Using Autism Potty Training Printables

Toilet training is rarely a smooth journey—and if your child is autistic or has communication delays, it can feel like an uphill climb. But here’s some good news: the right autism potty training printables and visual supports can make a big difference.

Printables offer structure, predictability, and a hands-on way to help children understand what’s happening and what’s expected of them.

In this post, you’ll find a list of printable tools that can support your child at every stage of the potty-training process—plus where to get them!

✅ Grab your free Potty Training Social Story Coloring Book HERE

Looking for a fun way to introduce potty training? Grab this free coloring book version potty training social story.

Looking for more? Check out our more printable potty training resources here

Table of Contents

1. Why Visuals Help with Potty Training

2. Printable Tools That Support Toilet Learning

3. How to Use These Printables Effectively

4. Free and Affordable Potty Training Resources

5. Final Thoughts

6. References

Why Autism Potty Training Printables Work

Many children with autism or developmental delays are strong visual learners. They understand better when they can see what’s happening—rather than just hearing spoken instructions.

Visuals help:

• Break down routines into manageable steps

• Reduce fear and anxiety by showing what comes next

• Promote independence without relying on constant adult prompting

• Improve memory and sequencing

• Allow children to express their needs nonverbally

🧠 Research by Dettmer et al. (2000) found that visual supports reduce anxiety and improve transitions for autistic students—and this includes potty routines.

Printable Tools That Support Autism Potty Training

Here’s a breakdown of printable resources that can be used to support potty training:

Many autistic children experience specific fears or discomforts related to toileting, such as fear of flushing the toilet.

🖍️ 1. Social Stories

Social stories are short, simple narratives with visuals that explain what will happen in a clear, calm, and reassuring way. They’re especially helpful for children with autism who might feel anxious, confused, or resistant about parts of the potty-training process.

Many autistic children experience specific fears or discomforts related to toileting, such as:

• Fear of pooping in the toilet

• Discomfort or anxiety around wiping

• Being scared of the sound of the toilet flushing

• Hesitation about using a new bathroom (e.g., at a store, park, or someone else's house)

• Refusal to use the school bathroom or any bathroom outside the home

• Worry about automatic flushers, bright lights, or loud dryers

• Feeling overwhelmed by transitions to or from the bathroom

• Disliking being rushed, waiting in line, or sharing a bathroom space

Autism social stories allow children to process information at their own pace, in a low-pressure format.

💡 These challenges are very real for many kids, and they can make toilet training feel frustrating for both the child and the adult.

That’s where social stories come in.

Instead of adults insisting “Just flush it!” or “You have to wipe!”, social stories explain why these things happen and what to expect in a gentle, non-directive way. They allow children to process the information at their own pace, in a low-pressure format.

Social stories can be personalized and repeated daily, which gives your child a sense of control and familiarity.

They also:

• Reduce anxiety by showing what comes next

• Normalize tricky or scary parts of the routine

• Offer coping strategies in story form

• Reinforce positive bathroom habits over time

Social stories can be written at home and personalized or purchased on sites such as TPT or ETSY

📚 Try using social stories for topics like:

• Using a public bathroom

• Wiping after going potty

• Flushing the toilet

• Trying to poop in the toilet

• Using the bathroom at school

• Having an accident

• Washing hands

• What to do when the bathroom is too loud

Grab your free potty training social story here

🎨 Bonus tip: Coloring book versions of social stories can make them interactive and fun—helping your child engage more deeply with the routine.

👉 Grab your free Potty Training Social Story Coloring Book here 

📅2. Visual Schedules

A visual schedule is one of the most powerful tools for potty training—especially for children who thrive on structure and predictability. It breaks the bathroom routine down into manageable, step-by-step visuals so your child knows exactly what to expect.

Some visual schedules have set pictures and others have Velcro or magnetic pieces that can be added or taken off.

A typical potty routine might include:

• Go to the bathroom 🚪

• Pull down pants 👖

• Sit on toilet 🚽

• Wipe 🧻

• Flush 🚿

• Wash hands 🧼

Some schedules use Velcro pieces or dry-erase formats so your child can move or check off each step as they go, which makes the process more interactive.

🧠 Important Note for Kids with Autism

It’s essential to understand that most autistic children won’t automatically know how to use a visual schedule. They’ll likely need some modeling and guidance in the beginning. This might look like:

• Walking through the schedule with them every time

• Pointing to each picture and narrating what’s happening

• Using hand-over-hand support if child doesn't mind being touched

Over time, your child may become more independent in using the schedule, but be prepared to support them consistently at first.

🎨 Experiment with Visual Styles

Some children respond better to photo realistic images, other children prefer the playful feel of clip art.

Not all visual schedules are created equal—and what works for one child might not work for another. There are a few common styles to try:

• Real photos of your own bathroom or child doing the routine (great for literal thinkers)

• Playful clip art or illustrations that make the process feel less intimidating

• Themed visuals (like animals, superheroes, or favorite characters)

It may take some experimentation to discover which style your child responds to best. Start simple, observe their engagement, and adjust as needed.

Visual schedules are a key part of your autism potty training printables toolkit and can be used alongside social stories, reward charts, and communication cards for a full support system.

💬 3. Communication Cards

Some children can’t yet say “I need to go,” “Help,” or “All done”—but they can point to a picture. That’s the power of communication cards: they give children a way to express their needs without relying on spoken language.

For autistic children, communication differences can vary widely. Some may:

• Have limited or no speech, but easily understand what’s being said to them

• Be highly verbal, but struggle to comprehend what is said to them—especially during new or stressful situations

• Experience both expressive and receptive language challenges, which can make routines like toilet training feel especially overwhelming

  
  

💡 In these moments, visual communication cards can act as a bridge—reducing frustration and giving children more control over their experience.

Communication cards can be used in two ways:

• Child to Adult:

  The child can point to or hand over a card to let an adult know what they need.For example:

  “Potty” 🧻

  “Help please” ✋

  “I’m finished” ✅

  
  

• Adult to Child:

  The adult can use the cards to show the child what’s happening or what’s expected, especially when spoken words aren’t being processed easily.

  
  

  For example:

  Hold up the “Flush” card to remind child to flush toilet

  Show “Bathroom break” to prepare for a transition

  Use “Wipe” or “All done” to guide them through the steps

Communication cards can be a flexible and supportive tool—whether your child is verbal, nonverbal, or somewhere in between.

🖼️ Try including cards for:

• “Potty”

• “Help please”

• “Flush”

• “Wipe”

• “Bathroom break”

• “I’m finished”

🛒 Find our communication card set here

🌟 4. Reward Charts or Potty-Training Sticker Charts

Reward charts or sticker charts are a popular potty training tool—and for good reason! They help reinforce positive behavior, encourage motivation, and give your child a clear way to see their progress. But to work well, especially for autistic children or concrete thinkers, they need to be used thoughtfully.

Here are some tips to make your reward chart effective:

✅ Make it Visual & Concrete

Children who think literally may struggle with abstract goals like “be good” or “try your best.” A reward chart for potty training should have:

• Clear, specific tasks your child understands (e.g., “sit on toilet” or “wipe”)

• Dedicated sticker spots—so they know exactly where to place a sticker when a task is completed

• A visual tracker of how many stickers are needed for a reward (like a toy or playing outside)

An easy way to incorporate special interests is using sticker charts that feature themes the child is interested in

🎨 Use Themes Your Child Loves

Want instant buy-in? Choose charts that feature your child’s favorite interests—like:

• Dinosaurs 🦕

• Unicorns 🦄

• Trains 🚂

• Outer space 🌌

• Favorite TV or video game character

  
  

📈 Start Small, Then Build

For many children, especially those who are just starting toilet training or have sensory sensitivities, even approaching the toilet is a win. Your reward system should reflect that by starting with very small steps, such as:

• Pulling down pants 👖

• Sitting on the toilet 🚽

• Wiping 🧻

• Flushing or washing hands 💦

As your child becomes more comfortable, you can gradually increase the expectations—moving from earning a sticker for each tiny step, to:

• A sticker for each step of the routine (i.e. sit, flush, etc.)

• A sticker for completing the entire routine

• Eventually, a sticker only for successful peeing or pooping in the toilet

This gradual approach keeps kids from feeling overwhelmed while still promoting progress.

📎 Want help using a sticker chart the right way?

Make sure you check out this detailed post on How to Use a Sticker Chart Effectively  It walks you through important aspects to consider when you use a sticker chart with autistic children.

First then boards are an easy way to help children understand that something positive will follow a task that may feel difficult for them.

🧻 5. First/Then Boards

Toilet training often includes steps that a child may resist—like wiping, sitting on the toilet, or flushing. For many children with autism or communication delays, these tasks can feel overwhelming, uncomfortable, or simply not preferred. That’s where First/Then boards come in.

These visual tools help your child understand that while something less enjoyable is happening now (first), something they like is coming next (then).

This simple structure can reduce anxiety, increase cooperation, and make the potty routine feel more predictable and motivating.

Examples:

• “First toilet, then play outside”

• “First wipe, then play in water”

• “First sit on potty, then iPad”

• “First bathroom, then favorite book”

  
  

The key is to choose a motivating activity for the “Then” part—something your child genuinely enjoys. Pairing a non-preferred task with a preferred one helps build positive

Toilet training visuals should be placed where children can see them easily

associations and encourages follow-through.

How to Use These Printables Effectively

• Display visuals where they’re needed (on bathroom wall, near toilet)

• Use them consistently during every bathroom visit

• Make them interactive— let your child move pictures or place stickers

• Pair visuals with language to build understanding

• Adjust for your child’s needs—skip steps or add more detail as needed

✨ Remember: even simple visual supports can boost independence and reduce frustration, especially for children with autism.

Potty Training Resources

Start here:

🎨 Free Printable Potty Training Social Story Coloring Book A fun, calming story that walks your child through the potty process with visuals they can color and keep.👉Get it here

📥 Potty Training Communication Cards Help your child communicate during the routine—even if they don’t speak yet.👉 HERE

🛒 More toilet training printables Including schedules, stories, reward charts, and more—👉 Here

Final Thoughts

Potty training isn’t a one-size-fits-all journey, and there’s no magic bullet—but having the right printable tools and visual supports can make the process just a little bit easier. And sometimes, that small shift is exactly what makes all the difference.

I’m rooting for you and your child every step of the way🌈

Free taking turns social story

References

• Dettmer, S., Simpson, R. L., Myles, B. S., & Ganz, J. B. (2000). The use of visual supports to facilitate transitions of students with autism. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, 15(3), 163–169.