If you have a toddler who loves to throw food, you know how difficult it can be to get this behavior under control. The first step is understanding why they are doing it in the first place. From there, you can work with your child to help re-direct their energies. This will make them better prepared for their preschool activities and will ensure you have less messes to clean up in the kitchen. Here is what you need to know.

Why Do Children Throw Their Food?

Young children, especially toddlers, are still exploring the world around them and learning how to interact with their surroundings. When they see something new, they want to touch it, feel it, and sometimes, taste it. Their way of exploring new items may include throwing them. 

In many cases, they are learning cause and effect. They are seeing how gravity works and learning what happens when they let go of something. This is the same reason why so many preschool activities are learning exercises disguised as games.

Another common reason is that they are testing boundaries. If they see that mom or dad gets upset when food is thrown, they may do it again just to get a reaction. It can be a way for them to assert their independence and attempt to show control over the situation.

How Can You Curb This Behavior?

If your toddler is throwing their food, one method to get them to stop is to have them help with meal preparation. This will allow them to see how much work goes into making a meal and may make them less likely to waste food.

You can also talk to your child about why it is important not to behave this way. Explain that they are making a mess, wasting food that others are not as fortunate to have, and that it is disrespectful to the people who worked hard to make the meal.

If the behavior continues, you can try using positive reinforcement. This means rewarding your child when they behave well, perhaps with a small treat or toy after a well-behaved meal. If none of these methods work, you may need to resort to disciplinary action, such as taking away a toy or privilege.

If you want to stimulate your child with educational preschool activities in a warm and caring environment, choose Mendon Child Care Center in Mendon, NY. As specialists in early childhood development, they combine play and learning in a way that helps each child thrive. Their nurturing facility provides early childhood programs for kids from infancy through grade school, and their team works with each child's unique needs. To learn more about their age-specific programs, visit the website. For questions, call (585) 624-2337.