By Karen Cairone, Mary Mackrain, and Rudee Robertson | March 10, 2026
Biting is one of the most challenging behaviors early childhood professionals and families encounter, yet it is also a common and often typical part of development for many toddlers and 2-year-olds. As children mature and build self-regulation skills, most move past biting, especially when adults respond with calm, consistency, and a clear plan.
Why Young Children Bite
Biting can be a way for young children to explore, communicate, or cope when they do not yet have the skills to manage big feelings or complex situations. Understanding the reasons behind biting helps adults respond more effectively and compassionately.
Some children bite for developmental reasons.
- They want to experience the physical sensation of biting.
- They are exploring cause and effect and may be wondering, “What happens when I bite?”
Others bite because they are trying to communicate, especially if their language development is younger than that of a typical 3-year-old.
- They are expressing needs and desires.
- They are expressing anger, frustration, or discomfort, such as feeling crowded or overwhelmed by too many people.
There are also “other” contributors to biting.
- Imitating other children or adults.
- Coping with stress at home or within the program.
- Reacting to changes in routines or environment.
- Responding impulsively due to limited self-regulation skills.
- Attempting to meet unmet sensory needs.
Some situations call for special concern.
- A bite breaks the skin and could lead to infection or communicable disease.
- A child over age 2 bites often and does not respond to positive guidance, signaling the need for family involvement.
- A child bites frequently and seems unconcerned about causing pain, which may indicate a need for health and/or mental health referral.
Preventing Biting: Setting Children Up for Success
Thoughtful prevention can significantly reduce the likelihood of biting. Prevention focuses on realistic expectations, supportive environments, and intentional teaching of self-regulation.
Key prevention strategies include:
- Maintaining age-appropriate expectations for children’s behavior.
- Creating “be-by-myself” spaces where a child can be alone briefly to regroup.
- Providing enough space in each interest area and limiting the number of children who can use an area at one time.
- Ensuring the schedule, routines, and transitions are predictable and consistent.
Adults can also proactively support self-regulation and sensory needs.
- Using positive guidance strategies that help children learn appropriate ways to behave.
- Providing safe items to bite, such as clean, wet, cold washcloths stored in the refrigerator.
- Offering activities and materials that help children relax and release tension.
Responding in the Moment: Step-by-Step
When biting happens, emotions can run high for everyone involved. A calm, clear, and respectful response supports both the child who was hurt and the child who did the biting.
At the time of the incident:
- Stay calm, move quickly to the scene, and get down to the children’s level.
- Begin by responding to the child who did the biting with a clear, firm statement such as, “No biting. I can’t let you hurt Josie or anyone else.”
- Offer a choice when appropriate, for example, “You can help make Josie feel better or you can go to the cozy area until I can talk with you,” and support the child in following through.
Then respond to the child who was hurt.
- Offer comfort with both actions and words, such as, “I’m sorry you are hurting. Let’s get some ice.”
- If the skin is broken, wash the wound with soap and warm water.
- If both children agree, involve the child who did the biting in comforting the child who was bitten.
- Help the injured child find something to do once they are calmer.
Next, talk with the child who did the biting.
- Maintain eye contact, use a calm yet firm tone, and speak in short sentences with simple words.
- Try to understand what happened leading up to the incident.
- Restate the rule (“Biting is not allowed.”).
- Model feeling words and describe the sequence: “Kim took your ball. You felt angry. You bit Kim. No biting. I can’t let you hurt Kim.”
- Discuss and practice how the child can respond differently in similar situations in the future.
It is important to provide opportunities to practice those alternative responses during neutral, low-stress times so the child can build new habits.
After the Incident: Communication and Reflection
Once the immediate situation is handled, there are important follow-up steps to maintain safety and trust. These actions support children, families, and the overall program climate.
After a biting incident:
- Complete an incident report according to program policy.
- Notify the family of the child who was hurt while maintaining confidentiality; do not reveal which child did the biting.
- Notify the family of the child who did the biting and share the problem-solving ideas you and the child discussed so they can practice at home as well.
It is also helpful to step back and examine the environment and program practices.
- Consider whether anything in the classroom setup, schedule, or routines may need to be changed to prevent future incidents.
- Look for patterns that might be addressed through adjustments in space, materials, or transitions.
When Biting Becomes a Habit
If biting becomes a recurring pattern and ongoing positive guidance is not effective, it is time for a more intentional, collaborative plan. Teachers and families can work together to create a consistent approach across settings.
Possible long-term strategies include:
- Observing carefully to learn where, when, and in what situations biting occurs.
- Paying close attention to early signals and staying nearby when the child seems likely to bite, stepping in and suggesting acceptable ways to express strong feelings.
- Separating the child from the group immediately after biting and calmly explaining that you cannot allow biting and that the child can return to play once they regain control.
Ongoing guidance should focus on teaching, not punishment.
- Finding time to discuss the incident with the child and talk about appropriate ways they could have expressed their feelings.
- Using a reminder system to help the child learn to express strong feelings with appropriate words and actions.
- Reinforcing positive behavior with specific praise that describes the child’s appropriate words and actions.
Throughout this process, it is essential to ensure expectations are both age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate for the individual child. With patient, consistent support, most children can learn safer, more effective ways to communicate, cope with big feelings, and participate successfully in their early childhood environments.
