I would stick to places where she won’t have to use one for a few months then try again. Lots of nature parks have centers with real bathrooms.

Alternatively, bring a little potty for her or a pull up (either to wear from the beginning or to put on when she needs to go).

Just use a little travel potty. My nearly four year old still does outside when There aren’t public bathrooms or when the bathrooms are gross. Those portapotties are vile.

I have no good advice but lots of sympathy and am remembering the times where I would cling to my then three-year-old as he hugged me with a death grip while pooping on public toilets, while I reassured him that he was SO BRAVE.

Eventually, we convinced him that his butt had grown big enough that there was no danger of falling in.

For outdoors, I have taught kids by finding a sapling to hang on to. Feet parallel, butt pointing downhill, hanging on to a tree. (Also, being aware of the direction of the landscape means you don't pee on your feet.)

Do you have a little portable potty from home you can bring? Out toddlers were afraid of different bathrooms for various reasons, and bring along their little home potties was a big help.

Portable as in porta-potty? Those are gross I’m scared of them too! Get her a little collapsible potty seat with bag liners.

DD3 is scared of portable potty because there is no flush and there many many $%#@^& .. inside the toilet. She also can't go in nature, could be the squatting, the no sitting part etc. So, everytime we are in places (nature) that there is no regular bathroom access, she freaks out and cries hysterically for 20-30 mins with screaming till she pees herself because she can't hold it anymore. It has happened a few times already, and we can't go hiking, fishing, camping, boating or play in river. Everytime we leave the house and before we get there, we make sure that she uses potty in regular bathroom either at home or fast food restaurants but still she needs to go some time no matter what.


Any tips?