The first time I put my daughter in “big girl” underwear, she peed on the kitchen floor within about four minutes, looked down at the puddle, and announced “uh-oh” with the calm of a tiny weather reporter. That was three kids and a lot of laundry ago. She’s almost six now, but I remember that exact moment because it taught me something no potty training book had: the underwear you choose changes how the whole thing goes.
By the time my older son came along, I’d figured out that “potty training underwear” and “training pants” aren’t really the same product, even though the labels use the words interchangeably and it drives everyone a little crazy. Some are washable cotton undies with a padded middle. Some are disposable pull-ons that look like underwear but work more like a slim diaper. Some are just regular toddler briefs with dinosaurs on them. They all get shelved together, and they all promise to make potty training easier, and they very much do not all do the same job.
So this is the guide I wish someone had handed me. I’ll walk you through what each type actually does, who it’s right for, and the specific products I’d point a friend to, including a few I’d skip if your kid is a heavy wetter. Let’s get your little one out of diapers without losing your mind (or your area rug).
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My top picks at a glance
- Best overall (washable): MooMoo Baby 8-Pack Cotton Training Pants
- Best value multipack: BIG ELEPHANT Cotton Training Pants
- Best trusted name brand: Gerber 4-Pack Training Pants
- Best for heavy daytime wetters: Skhls Thick Absorbent Training Pants
- Best fun-print briefs (the graduation step): Boboking Toddler Briefs
- Best disposable overall: Pampers Easy Ups
- Best disposable for learning styles & travel: Pull-Ups Training Pants
- Best eco / sensitive-skin disposable: Naty FreeMovers
First, the part nobody explains: how training underwear actually works
Here’s the thing that took me embarrassingly long to understand. Regular disposable diapers are designed to feel dry. That’s the whole engineering achievement: they wick wetness away so fast your toddler never notices they’ve gone. Which is wonderful for a newborn and counterproductive for a kid you’re trying to teach.
Cotton training pants do the opposite on purpose. They have a few absorbent layers in the middle to catch a small accident and save your floors, but they let your child feel wet. That uncomfortable “ugh, I’m soggy” moment is the entire point. It’s the feedback loop that connects “I need to go” with “I should get to the potty.” The American Academy of Pediatrics frames potty training as a readiness-and-awareness process, not a calendar event, and that wet sensation is a big part of building the awareness (you can read their toilet training overview at HealthyChildren.org).
So when a review complains that cotton training pants “leak” or “don’t hold as much as a diaper,” that’s not a defect. That’s the design. Even the manufacturers say it outright in their own product descriptions. They’re a bridge between diapers and real underwear, not a replacement for either.
Cloth vs. disposable: which one do you actually need?
Go cotton/washable if: you’re doing daytime training at home, you want your toddler to feel wetness (most experts say this speeds things up), you’re trying to save money over the long haul, or you’re committed to less landfill waste. The trade-off is more laundry and more puddles in the early days.
Go disposable if: you’re out and about, traveling, at daycare that requires them, or you need real overnight protection. The trade-off is that they keep kids drier, which can slow the “aha” moment, and the cost adds up fast.
Honestly? With two of my three kids I kept both in the drawer. Cotton during our at-home stretches, disposable pull-ons clipped into the diaper bag for the grocery store and grandma’s house. There’s no rule that says you have to pick a team.
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The washable cotton training pants
1. MooMoo Baby 8-Pack Cotton Training Pants
100% cotton outer with an absorbent polyester lining · 6-layer padded crotch · sizes 2T–9T · 8 pairs per pack · machine washable
If you ask in almost any toddler-parenting group which cotton training pants to buy, MooMoo Baby is the name that comes up first, and for good reason. These have a genuinely thick six-layer middle, so they catch more than a flimsy single-layer pair, enough to handle a real daytime accident without it running straight down your kid’s leg. The outer layer is soft cotton, the leg openings are snug enough to cut down on side leaks, and an eight-pack gets you through a day or two of training without constant laundry.
The sizing runs all the way up to 9T, which is a quiet lifesaver if you’ve got a bigger toddler or you’re dealing with later-than-average training. One tip straight from the brand that actually matters: wash them once before the first wear; it fluffs up the absorbent layers and noticeably improves how much they hold.
Keep in mind: like every cotton trainer, they’re for daytime, not overnight. And the cottony outer means a big accident will feel wet on the outside, which, again, is the point, but worth knowing before you panic on day one.
2. BIG ELEPHANT Cotton Training Pants
100% cotton outer, cotton + TPU water-resistant inner liner · multi-layer crotch · sizes 12 months–10 years · 6- and 10-packs · machine washable
BIG ELEPHANT is the pair I’d hand a first-time potty-training parent who doesn’t want to overthink it. The construction is very close to MooMoo’s: soft cotton outside, a multi-layer absorbent middle with a water-resistant inner layer. But the multipacks tend to come in at a friendlier per-pair price, and they make sizes from 12 months all the way up to 10 years, which is a huge deal if you’re training a 4- or 5-year-old who’s aged out of most “toddler” charts.
The prints are genuinely cute (a real motivator at this age, when picking the animal is half the fun), and the covered elastic waistband is easy for little hands to yank up and down solo, a small thing that makes a big difference once you’re encouraging independence. They wash and dry well and hold up through the heavy rotation potty training demands.
One catch: same daytime-only rule, and a couple of layers means they’re slightly bulkier under leggings than a regular pair of undies.
3. Gerber 4-Pack Training Pants
100% cotton rib panels with a cotton/poly absorbent interlining · OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified · sizes 2T–3T and up · 4 pairs per pack · machine wash & tumble dry
If you’d rather buy from a name that’s been in American nurseries for decades, Gerber is it. These are simpler and thinner than the MooMoo or BIG ELEPHANT layered trainers (Gerber even describes them as best for “when accidents are less frequent”), so I think of them less as a heavy-duty catch-all and more as the gentle step between padded trainers and plain underwear. They’re soft, they’re easy for kids to manage themselves, and they tumble dry without fuss.
The detail I appreciate most is the OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certification, which means the fabric has been tested for harmful substances, reassuring if you’re sensitive about what sits against your kid’s skin all day. They come in separate boy and girl prints as well as neutral packs.
Keep in mind: the lighter padding means these aren’t your pick for a heavy wetter or for the very messy early days. Save them for when your toddler is mostly there and just needs a little backup.
4. Skhls Thick Absorbent Training Pants
Cotton outer, polyester + TPU waterproof inner · extra-large absorbent pad · sizes 2T–5T · 6- and 8-packs · adjustable waist
If your child holds it and then really goes, Skhls is the one I’d reach for. The selling point, and it’s a real one, is that the absorbent pad is noticeably bigger and thicker than most cotton trainers, with a TPU waterproof inner layer that does a better job keeping the outside of your kid’s pants dry during a bigger accident. Reviewers consistently call out the thickness, and it’s the rare cloth option I’d trust for a longer car ride.
There’s also a clever little touch: the waistband has a small opening so you can adjust or replace the elastic yourself, which extends the life of the pair as your toddler grows. The embroidered designs are sweet, too.
Heads up: the listing says machine washable on a low-temp dry, but I’ve seen a few parents recommend hand-washing to keep the waterproof layer happy longer, so wash gently. And as always, thick as they are, they’re still not an overnight diaper.
5. Boboking Toddler Briefs
100% cotton · regular (non-padded) toddler underwear · fun truck & dinosaur prints · 6-pack · machine washable
I want to be straight with you about these, because the listings can be confusing: Boboking briefs are regular cotton underwear, not padded training pants. There’s no absorbent layer, so they will not catch an accident — if your kid pees in these, it’s going on the floor. So why are they on the list? Because once your child is mostly trained, the move into real underwear is its own milestone, and the right pair makes kids genuinely excited to wear them.
That’s where Boboking shines. They’re soft, tag-friendly, durable through endless washes, and the truck and dino prints are a serious motivator at this age. “Do you want to keep your dinosaurs dry?” tends to land better than any sticker chart. Think of these as the reward at the finish line, not a tool for the messy middle.
Keep in mind: zero leak protection. Don’t reach for these until your toddler is reliably making it to the potty during the day.
The disposable training pants
6. Pampers Easy Ups
Disposable pull-on · 360° stretchy waistband, easy-tear sides · Dual Leak-Guard barriers + absorbent channels · sizes 2T–3T through 6T–7T · day & night protection · hypoallergenic, no parabens or latex
When people picture “training pants,” this is usually what they mean. Pampers Easy Ups pull on like underwear with a soft 360° stretchy waistband, but they absorb like a slim diaper, including overnight, so they’re the workhorse for outings, daycare, naps, and sleep. The easy-tear sides mean you can get a messy one off without wrestling it down two legs, which, if you know, you know.
They come in the fun licensed prints toddlers love (the Bluey ones are a hit with a lot of toddlers), they’re dermatologically tested and made without elemental chlorine, parabens, or latex, and Pampers is the brand most pediatricians’ offices seem to default to. For a kid who’s training during the day but not dry overnight yet, this is the pair I’d keep by the changing table.
The trade-off: because they keep kids feeling dry, they can blunt that all-important “I’m wet” lesson, so a lot of parents use these for sleep and outings while doing cotton at home. And being disposable, the cost genuinely adds up over months of training.
7. Pull-Ups Training Pants
Disposable pull-on · easy-open refastenable sides · underwear-like fit · Learning Designs (fade-when-wet) & Cool Alert (feels cool when wet) options · Night*Time for overnight · sizes 2T–3T through 5T–6T
Pull-Ups’ clever idea is that no two kids learn the same way, so they make versions tuned to how your child learns. The Learning Designs pairs have a front graphic that fades when wet, a visual cue for kids who learn by seeing. The Cool Alert version actually feels cool for a moment when wet, which is the sensory nudge some kids need to make the connection. And there’s a Night*Time line with extra absorbency for sleep.
Beyond the gimmick (that genuinely works for some kids), they fit like real underwear, the refastenable sides make a poopy accident survivable on the go, and the Disney prints are catnip for toddlers. If Easy Ups didn’t click for your kid, it’s worth trying the other camp — plenty of families swear by one and not the other.
Keep in mind: same drawback as all disposables: they keep kids drier than cotton, so they’re better as a travel/overnight tool than a primary teaching one. Prices vary a lot between the regular, Learning Designs, Cool Alert, and Night*Time lines, so check which you’re adding to cart.
8. Naty FreeMovers
Plant-based disposable pull-on · FSC-certified pulp absorbent core · 360° stretchy waist, tear-away sides, wetness indicator · fragrance-, chlorine-, lotion- & latex-free · sizes 2T–3T through 5T–6T
If your toddler has reactive skin, or you just want fewer questionable ingredients against it all day, Naty is the disposable I’d point you to. This Swedish brand (a certified B Corp that’s been at this since the ’90s) makes its FreeMovers pull-ons with a plant-based, FSC-certified pulp core and skips fragrance, lotion, chlorine, and latex. They pull on and tear off like the big brands, with a handy wetness indicator and sweet Scandinavian forest-animal prints instead of cartoons.
For families who chose a more natural path with diapers and don’t want to abandon it for training, these are an easy continuation. They handle day and overnight use, and parents with rash-prone kids tend to be loyal to them.
One note: eco disposables run pricier per pant than the mainstream brands, so this is a values-and-skin call as much as a budget one. Also note Naty makes a separate bamboo-viscose line; FreeMovers is the FSC-pulp version I’m recommending here.
How to choose (and how many to actually buy)
Start with sizing, not age. Toddler “T” sizes track weight more than birthday, so check the weight range on the chart rather than assuming your 3-year-old needs 3T. A snug-but-not-tight fit matters more for leak control than the number on the tag.
Buy more cotton pairs than you think. In the thick of day-one training you can blow through six to eight pairs before lunch. I’d start with at least an 8- or 10-pack of cotton trainers so you’re not doing emergency laundry at 11 a.m. with a bare-bottomed toddler underfoot.
Match the product to the moment. A simple system that worked for us: thick cotton trainers (MooMoo or Skhls) for at-home daytime, lighter cotton or plain undies as your kid gets more reliable, and disposables (Easy Ups, Pull-Ups, or Naty) for car trips, daycare, naps, and bedtime. You’re not failing by using pull-ons at night; overnight dryness is a separate developmental skill that often comes months later.
A few things that made training easier (beyond the underwear)
The underwear is only one piece. The stuff that actually moved the needle for us: letting my kids pick their own pairs (ownership is weirdly powerful at this age), reading the wet-feeling out loud without shame (“oops, you’re wet, let’s get to the potty next time”), and pairing it all with a comfortable potty seat they weren’t scared of and a sturdy step stool so they could be independent. The CDC’s developmental milestone resources are a good gut-check if you’re wondering whether your toddler’s ready, and the Mayo Clinic potty training guide has a level-headed readiness checklist that kept me from starting too early with my youngest.
And give yourself grace. The AAP notes training takes most kids a few months to really click, and regressions are normal — illness, a new sibling, a move, all of it can set things back a week. None of that means you picked the wrong underwear.
Want my exact potty training game plan?
I put the readiness checklist, the daily underwear-only schedule, and my fridge-tested reward chart into one free printable. It’s the cheat sheet I wish I’d had with my first.
Frequently asked questions
Are washable training pants or disposable pull-ons better?
Neither is universally “better”; they do different jobs. Washable cotton trainers let your child feel wetness, which most experts say helps daytime training click faster, and they’re cheaper long-term. Disposable pull-ons keep kids drier and are the better choice for outings, daycare, naps, and overnight. Many families use both.
Do cotton training pants hold a full pee?
No, and they’re not supposed to. They catch a small accident to protect your floors while still letting your toddler feel wet. For a full bladder, especially overnight, you’ll want a disposable training pant or dedicated overnight option.
What size potty training underwear should I buy?
Go by your child’s weight using the brand’s size chart rather than their age, and aim for a snug (not tight) fit, since loose legs and waists are where leaks escape. When in doubt between two sizes, the smaller usually leaks less.
How many pairs do I need to start?
For washable trainers, start with at least 8–10 pairs, since early daytime training churns through them fast. You can scale back once your toddler is having fewer accidents.
When should we switch from training pants to real underwear?
When your child is consistently staying dry during the day and making it to the potty on their own. That’s the moment a fun pair of regular briefs (like the Boboking dino ones) becomes a great motivator rather than a floor-soaking risk.
This article is for general information and isn’t a substitute for advice from your pediatrician.