Potty Target for Boys to Pee On?

Updated on July 17, 2010
A.S. asks from Pittsburgh, PA
47 answers

My 6 year old son always seems to end up making a bit of a mess when he pees. He goes standing up. (My 3 year old still sits down and that works fine). I tell him to aim and wipe up any on the potty (or the floor) but of course, that only works so well. It seems like I once heard about some sort of product you can put in the toilet to be a "target" for them to "shoot" at. I don't quite understand how it would not get in the way or go down when you flush. Is there such a thing? Any other ideas for improving their aim? I'm hoping I get this resolved before my other three boys are all doing this... Yuck!

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A.S.

answers from Philadelphia on

I suggest getting the "Flippee".
Got to www.flippee.com and watch the demo. It's one of those
things that make you say, "why didn't I think of that?!"
I do agree with all the other posts to use cheerios for better aim. But having 3 boys myself, I can tell you that no matter the target they will still get distracted and miss.

Good luck and keep the Lysol wipes handy.

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R.C.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I have also heard of those before...I wish I could remember where I saw them! The one I saw was actually like a laser and it attached under the rim of the toilet and then you aimed it at the hole...it aimed an actual red "target", so they could aim at it. If I happen to remember where I saw it I'll let you know!

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C.C.

answers from Philadelphia on

I remember using Cheerios. They float and make a good target. Want color? You could use fruit loops.:-)

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M.M.

answers from Harrisburg on

Cheerios!!!! the game is "sink the cheerios"

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E.N.

answers from Pittsburgh on

If you put something like Cheerios in the potty for them to aim at that works, and it flushes easily. Good Luck.

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S.K.

answers from Philadelphia on

Use cheerios.

Or you could take a square of toilet paper, put a drop of food coloring on it (blue) & let him take aim to turn it another color (green).

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K.L.

answers from Erie on

I have heard Cheerios, which have already been mentioned several times, but I also heard that you can use the whipped topping in the aerosol can. I haven't tried it yet, since my little guys are still sitting down right now. It sounds like something that requires adult assistance, so I'm keeping it in mind as a back-up plan if the Cheerios thing doesn't work.

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M.M.

answers from Sharon on

Try putting cherio's or fruit loops in the potty and have him aim at those. Good Luck!

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N.B.

answers from Lancaster on

Use a cheerio or a fruit loop.

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J.V.

answers from Allentown on

You could also try putting some dish soap in the toilet and tell him to "make bubbles" with his pee.

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R.B.

answers from Pittsburgh on

HI! My son hasn't started potty training just yet. He's 2. But, i did ask my mom for advice for when the time comes, and this may or may not work for you since he's 6 already, but she told me to put Cheerios in the potty. Maybe this helps, maybe it doesn't, just thought i would put my 2 cents in...LOL! Good luck!!

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K.K.

answers from Erie on

There is an actual product you can by, I want to say Cheeky Monkey might be the brand, I won it as a door prize at a potty training seminar that Babies R us sponsored, but really cheerios would do the same thing. These were just bigger and i know they weren't made of the same thing they reminded me of pool noodles light plasticy sort of stuff but must have been biodegradable.

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M.S.

answers from Philadelphia on

I too have 3 boys and Cheerios in the toilet works for "aim"!!! I actually learned that little trick from a mom who I babysat for when I was a teenager :)! Works like a charm........GOOD LUCK!

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J.K.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I know that this has been the popular response but i used cheerios with my son, he thought it was so much fun he is 5 now and sometimes still asks me to throw a cheerio in there.
Good Luck.

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H.F.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Yes, there is such a thing and it is flushable. However, if you want to save a little money and time (looking for these), you can try what my cousin, a kindergarten teacher, uses for her classes. She was tired of cleaning up after little boys. She used targets as well but instead of the ones they sell special for this, she used Cheerios. It was a whole lot more cost effective and just as fun. They played sink the Cheerio at school. The end effect was less clean up for just a little money (one box goes a long, long way).

Anyhow, hope this helps.

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J.S.

answers from Philadelphia on

A. S. Cherrios in the toliet they dont get in the way and they flush away. Does make you think of them in a whole different light but they do work. Good luck have fun. I see now that a lot of people have mentioned the cherrios trick. you can buy the store brand even cheaper. J.

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K.B.

answers from Harrisburg on

I had lots of friends who always used Cheerios. Buy the cheap brand.

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HarrisburgPAChat
Chat and events, within a 2 hour radius

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P.F.

answers from Philadelphia on

Hi A.!
My son just turned 7 and he still pees all over. I HATE it! The cereal in the toilet never worked because he would get upset and say "you don't pee on your food" ok...point taken...lol...so the I tried cereal he hated. Nope, didn't work. He gets lazy lifting the lid, leaves the top lid open, won't flush (the cat fell in it yesterday and splashed pee in my face!)he drives me and the family nuts with this. If I stand over him like a lunatic he does very well, go figure. But yes, they make a flushable tissue paper target called "tinkle targets" go to www.onestepahead.com
they have them. Best of luck! And please, let me know if they work! I am loosing my mind! :)

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R.P.

answers from Salinas on

Yes there is such a thing, but let me tell you about something even better, look up flippee.com.... This is a product that is life changing! it's a sheild! even my husband doesn't make a mess anymore. It's really easy to use and it doesn't have to be removed so mom can use the toilet. I love it!!!

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T.W.

answers from Harrisburg on

Hi A.,

Use a couple of Cheerios and have them aim at it. It should help and they'll probably think its fun and make a game out of it. Hope this helps. Take care and God Bless!!!

~T.~

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J.H.

answers from Philadelphia on

i sympathize....i have a boy and sensitive plumbing.....somebody told me cheerios.

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A.C.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Try using cheerios or fruit loops, my son always sat down, but friends of mine used it for their little boy and said it really worked. hope this helps.

A.

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B.D.

answers from Pittsburgh on

While I have ZERO experience with boys, a friend told me how she used cheerios with her son. Those would be flushable and not intrusive.

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M.M.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I see you already got a ton of the same answer. I did buy a product when training my sons, I bought them at Target and they are like packing peanuts that melt when ater hits them. Fruit Loops are a whole lot cheaper and they can pick a clor, so on. Cheerios work too, and actually melt faster then the Fruit Loops. My boys likee the Fruit Loops, and thanks for the reminder, I may start using them again, so they hit the middle and not everywhere else......they are and 7!!! Actually maybe my husband should use them too.....
Good luck from the only female in a house with males and 2 male dogs!!

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T.B.

answers from Philadelphia on

I have heard a mom say she used cherrios.

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R.H.

answers from Lancaster on

how about throwing cheerios in the potty and seeing if he can hit them?

R.

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F.B.

answers from Harrisburg on

My mother used a Cheerio. It was something my brothers could aim at and it was safe to flush down the toilet.

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V.D.

answers from Philadelphia on

I heard that if you put a couple of Fruit Loops cereal in the toilet. You would tell him to aim for the red one or the green one. My son trained sitting down and when he learned to pee standing up he new lost focus and aims straight for the bowl. Good luck. V.

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Yes--my son, too, balked at the idea of putting food in the toilet, so the Cheerios didn't work for him. He likes putting a sheet of toilet paper in first and seeing if he can sink and mutilate it with his "stream"! Go figure!
I, too am surrounded my the boy chromosomes, son, dog and husband!
Hail The Clorox Wipe!

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C.M.

answers from Philadelphia on

My mom used to teach 3 year olds and she used to tell parents to use cheerios for targets. They are inexpensive and they flush easily. Hope this helps.

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E.S.

answers from Pittsburgh on

I never used this method with my son (he's 8), but I remember hearing about mothers using Cheerios in the toilet and telling their boys to aim for those. As for the cleaning up, my boy was constantly getting it on the wall, floor, base of the toilet, until I started showing him what happens when he has poor aim (he doesn't hold it, just sways his hips to aim!), then like you I started making him clean up his own mess. After about 3 days of consistently doing this, there were much fewer messes from him.

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L.H.

answers from Philadelphia on

I have a house full of boys also. The husband and 2 9year olds. The toliet is always being missed and the floor is always being washed. I have heard of some places that have a fly in the toliet. It is to give the boys something to aim at. I think that it is a sticker or something.

They need to come out with something.

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A.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Cheerios work great and flush well! It was a wonder for my son....too bad we can't use them for the 'grown up boys' in our homes!!! Good luck!

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M.G.

answers from Philadelphia on

you could try soap flakes...the kind that look like flower petals. my son likes aiming for them.

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C.S.

answers from Harrisburg on

A.,
Try cheerios or a toilet paper square. It worked great for us!
C.

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L.G.

answers from Philadelphia on

I have never seen a reusable one but I have used Cheerios or Fruit Loops for my son. My husband tells him to aim for the hole in the middle. You could also put in one sheet of toilet paper and tell him to sink it.

Best of luck!

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W.B.

answers from Allentown on

A friend of mine used Fish (pepridge farm gold fish) Cracker

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A.P.

answers from Allentown on

My husband used to practice "aiming" at Cheerios when he was a little boy. :-)

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A.M.

answers from Philadelphia on

I have heard of targets you can buy for little boys. Just an idea, but I would suggest trying any circle cereal from the store, the cheaper the better. It looks like a target, it is a food based item so no problem to septic or sewer systems. Just be sure to not have your child see the cereal box or they might associate cereal being put into the toilet and then you have a whole other issue.

Good luck.
ann

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J.R.

answers from Philadelphia on

I don't have a little boy, but I heard or read somewhere about using one square of toilet paper and having them aim at that. It's easy and right in the bathroom and it's flushable. Good luck!

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J.M.

answers from Philadelphia on

Cheerios or something like it, because it doesn't hurt to flush down. That's how I potty trained my boys initially too.

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L.B.

answers from Philadelphia on

Hi A.,
I am about to start potty training my son (we are training him to sit), but at his day care, they suggested Cheerios as a target.
Good Luck
L.

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H.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Definitely Cheerios - they are easy and nearly everyone has them. They won't hurt the plumbing and are really cheep.

Though I have seen products sold just for this purpose - I don't see any reason to buy something different...

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M.D.

answers from Scranton on

I see that you have gotten the same response that most of the other moms have suggested...ALL very good. But- truth be told on my end. I have both a husband and my son who sit to pee. ---Don't ask! I tried teaching the standing up thing and it's fair but most times my little man just sits like a girl to pee. At first it was different for me- but I don't have to deal with the mess after like most moms and for that I am grateful since I have toddlers(girls) who make much more of a mess. Of course I don't know what happens in school and how he goes but---I guess whatever works, works! My husband on the other hand---well I have no idea what happened there, and I can't even comment but I have been dealing with it for over twelve years and well-Again, I don't have to deal with his mess either. ;-)!!!lol.

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C.M.

answers from York on

Make sure you have him aim for the water in the center of the bowl and not the porcelin on the sides of the bowl. Boys are gross with this. The worst part....when he begins to invite friends over to your house. imagine four "missfires" in one afternoon. We now know why the clorox wipe was invented. I agree with the other moms cheerios. You can get the fruit flavor and assign points for differnt colors. lol

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K.B.

answers from Philadelphia on

Use cheerios!!!! ;-)

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A.B.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Babys r Us has little targets that you can get for boys. My 6 year old does the same thing and I just put cheerios in the toilet for him at times that way there is no extra expense and they wont hurt a septic tank if that is what you have. The targets that you can buy from what I understand are like a toilet papery type thing. Good Luck.

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