Best Toddler Portable Potty for Travel in 2023

Toddler sitting on potty in the street - travel potty guide

Behind every majorly stressed-out parent, thereโ€™s a toddler theyโ€™re trying to potty train on the eve of a family vacation.

Letโ€™s face it – potty training toddlers is difficult under the best of circumstances. When you throw the chaos of travelling in the mix, it becomes a whole other ball game altogether! Although I recommend leaving off attempting to potty train your toddler until after big trips, life doesnโ€™t always cooperate with that advice!

Travelling with a toddler in the midst of potty training is possible, and a portable potty makes it much more convenient for your toddler when a standard toilet isnโ€™t available. Weโ€™re no strangers to opening the side door of our car and letting our children wee out the side, but itโ€™s certainly not the ideal scenario. We always took comfort in knowing that most passersby could relate to us on a deeply personal level.

This post is part of our best travel gear for toddlers series

A portable potty seat is a much more practical (and modest!) option for travelling with your toddler, especially those long car rides and camping trips. But which one will best suit your needs? Thereโ€™s no need to stress because weโ€™re going to take you through: 

Travel Potties vs. Potty Seats and Other Toilet Training Solutions

Not all portable potty seats are created equal, so weโ€™ll break down the main options for you. In the end, the product you choose depends on your child. As weโ€™ve previously mentioned in our guide How To Toilet Train While Travelling, each child is unique when it comes to toilet training. Some children enjoy having their own special loo to go in, while others want to be โ€œjust like Mum and Dad.โ€ 

Travel Potties

Travel potties are a popular choice for road trips because theyโ€™re essentially just miniature toilets that you can insert disposable liners into for each use. This kind of portable potty for toddlers is great for those inevitable โ€œemergenciesโ€ that tend to crop up when youโ€™re 45 minutes from the nearest sign of civilization. 

A downside to this option is that youโ€™re literally stuck โ€œholding the bagโ€ until you reach your next rest stop. However, if itโ€™s between a stinky car ride or a soiled car seat, Iโ€™d take the smell over the mess!

Potty Seats

If your child has an aversion to a portable potty, a potty seat is a popular alternative. A travel potty seat provides an additional barrier between your toddlerโ€™s bum and the public toilet. These seats generally have anti-skid pads or some other material that prevents them from sliding around, and many can be folded down compactly so that you can slip them quickly into a diaper bag or backpack

A portable potty seat is an excellent way to put your toddler at ease when using adult toilets and prevent contact with bacteria and germs. However, you must wipe the seat down with an antibacterial wipe after each use, as itโ€™s coming into contact with many more people than a travel potty would. These also arenโ€™t much of a help if you have an emergency in transit. 

Disposable Toilet Seat Covers

Disposable toilet seat covers are a third option when travelling with a toddler โ€œin training.โ€ These work well anytime your toddler needs to use a public toilet, and you can simply toss them in the rubbish after each use. 

Each disposable cover is large enough to fit over the entire seat with room to spare since toddlers are notorious for touching more than theyโ€™re supposed to. The most significant drawback is that they donโ€™t help those in-between stops, and you have to keep buying more. 

Portable Urinals

As a mum of two boys, I will admit that the ability to have your child stand up and whee can be both a blessing and a curse while on the go! If youโ€™re the parent of a toddler boy and the idea of opening up the car door and pointing them outwards doesnโ€™t appeal to you, a portable urinal is another way to go. 

Features to Look For in a Portable Potty

Most portable potties for toddlers are similar in design and intended use, but there are several features to look for in order to get the best one for your toddler. 

Size: Your kidsโ€™ portable potty should be the right size for your vehicle and child. For example, if you have a small sedan thatโ€™s already packed to the hilt, youโ€™ll have to put the larger potty and your toddler outside the vehicle each time they have to go. That may not be a practical solution in rain or snow! Additionally, if you have a very petite child or one who is big for their age, choose a portable travel potty that best suits their size. 

Portability: Ease of transportation is another essential feature to look for in your travel potty for kids. A potty or seat that folds or collapses for storage is both convenient and space-saving. Sometimes itโ€™s difficult for passengers to navigate their way around the portable potty if thereโ€™s no good place to put it while not in use. Look for one that comes with a travel-friendly carrying case or bag.

Easy to Clean: Letโ€™s be honest for a second, and all just admit that no one actually likes cleaning portable potties. However, itโ€™s a task that you must accomplish to avoid nasty germs and messes. Choose a travel potty or seat that has few, easy-to-clean components. Remember that youโ€™ll also be attempting to wrangle your child while sanitising, so the quicker the process is, the better.

Comfort: You want your toddlerโ€™s potty training experience to be as positive as possible while travelling, so make sure to find a portable potty or seat thatโ€™s as comfortable and simple to use as possible. If your bub is getting pinched or falling in each time they have to go, everyone ends up frazzled. 

Durability: Even if youโ€™re only going to use your portable potty for one child, youโ€™ll more than likely be taking it out multiple times during your trip. Choose a sturdy travel potty or folding seat that wonโ€™t crack or break after a few trips to the public restroom. Youโ€™ll be glad you did!


Best Portable Potties and Toilet Training Seats

We summarise our top 5 here, but read on for more information on eash and alternative berands to try for different travel scenarios you may find yourself in.

ProductNameBest ForPrice
My Carry Potty Portable PottyA cute all-rounder$$$ - check here
Honboom Portable Potty Training Seat for ToddlerBest foldable potty$$ - check here
Gimars Non-Slip No Falling Travel Folding Potty SeatBest travel toilet seat$ - check here
OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go PottyBest camping potty$$ - check here
MCGMITT Portable Potty Training SeatBest road trip potty$$ - check here

Pricing $ = under $20USD; $$ = $20-$30USD $$$ = over $30USD

Our Top Choice: My Carry Potty Portable Potty

Why We Love It: This portable travel pottyโ€™s innovative design makes it a clear winner in our book. The My Carry Potty looks like an adorable suitcase on the outside. Your child can open it to reveal a potty you can set anywhere while on the road or camping. The seatโ€™s leak-proof seal and tall splash guard protect against unwanted messes, and you can easily insert a removable liner for speedy cleanup.

Cons: Although the My Carry Potty is just the right size for your child to take with them, itโ€™s not the most practical solution for a day on the trails. 

Best Collapsible Portable Potty: Honboom Portable Potty Training Seat for Toddler

Why We Love It: This travel potty for kids weighs just over a pound and folds nearly flat for effortless storage. Some folding potties collapse inward when theyโ€™re being used, but the Honboom Portable Potty is made of thick plastic that easily bears a childโ€™s weight. In addition, the splash-proof guard prevents messy accidents, and it comes with disposable drawstring bags that eliminate odors. 

Cons: The splash guard is handy, but it does come out easily. Ensure itโ€™s securely in place before your child uses the bathroom. 

Other Options to Consider: 

Best Folding Portable Potty Seat: Gimars Non-Slip No Falling Travel Folding Potty Seat

Why We Love It: This folding potty seat is both compact and colorful. The seat fits most standard toilets, and you can fold it with just one hand. The silicone stoppers also prevent your child from slipping around, and you can quickly wipe it clean before putting it back in the waterproof storage bag. 

Cons: Some reviewers expressed concerns about the travel bag transmitting germs, and they found that putting the seat into a Ziplock bag was more sanitary. The underside of the seat also has some hard-to-clean spots, so a more thorough cleaning after travelling would be wise.

Other Options to Consider: 

Best Portable Potty for Camping: OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty

Why We Love It: In our opinion, the best portable potty seat for camping is one with the most uncomplicated design. The OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty opens quickly for your child to use at the campsite or on the trails. The best feature of the OXO Potty is that the handles fold outward, so your toddler can use the seat in public restrooms as well. The side flaps also hold disposable bags in place for speedy cleanup. 

Cons: The OXO portable potty seat may leave a gap when used with certain full-sized toilet seats, so you may need to help toddler boys while theyโ€™re sitting down.

Other Options to Consider: 

Best Portable Potty for Road Trips: MCGMITT Portable Potty Training Seat

Why We Love It: This portable travel potty is well-suited for road trips because itโ€™s both sturdy and folds down for convenient storage. One feature we like on the MCGMITT portable potty seat is the collapsible insert that allows everything to be broken down, unlike others that take up extra space on your vehicleโ€™s floor or trunk. 

Cons: Some customers found that the disposable bags that came with the potty seat leaked and tore quickly. The underside of the potty seat does have several structural pockets that make it more difficult to clean than other options.

Other Options to Consider: 

Other Items to Pack While Potty Training a Toddler

Potty training your toddler while travelling might be challenging, but itโ€™s certainly not impossible. Just make sure you have your potty training survival kit packed with these essential items: 

  • Hand Sanitiser
  • Sanitiser wipes
  • Old muslin cloths
  • Spare underpants and shorts/skirts
  • Pocket issues and coins (some countries will charge you for the toilet -not great if youโ€™re in a hurry!)
  • Portable potty seat 
  • Pull-ups
  • A wet bag
  • Piddle pad for the car
  • Bed liner (if not using a night diaper)
  • Ziplock bags
  • Rewards/reward chart

We talk more about all the essential items to pack when travelling with a toddler over here.

Download your complete travelling with a baby and toddler checklist when you sign up to the Globetrotter Community

Packing List Sign Up - Baby

Travelling with a toddler soon?

We have a bucket load of experience traisping across the world when our little ones were at the toddler stage. It is without a double one of the most challenging stages, but also rewarding experiences that you will cherish for years to come. Helping you through all different scenarios, come on over and check out:


Helpful? Bookmark this page or save it to Pinterest for later

Little girl sitting on a potty in the middle of the street - text overlay travel potty

Disclosures: We are members of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. Qualifying purchases made using our affiliate links will earn us a commission at no additional cost to you. Our full website terms of use can be found here.

ยฉ Our Globetrotters | Features Images CanvaPro

Like it? Share it!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.