When toddlers are playing close together or playing with the same toys, watch them closely. This is most often the time when a toddler will bite another child. Biting is a normal behavior or phase for most young children.
Why Toddlers Bite
Toddlers bite for a variety of reasons:
- Overtired
- Teething
- Jealous
- Frustrated
- Angry
- Unable to use language to communicate
- Unwell
- In response to a toy being taken away
- Routines changing at home
When a Child Bites
Interrupt negative behavior quickly to stop a biting incident from happening.
Do not overreact or yell at the toddler.
If a child bites another child, follow the procedure below:
- Say “No” or “No biting” firmly and calmly.
- Move the biter away from the other children.
- Get on eye-level with the biter and explain in short sentences that biting in not “OK”.
- Keep an extra close eye on this child in the future to prevent future incidents.
- Provide praise and positive attention when they are not biting.
- Ask another contributor to attend to the child that was bitten.
- Wash the bite mark with soap and water.
- If the skin is broken, text the bitten child’s parents immediately.
- Calmly explain what happened to the child’s parent, but do not name the biter. Apologize for the incident and explain that this is normal for toddlers, and that we are now watching the biter closely.
- Complete an Inciident Report and turn into the Early Childhood Director.
- Privately speak to the parents of the biter about the situation. Do not name any names. Ask if they have seen this behavior at home and what they are doing to help their child learn not to bite.
Complete an Incident Report for biting.
Repeated Biting
After a child bites three times in the nursery, they will be asked to take a 1 month break from the nursery by the Early Childhood Director.
3rd incident of biting = 1 month break from attending the nursery.