Little Live Pets – Gotta Go Turdle Review

I always recommend finding ways to make potty training fun and playful. One of my favorite ways to help get kids on board with using the potty themselves is doing some role play with toys and dolls. Have your child show a teddy bear or doll how to use the potty. It’s a great way to introduce the concept without forcing them to do or change anything themselves at first. If your child gets to be the teacher, it helps them feel in control. And when they feel in control, it helps keep power struggles and resistance at bay!

I usually suggest a simple drink and wet doll which in addition to giving your child a buddy to go through the potty learning process with, teaches them the mechanics of the body. So when I first saw the viral Gotta Go Turdle and Flamingo, I thought they would take this whole concept to the next level! I decided to buy one and test it out myself. I was fully prepared to love it and tell everyone to run and get one of these to help their kiddos learn how to poop on the potty in a fun way!

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After testing it out a few times here are the positives:

• It’s colorful and cute
• The “food” is hydrophobic sand meaning it repels water, so it can be used over and over again
• The Turdle repeats what you say in a funny voice – little kids (even mine) love that!
• The song is catchy (maybe a little too catchy – you’ll be singing it for hours after)

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BUT I’m having a hard time giving it my full endorsement (at least for toddlers for toilet training purposes) for a few reasons:

• It is MESSY. Even with just me testing it as an adult, the sand got EVERYWHERE. Combine that with a toddler and I can only imagine. Probably best for an outdoor activity. I’m sure I’ll be finding colored sand around my house for many years to come.
• You have to push the sand into the hole in the Turdle’s mouth with your finger to be sure it goes in. And do NOT overfill it or the sand falls back out with any movement. Further mess.
• Every time you turn the Turdle on, if there is any sand left in it, it “poops” even if not placed on it’s toilet. Further mess.
• To make sure there is no more sand left inside, the only thing I’ve found to get it all out is to turn it off and on multiple times until no more comes out.
• The “pooping” isn’t very realistic. It looks a lot better in the ads then it does in real life. Each time I used it, the sand went into the water and then clung to the side of the toilet taking away from the look of an actual poop. I actually kind of liked using it without water in the toilet better!
• The containers that came with it to hold the sand do not seal very tightly. I would definitely use a secondary storage option.

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Overall, if you prefer to preserve your home’s cleanliness (and your sanity) I’d steer clear. But if you want to try it out then that's great too! Have you found a toy that your child enjoyed using during the potty learning process? Email us and let us know!

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Keep checking back for more product reviews – PTC always gives an honest opinion!

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