Parent Guide: Biting (Updated for 2026)
- emilias918
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
Toddlers do so many adorable things: give you unexpected hugs, squeal with laughter and cuddle up when tired. But, as any parent can tell you, they also do some not-so-adorable things, they kick, scream…and bite.
Biting can be worrying and upsetting for parents — whether your child has bitten another person or has been bitten themselves. It’s a behaviour that often appears suddenly and can feel difficult to manage, but it is also a common phase for many young children.
Our Parent guide: biting (updated for 2026) explains why children bite, how to respond effectively, and when to seek additional support.
Why Do Young Children Bite?
Biting is quite common in children aged 12-36 months, when children’s emotions are developing faster than their language skills. At this age, biting is usually a form of communication rather than intentional behaviour.
Babies and toddlers bite for a variety of reasons including:
Relieving pain from teething
Exploring cause and effect – wanting to see what happens when they bite
Getting attention
Communicating needs like hunger or tiredness
Boredom
Communicating feelings like anger, frustration, fear or confusion
As communication skills develop and the little one learns how to express themselves through words and gestures, biting tends to lessen.
What should I do if my little one bites someone?
Stay calm but be firm
Becoming angry, upset or shaming will confuse and potentially scare your little one so it’s important that you stay calm throughout.
Be firm and use simple, easy to understand words like ‘no biting’ or ‘biting hurts’. Make it clear that biting is wrong but avoid lengthy explanations until your child is old enough to understand.
Comfort the victim
You then want to quickly divert your attention to the victim. This will enforce the idea that biting is not the right way to get your attention and will prevent this from becoming a habit.
Comfort the biter if needed
If your little one is upset about biting another person, it’s okay to comfort them as well. Teach them to comfort a friend after a bite.
But be sure to not divert the attention away from the victim to avoid making biting a habit.
Offer alternatives
Suggest alternatives to biting this can be via communication or expressive arts & crafts.
You can help your child learn the appropriate words and/or gestures to use when they want to express emotion. Words like ‘no thank you, I don’t like’, ‘stop’ and ‘that, we don’t do that’ ‘ouch that hurts’ can be useful.
Distract
If emotions or energy levels are high or if boredom is settling in, help redirect your little one’s attention to a positive activity. This could include dancing, colouring or playing a game.
Experts suggest that discipline isn’t an effective way to curve biting behaviours, it’s more important to help your little one understand why biting isn’t okay and that it hurts others.
What NOT To Do
Avoid responses that can increase anxiety or confusion:
Don’t bite back - this just reinforces that their behaviour is acceptable. Remember, you’re their role model and they will copy your behaviours.
Don’t shame or label the child
Don’t ignore the behaviour
Don’t expect long explanations to work
Tips for creating a bite-free environment
Whether you feel like you’ve made progress with your little one’s behaviour or if it continues to be a work-in-progress, it is important to create a bite-free environment everywhere you go.
Here are some tips:
Positive reinforcement
Rather than giving your little one attention when they do bite, focus on praising good behaviours.
Positive statements like ‘I like how you use your words’ or ‘I like how you are playing gently’ will show them that good behaviours will lead to positive attention and so will focus their efforts on these instead of biting.
Consistency is key
Be sure to keep reinforcements and reactions the same in all biting instances, otherwise, your little one might get confused, which can lead to more biting.
Plan ahead
Toddlers can bite when they are under stress from being in a new or unexpected place or situation. Preparing your little one beforehand will help them feel more at ease.
This can be as simple as talking them through where they’ll be going and what they can expect or doing a trial run ahead of time (for instance, if starting a new nursery settling-in sessions will help your child feel more at ease when the time comes to start).
Find alternatives
As your little one’s communication skills develop, help them learn better ways to express negative emotions, for example using their words over actions.
You can also help them express themselves in other ways such as through drawing, dancing and more.
What to do if you’re concerned
If your child bites someone it’s only natural to be concerned, but don’t worry it is quite normal in babies in toddlers. This usually stops around age 2 but can continue to age 4.
If it does continue or you need a little extra support, speak to your nursery manager or little one’s health professional. They will be able to discuss the behaviour, identifying the causes and ways to effectively curve it.
Books to share with your little one
Children’s books are great resources, helping your little one better understand concepts and ideas with visual support. Here are some great examples to help them understand why biting is not a positive behaviour.
Additional resources
FAQs
Is biting normal in young children?
Yes. Biting is a common behaviour in toddlers, particularly between 12 months and 3 years. At this stage, children are still developing language and emotional regulation, and biting is often a way of communicating frustration, excitement, or discomfort.
Does biting mean my child is being aggressive?
No. Biting in young children is rarely about aggression. It is usually linked to unmet needs, big emotions, or difficulty expressing themselves. With guidance and support, most children outgrow this behaviour.
How should I react if my child bites someone?
Stay calm and respond firmly but gently. Use simple language such as, “no biting” or “biting hurts.” Comfort the child who has been bitten first, then help your child understand what they can do instead next time.
What should I do if my child is teething and biting?
Teething discomfort can increase biting behaviour. Offering safe teething toys, cold cloths, or sensory alternatives can help relieve pressure and reduce the need to bite.
How can I help prevent biting at home?
Keep routines predictable to reduce stress
Ensure your child is well-rested and fed
Teach simple emotional language such as “help” or “stop”
Praise gentle behaviour
Anticipate challenging transitions
Consistency makes a big difference.
When should I seek professional advice?
Consider seeking support if biting:
Continues beyond age 4
Happens very frequently
Is severe or causing injury
Occurs alongside other developmental concerns
Your GP, health visitor, or early years professional can help.
What happens at nursery if my child bites someone or if my child is bitten?
In the event of a child being bitten we use the following procedures.
The most relevant staff member/s will:
Comfort any child who has been bitten and check for any visible injury. Administer any paediatric first aid where necessary and complete an accident form once the child settled again. If deemed appropriate the parents will be informed via telephone. Staff will continue to observe the bitten area for signs of infection. For confidentiality purposes any conflict we do not disclose to the parents the name of the child who has caused the bite.
Tell the child who has caused the bite, in terms they understand, that biting (the behaviour, not the child) is an unwanted behaviour and show the child that it makes the staff and the child who has been bitten sad.
Ask the child what they can do to make the child who has been bitten feel better (e.g. apologise, share a toy etc.)
Complete an incident form to share with the parents at the end of the child’s session.
If a child continues to bite, carry out observations to try to distinguish a cause.
Arrange for a meeting with the child’s parents to develop prevention strategies.
In the event of a bite breaking skin to reduce the risk of infection, give prompt treatment to both the child who has bitten and has been bitten.
For our full biting policy read our Policies and Procedures here.
How does our nursery work to prevent biting?
Our nursery uses the following strategies to help prevent biting:
Individual, one to one and small group times so that each child receives positive attention.
Quiet and cosy areas for children who are feeling overwhelmed.
Stories, puppets and discussions about emotions and feelings which helps little ones learn to express themselves and self-regulation.
Additional resources for children who need it e.g. teething rings or chew necklaces.
Vigilant staff that know the children well and are able to identify when children need more stimulation, quiet time or support.
Adequate resources are provided and where possible more than one resource or toy is sought to minimise conflicts.
Every child is treated as an individual and we work with families to support all children’s individual needs.
For our full biting policy read our Policies and Procedures here.
You may also like our all you need to know guide to tantrums - click here to check it out.
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