Mindy and Brandon Wright’s daughter, Ruby, apparently decided she wanted no part of the potty. They tried every technique in the books, but the more they tried, the more Ruby dug in her heels. If only they could find a fun way to toilet train her. One day, Brandon remembered how much fun he had with Advent calendars when he was young: counting down each day until Christmas, using stickers to decorate the calendar, opening the door or drawer to find the secret gift. Could they create a mash-up of a potty sticker chart and Advent calendar? They could and they did. They started with a box from a board game and cut-out graphics, and then put it to the test: Ruby loved it! And she was potty-trained in two weeks!
How to Play Potty Time ADVENTures
The game comes with
- Themed Potty Time ADVENTures Chart (farm animals, vehicles, dinosaurs, or unicorns)
- 14 potty punch-outs (numbers 1 through 30 as difficulty increases)
- 14 safety-certified wood blocks
- Activity board
- Shape, theme, and “graduation” stickers
Not included: Special rewards of temporary tattoos and BaBa Bucks
The game starts when your little one makes a “deposit” in the potty.
- Her reward is a matching sticker to put on #1 punch-out. (To lift punch-outs, 1, 2 or 3 stickers are needed.) As each punch-out is completed, she lifts up the lid and finds a reward, a wood block in the shape of the chosen theme to play with.
- Maybe your little one will not be successful every time. Encourage her by giving her a sticker anyway.
- It takes 30 deposits to complete the chart. She then gets her “Completion Badge” to wear, but more important, she is toilet-trained.
Getting Down to Lil ADVENTS Business
Mindy and Brandon had been selling on Amazon since 2009, when the site was opened to products other than books. They did well working out of a bedroom in their cramped apartment, selling small home and kitchen goods. In two years, they were able to quit their “day jobs (interior design and pressure washing) and buy a house. In two more years, their annual sales were $1 million. Things were going great until 2018. Amazon launched Amazon Basics and the market was overloaded with sellers and duplicate listings, and Mindy and Brandon’s business tanked.
As those things happen, they decided to create a product all their own at the same time that Ruby was waging her battle against the potty!
After creating the prototype for Lil ADVENTS, the real work began. Mindy and Brandon learned Adobe Illustrator software so they could create their own proprietary graphics and the documents needed for the manufacturer. They then contacted a toy mogul to sell him on their potty-training game. Timely—he was heading to China to meet with a manufacturer. A few modifications and Lil ADVENTS went into full production.
Lil ADVENTS is sold on its website, on Amazon, Buy Buy Baby, Bed Bath & Beyond, Walmart and Target, as well as in “Mom and Pop” shops across the US.
Potty Time ADVENTures Awards
- National Parenting Center Seal of Approval
- National Parenting Product Award
- Tillywig Toy and Media Award
- Creative Child Magazine Award
- Baby Maternity Magazine Award
- Mom’s Choice Award
