You buckle your child into the high chair, and the spoon and bowl sail to the floor. You pick them up, and they go flying again. It is easy to feel worn down. At this age, throwing is often better understood as exploration, as the body and brain grow together, than as deliberate naughtiness.
Why It Happens
CDC’s “Milestones by 1 Year” checklist describes babies this age putting something in a container, like a block in a cup, and pulling up to stand and cruising along furniture. In other words, children are just learning to control grasping and letting go, and they want to check again and again that something dropped falls and makes a sound. If a parent gasps, laughs, or hands the item back, the child may remember it as a fun interaction. A child who cannot yet say “all done” may also use throwing to signal the meal is over.
How It Differs by Age
Around the first birthday, throwing looks more like a dropping-and-watching game and is rarely aggressive on purpose. By ages 2-3, throwing more often shows up when a child is angry or has been told no. CDC’s “Positive Parenting Tips: Toddlers” explains that children this age often cannot put big feelings into words and show them through behavior. The same action can mean different things at different ages, so noticing what happened just before the throw can help you guess the reason.
What Helps at Home
CDC suggests telling a child calmly and briefly, “We can’t throw toys. It’s not safe,” and, when needed, giving a simple if-then statement such as “If you throw the car again, I’ll put it away,” then following through. At meals, quietly removing what was thrown and ending the meal sends a consistent message. For mild attention-seeking behavior, the approach in CDC’s “Redirecting your Attention” is to give little reaction and return attention and praise right away once the behavior stops.
The urge to throw is a normal part of development, so give it a safe outlet. Tossing soft balls or cloth balls into a basket, or setting aside 10-15 minutes a day for rolling and throwing balls, often satisfies the urge. When your child is angry, acknowledge the feeling first, “You’re angry, and throwing is not okay,” then state the limit.
Common Misunderstandings
Scolding loudly each time can turn the reaction itself into a game. Parents also sometimes label a thrower as a “bad kid” or worry that any limit is too early for a baby and set none at all, which can deny the child a chance to learn a safe boundary. And when a lesson taught once is ignored the next day, it can look like it failed, but young children tend to need the same rule repeated across several weeks.
When to Consider Talking with a Pediatrician
Consider talking with a pediatrician if throwing comes with repeatedly hurting others, if throwing and aggression keep getting more intense after age 3, if your child shows less response to speech, eye contact, or play than other children the same age, or if skills they once had seem to be lost. This information isn’t a diagnostic tool and doesn’t replace advice from a medical professional.