According to the AAP, most children become physiologically ready at around 18 months, but are "usually not cognitively ready… until sometime after their second birthday."¹⁶ If your two-year-old isn't interested, that's inside the normal range, not behind it.

Readiness spans multiple areas: physical (the bladder and digestive system "have matured to the point where they can delay a bowel movement or urination"), cognitive (connecting the urge with the potty and remembering to use it), motor (getting to the bathroom, managing clothes, sitting still), emotional (the "urge toward independence and self-mastery"), social ("awareness of others' toilet use and a desire to imitate"), and verbal (understanding your explanations).¹⁶

The AAP notes "a child may be ready in one area of development but not in another," and that "it isn't necessary to wait until you're sure that every one of these developments is in place."¹⁶ Watch for the signs, keep it positive, and if training turns into a battle — or your child is well past the typical window and stuck — that's a pediatrician conversation.

The two home setups are a seat that goes on the regular toilet or a standalone floor potty; for families out and about, collapsible travel potties with disposable tie-off bag liners exist and are lifesavers mid-errand. (That's practical village wisdom, not medical guidance.)