2 year old throwing things - help !!!

[ruth6692]

My 2 year old is going through a throwing phase he will throw everything and anything no punishment works at all it gets worse at night before bed time but its driving me mad. We have just recently moved to the Uk which has created alot of stress so i can understand why this is happening as its their way of getting attention and expressing their stress and fustrations but i need to put a stop to it before he hurts someone . Thanks for any help

Hi Ruth,
My 2.5 year old ds has been in a throwing phase recently, so I sympathise. I think the only thing you can do is make sure he knows it's unacceptable - take him away from the situation, quick 'no, we don't throw', then distraction.

I've been doing this with ds for a while and it finally seems to have clicked with him and he hasn't been throwing much at all. Like your 2 year old, he tends to throw when getting tired, so if we're out and about eg at toddler group, I try and distract him before it happens or take him away - I can almost see the signs now.

Thanks for your reply its so hard to stop him no sooner have i stopped him than he starts again and seems to get great fun out of watching our reaction dont feel the naughty step is working at all

My DS was like this at 18ms - 2yo he is now 2.9 and finally seems to have out grown it. He was constantly throwing everything - it was a nightmare felt terrible at playgroup, visiting friends as always had to be so vigilant. But it was just a phase - so just keep telling yourself. I think you just have to be consistent and say no we don't throw etc remove objects (it is exhausting repeating yourself all day!) I tried naughty step but really he was too young to understand. I think it was only when he started to talk and express themselves in other ways that he moved on from throwing (to other equally mischievous things!!) I am sure you will look back in a few months and think why did I worry so much - I know I think that now. I know not much help but I do feel your pain!

You could look at it another way.

He is exploring the process and effect of throwing things. If you help him to explore it by finding lots of opportunities to throw legitimately he might get over it more quickly.

Try to find throwing games to play in the garden over the weekend. He can throw balls, bean bags, scrunched up newspaper, frisbees, rolled up socks. I'm sure you can think of more.

The idea is that if you support him in throwing lots of things legitimately he'll be less driven to do it at more inappropriate times.

Well that's the theory anyway.