings stores.

How do I choose the right Family Toilet Seat?

• Look at the shape of the toilet bowl. Many new toilet bowls have a D shape (straight along the back near the wall).
• Check if your bowl is a D-shape or O-shape
• Checking the distance between the bolts fixing the lid to the bowl is also advisable. 

Examples of Family Toilet Seats Available at Bunnings (June 2026)

Mondella Resonance	$38.96
	hole length 18.5cm
Advantages: SUITS “O” shaped toilet bowls Cheaper May suit older/ bigger children Disadvantages:  Some children may not like feel of ‘ridge’  from child sized seat to adult seat Potential pinch points between seats

Haron D Shape	$47.90
	hole length 22.5cm
Advantages: SUITS “D” shaped toilet bowls Cheaper May suit older/ bigger children Disadvantages:  Some children may not like feel of ‘ridge’  from child sized seat to adult seat Potential pinch points between seats

Mondella Aqua20.	$89.99
	Hole length 20cm Hole width 16cm
Advantages: SUITS “O” shaped toilet bowls Covers all of adult toilet seat – no possible pinch points Disadvantages:  Small opening May not be suitable for some sized children  Child may grow out of it quicker Encourages sitting towards the front of toilet seats Relatively expensive

The importance of a stool

Remember, even the best toilet seat will not work well if a child’s feet are dangling.

For effective toileting, children should:

• Have their feet supported on a stool
• Sit with their bottom fully supported
• Have knees slightly higher than hips
• Feel safe and relaxed

A child-sized toilet seat combined with a footstool is often the most effective setup for children learning to use the toilet or experiencing toileting difficulties.

Key Takeaway

If a child feels like they might fall in, they are less likely to relax and use the toilet effectively. A smaller toilet seat can improve comfort, confidence, independence, and bladder and bowel emptying. Choosing a stable seat that suits your child’s size and pairing it with a footstool of appropriate height can make a significant difference to toileting success.

Annette Collins