Young Toddlers (12-17 Months): The "Walking" Phase

Toddlers between 12-17 months are in a transitionary phase. They aren’t quite babies anymore, but they might not be developmentally capable of toilet independence just yet. They’re learning to walk, and their language, cognitive, and social skills are budding.

If you’re just starting out with EC, this is an excellent age to begin teaching your child the socially acceptable place to go pee and poop as you prep for full-on potty training when your child is 18+ months. Get started by reading the article titled Just Starting Out.

If you’re continuing EC at this age, you can carry on mostly as you were for a mobile baby. Skip "Just starting out" and jump to the article titled Your Baby is Walking! How Does This Affect Elimination Communication? Some EC babies are ready to fully potty train in this age; if you feel that yours falls into this category, you can skip ahead to the section for older toddlers (18+ months).

Feel free to check out the other articles and free printables listed here. For troubleshooting questions, scroll all the way down for the age-based FAQ sheet.