What invented the toilet? episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 7, 2026 · 13 MIN

What invented the toilet?

from History for Kids / History's Not Boring: The Kids History Podcast · host SCL

Welcome to History's Not Boring by Kidopoly.com! I'm Mira, and I'm Finn! Have you ever wondered about the history of the toilet? It might seem like a silly topic, but the answer is actually amazing! The earliest known flushing toilets were built a whopping 4,500 years ago in the ancient Indus Valley! Imagine that! Fast forward to 2,000 years ago, and the Ancient Romans were building giant public bathrooms called latrines. People would sit together on long stone benches, go to the bathroom, and chat with their friends!But what about the modern toilets we use today? In 1596, an Englishman named Sir John Harington invented the first modern flush toilet for his godmother, Queen Elizabeth I! Later, Alexander Cumming created the curved S-bend pipe to stop stinky smells, and a man named Thomas Crapper—yes, that was really his name!—helped make flushing toilets super popular in the 1880s.Toilets might seem funny, but they are actually one of the greatest inventions in human history! By washing away germs, toilets have saved millions of lives by stopping the spread of disease. Tune in to discover the wild history of the toilet!

Welcome to History's Not Boring by Kidopoly.com! I'm Mira, and I'm Finn! Have you ever wondered about the history of the toilet? It might seem like a silly topic, but the answer is actually amazing! The earliest known flushing toilets were built a whopping 4,500 years ago in the ancient Indus Valley! Imagine that! Fast forward to 2,000 years ago, and the Ancient Romans were building giant public bathrooms called latrines. People would sit together on long stone benches, go to the bathroom, an...

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What invented the toilet?

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This episode is 13 minutes long.

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This episode was published on June 7, 2026.

What is this episode about?

Welcome to History's Not Boring by Kidopoly.com! I'm Mira, and I'm Finn! Have you ever wondered about the history of the toilet? It might seem like a silly topic, but the answer is actually amazing! The earliest known flushing toilets were built a...

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