Getting a child to stop biting is no easy task. It is one of the more difficult stages of toddlerhood in my opinion, since they tend to hurt other kids when they bite, instead of just being loud or irritating, like the other common toddler issue tantrums.
I’ve already shared the one simple phrase that stopped my two year old’s biting habit, but we all know that kids react to thing differently. Some kids may be able to understand that they aren’t supposed to bite and that it hurts, but it doesn’t eliminate their need to bite.
This trick is for the relentless biter. The ones that just won’t stop even though they know that they should.
We call it the biting bear.
Toddler Biting
If your little one just won’t stop biting then this is the trick for you! go to the store and buy a special new teddy bear. Something small that can be easily carried around. Instead of a name, explain to your child that this bear is for biting. Whenever they get that urge and they can’t help but bite something, they are to run and grab their bear and bite it!
Be sure to emphasize that we never bite friends or other people, not even other toys, this is the only acceptable thing to bite in a situation in which the child feels upset, angry or troubled.
It may take awhile for them to remember what they are allowed to bite, but giving them a way in which they can get it out of their system, in a way that doesn’t harm any one or anything diffuses the situation of stress. As they grow older and learn new and better ways of managing their emotions, the need for the bear will slowly fade away. It is usually only needed for a short season, but it can make the difference between getting kicked out of preschool or playdates, or being welcomed back with open arms!
Is there a toddler biting in your house? How do you handle it?
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Mackenzie says
I am starting to get in to that phase with my son (not so much biting as throwing things when angry). I wonder if this idea could be transferred to that type of scenario. I certainly don’t want him to be labeled a “bad kid” because he isn’t, he has just learned a LOT of bad habits that his sister had and has since grown out of (they are close in age).
Paula says
Yes, we did something similar with throwing. We had soft (cloth) balls that we taught him “you only throw balls”. That way if he was wanting to practice his throwing he had something he could do that with safely, instead of it being a complete “no”. :)
Brittani says
My toddler clearly had a NEED to bite at times. We got him a few items that have a hard rubbery safe for mouth material which also provide the sensory feedback he was craving. It helped so much and he’s almost eliminated the need for it (with the exception of highly emotional moments- excited or angry). They are similar to chew beads.