From Parallel Play: a podcast for educators who love toddlers
Biting Behavior in Toddlers and How to Respond
Biting brings up emotions for everyone, including children, education staff, and families. Toddlers are beginning to learn how to express their wants and needs. They are also learning how to regulate their emotions through verbal and non-verbal communication. This podcast reviews the many emotions of biting and reasons why toddlers might engage in biting. Discussions include the importance of validating toddlers’ feelings, ways to teach toddlers appropriate behaviors to express wants and needs, and how to support the development of self-regulation.
Key Topics
In this podcast, we discuss:
- Emotions that come up when biting occurs in the learning environment, from multiple perspectives
- Ways to respond to biting in meaningful ways
Target Audience
This podcast benefits:
- Teachers and family child care providers who interact daily with toddlers
- Education managers, coaches, and child development specialists
- Support staff
Listen to the Podcast
Select the link to listen: https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/podcast/biting-behavior-toddlers-how-respond
Check out other Parallel Play episodes in Head Start Talks or Infant/Toddler Teaching Practices.
Related Resources
Explore related resources on the Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center (ECLKC) to learn more.
- Biting: A Fact Sheet for Families
- Parallel Play: Self-regulation and Reframing the “Terrible Twos”
- Addressing Infant and Toddler Behaviors That Challenge Adults
