Throwing food - how do I stop my toddler doing it?

Answer 1

Don't give a big response. Usually they want the attention. i tell my son "no" once and otherwise continue what I'm doing if he does it again I take the plate no fuss. When he settles we try again. I also try to keep him in the group conversation to keep his mind busy. It's not guarenteed but they learn " oh, they don't think that's cute" Good luck

Answer 2

Younger toddlers throw food at first b/c they are learning what "gravity" and the "laws of physics" are. If it goes away, does it come back?
This is a learning development first...and later, a game. After a couple bouts of toss & return, tell your child "No throwing food." After that, don't return what goes off the tray. Eventually there will be no more food to eat or throw - and lunch is over.
If this throwing food is excessive - perhaps kiddo wants to play more than eat. So meal time can be finished up and he'll probably eat better next time.

Those are just my thoughts on the matter. Best of luck!!!

Answer 3

Dont let it look like fun. They will only throw it if they are not hungry. So give them a little at a time. As soon as they begin to throw it, take them down from the table. They will learn that it wont turn into a game. If they come back to the table then they are still hungry. This is even better, because they will learn that they go hungry when they throw food. So sit them back at the table and repeat the process. You should see a noticable difference in a few days.

Answer 4

You watch and when they go to throw it you say no and hold your face and body so that the toddler knows you mean it. Restrain their hand if you need to when you say no. After that, take the food away and don't give it back otherwise you are making it a game. The toddler sees that if they throw the food, they get a reaction from you. Quite fun from their point of view. So you change how you react.

Answer 5

A good old fashion slap on the hand, a stern no, and down from the highchair! Then you have to tell the toddler in a stern but reaffirming voice "You don't throw food!" And repeat! You may have to help the little one eat for awhile--to keep control of the food remaining on the plate. MOST importantly, when your toddler is eating correctly you need to give plenty of praise! "Oh, what a big boy/girl! You're doing a wonderful job eating your lunch and being neat!!" Now one more important thing. Kids are geniuses! If you have ever laughed when he/she did this and thought it was cute, he/she may being doing for approval. If that is the case then the praise is absolutely essential!! Good luck and bon appetite! PS: In response to CF--IGNORING A CHILD IS NEVER THE ANSWER TO ANYTHING! IT CAUSES INSECURITY AND COMPLEXES!! AND IN RESPONSE TO MANDABEAR--KIDS DON'T GIVE A FLIP ABOUT GRAVITY! THEY ARE TESTING THEIR LIMITS WITH THEIR PARENTS AND FOLLOWING A NATURAL INSTINCT TO REBEL! THE PARENT MUST REMAIN THE AUTHORITY FIGURE IN LOVE! My guess is these two don't have children!

Answer 6

throwing food is only fun if you give a reaction.. even saying "dont do that" is a reaction...

best thing to do as soon as food is thrown... take ALL food away - (dont say a word) if you were eating leave the kid in the chair and pretend like they are not even there.. dont give the kid ANY attention.. just behave robot like and distant... clean up the food later.. dont even move on to something more interesting.. if you were eating - return to eating and ignore the kid no matter what....if you were not eating.. simply remove kid from chair and ignore while you proceed with the dishes...
after this happens 2or 3 times the food throwing will stop
DONT TALK TO THE KID (even negative words are attention) for 2-3 minutes and then DONT refer to the incident at all

Answer 7

Take the food away from him. Let him see others eat in front of him and then give him his food back again. If he attempts to throw it on the floor again - take it away again and continue this process until he gets the message that food is to be eaten and not thrown on the floor.

It might take a few days and there will be tears and temper tantrums but you must be strong and resist - eventually when he is hungry enough he will eat.

Answer 8

you dont mention the age of your toddler, but if one of my kids (I have three) start playing with thier food (to include throwing it...) they're obviously done. I take thier plate away & they don't get anything else to eat until the next meal. Meanwhile, they have to watch everyone ELSE enjoy a min-morning snack or dessert after dinner. A week or so of this & they realize it's just easier to finish eating or announce that they are full.

Answer 9

Only give a small amount of food at a time. Just a couple of bites.

Encourage the child to eat.

Maybe allow one warning, "Don't throw the food, eat it" if he begins throwing food.

If the child is not eating and is throwing food, take him out of the high chair. He is obviously done eating.

Answer 10

It's normal, stop fretting, plan to redecorate when your last child outgrows this pleasure. Plenty of time playing in the garden, especially among shrubs, in flowerbeds and the sandpit, might provide other opportunities for vigorous, messy activities, which might dilute the urge at mealtimes.