12 to 18 months · Throwing things
Throwing things at 12 to 18 months
Quick answer
What should I say when throwing things at 12 to 18 months?
Throwing feels fun. Blocks aren't for throwing, but this ball is.
What's happening developmentally
Throwing is a new motor skill being tested constantly at this age, and it feels satisfying and cause-and-effect interesting long before a child understands it can hurt or break something.
Three scripts to try
“Throwing feels fun. Blocks aren't for throwing, but this ball is.”
“You can throw the soft ball outside, or stack the blocks in here. Which one?”
“Let's find something that loves to fly. This beanbag is begging for a toss.”
These are a starting point, not a transcript. Read when to reach for each type.
What not to say, and why
- “No! Bad!” — Labels the child rather than the action, and at this age they cannot separate the two.
- “Taking every toy away as punishment.” — Too abstract a consequence at this age to connect back to the throw; a same-second redirect works better.
When it usually passes
This is more a repeated redirect than a one-time fix; most toddlers need the same swap offered many times before throwing the wrong item drops off.