20 Month Old Daughter Playing with Her Poop

It's time to potty train her. And/or put fleece sleepers on her with zippers in the back (one step ahead).

Playing with poop is a sensory experience for her - she doesn't know that it's unsanitary and a disgusting mess for you/your folks. Maybe it's not as easy to go to sleep in a crib that she's not used to sleeping in every day, and she's looking for another form of entertainment in the meantime. Or - she thinks she's missing out on fun-time with you/daddy/grandpa/grandma and she's trying to stay awake.

Put her in a zippered sleeper for nap, and put it on backward if she can unzip it in the front. Hopefully after a few poop-free naps she'll move out of this phase.

Check out this blog and consider buying one of these. Called the "little sleeper keeper" its a jammie that is made with the zipper in back so your kid can't get to his diaper. Looks pretty good.

http://littlekeepersleeper.blogspot.com/

My name is C. and I am the mother of a poop painter :-)

Has been doing it since he was probably 20 months old (turning 2 tomorrow). Every once in a while he will remove his diaper after he has pooped while he has been napping. I think he has only painted 3 or 4 times, but it is horrible none the less. I try to put pants on him that he can't remove, but I may check into the jammies with zipper in the back. My daughter never did this, so it is totally new for me.

I just wanted to let you know you aren't alone. Good luck!

I am D. and I was a poop artist. yes, me...and now 40 yrs later, I have recovered. Children go thru a stage that their poop is theirs, they made it, it came out of their body so why not play with it. I agree, not a fun or clean situation but punishing I dont think will stop it. Doing the oppisite might. Bring as little attention to it as possible, try zipperback PJS....but most importantly, don't react. If she does it again, try your hardest (and tell everyone there to not react as well) to be a blank slate. Like it is no different than if you did a diaper change. Clean it up, maybe simply say "Poo stays in the diaper".....and when you are doing changes, let her see her poop where it belongs, in the diaper. I know, kinda gross, but, like one mom said, they don't think like us. Maybe she wants tobe more involved with her new discovery....maybe she can take her poopy diaper to the garbage. Letting her know that poop isnt wrong, everyone does it (right?? lol) and that it is just something we dont play with. We can look at it, smell (yuck) it, discribe it (what color it is for the day) we just dont play with it. I also think getting her out of the crib asap is a great idea from a previous mom here. Good luck and from a previous Poop Artisite....it will end, my folks were postive about it and my behavior changed immediatly....and these are the things they did to help me. Good luck.....

my son did it once,
I agree with the cold thing, making it a quick bum/hand scrub that isn't so much "enjoyable" just in case that IS her motive. But also help explaining that poo poo goes into the potty. Help her watch you do it, and show her that you never touch it... and have her see, really see, where your poop goes, which might get her RIGHT on the ball to start potty training! You never know if they are ready to be excited to do it LIKE MOMMY!

I think it's normal, my 20 month-old has done that a few times with no changes as far as our regular schedule. My daughter sleeps in a bed so she gets out and knocks on the door after she wakes up. Maybe if you get her out of bed as soon as she wakes-up she won't have the time to entertain herself in such a way- maybe she would like so finger paints to express her inner artist. ;) Good luck!

When she's done it; it's only gotten on her hands so I didn't have to worry about punishing her with a cold shower- I don't think she's being "bad"

Another option if you don't want to have to change her out of clothes to put the back-zippered jammies on, you could try to duck tape the diaper. Just put a band around the tabs to keep her from just tugging a little and off comes the diaper. I have thought of doing this since my daughter is obsessed with poop and has taken her diaper off, too. It only happened once, but I'm thinking pro-actively. LOL!

Second, I agree that she may not yet know that poop is gross. Since my little one is obsessed, I did a little research and kids around this age see that it comes out and may think it's a part of them. That's why my daughter gets upset when I throw her poopy diaper in the garbage. Also, she may be seeing you "pick-up" your dog's poo? You touch it when you wipe her after a poopy diaper. She doesn't realize that you are touching it with a wipe and that you wash your hands after. Kids don't always think like we assume they do. If you haven't already introduced a potty chair or potty seat, I'd go ahead with that.
As far as the naptime thing, since it has only happened twice, it could just be coincidence. Maybe she's not quite ready for sleep and got a reaction the first time, so tried it again. Not sure about the cold shower thing. If you are trying to get her to sleep, a cold shower may be counter productive. I probably woulnd't give her a nice, warm, bubbly bath, either. If it's that bad, a short, warm bath just to wash her up. Or, wipe her down in the tub, but not imerse her in the water. I think your best bet at this point, is to keep her from getting to her diaper. If you get into the potty training and she starts to make the connection between poo and the potty, where it goes, that you don't touch, etc. I don't think this will continue.
Good luck!