How to stop your toddler from throwing things

My toddler’s starting to throw things and it’s driving me mad.

It’s common for toddlers, 18 months to 3 years to throw things. He’s practicing his new skills, fine motor, and hand-eye coordination.

He learns that what he throws falls down and not up, so he is discovering gravity. He sees that a ball bounces and spaghetti goes squish; his throwing is pure learning. Of course, for you it’s maddening to wipe up food from your just-cleaned floor, or when his bottle lands on the shopping mall paving. But for your son, it’s all great fun.

However, do teach him what he can throw and what he cannot. Balls are good, especially softballs. However, a plate is not. Correct him and replace, “plates aren’t for throwing but balls are”.

Discourage all aggressive throwing: If he throws anything at another child (or adult) react consistently: “No, that hurts,” and pull him aside for a quick time-out to call attention to the “no”. Remove him from the situation so he can start fresh in the moment. Repeat, repeat, repeat. You can also try cleaning up together. And use toddler-proof dishes and stick to small portions!