What to do when your toddler starts throwing things?

When your toddler starts throwing things - understand that your toddler is trying to develop these skills –

1. Fine motor skills – throwing teaches your child how to hold an object and then release it. This is essential for learning how to write
2. Gross motor skills – throwing helps your child develop balance, coordination and arm strength.
3. Visual skills – when your child throws an object and tracks its movement throw the air, it helps them develop eye control and the ability to follow with the eyes. This is important for learning how to read.
4. Hand-to-eye coordination – when your child picks up an object and throws it at a target it develops hand to eye coordination. This is essential for reading and writing.
5. Cognitive skills – throwing teaches your child about cause and effect, speed, force and gravity. This helps in school learning.
6. Language skills – your child learns new words when the adults around them react and say something about the throwing. This helps in understanding what your child reads.

Plan these activities and games to allow your toddler to practice throwing without hurting anyone / breaking anything / making a mess
Outdoor throwing games

1. Throw a ball in the garden
2. Throw a stone into the pond
3. Fly a paper plane
4. Throw a flying disc
5. Throw leaves
6. Tumble, roll, crawl, jump, swing
7. Notice falling leaves and flying birds to learn about movement in the air
8. Throw a ball at a target
9. Throw to the right / left / front / back and so on
10. Step forward and throw
11. Throw while running
12. Throw with one hand and then with 2 hands

Indoor throwing games

1. Throw a soft ball into a basket
2. Knock over a tower of paper cups
3. Throw small soft cushions
4. Throw a ball into a hole in a cardboard box (monster mouth)
5. Throw various objects that fall and make different sounds
6. Throw things into a metal vessel to make a sound

Chores

1. Drop / throw dirty clothes into the washing basket
2. Drop / throw toys when clearing up after playtime
3. Drop the waste into the dustbin
4. Drop a snack into the bowl to eat
5. Drop toys into water at bathtime

Important -
A: To help your child get the maximum benefit out of their throwing experience – talk about what is happening. Talk about how things go up and then down, how things fall into water with a splash, how a tissue moves slower than a ball and so on.
B: To help them stay safe – tell them what they can throw and where.
C: To ensure that they don’t use throwing to get rid of their anger and frustration – stay close to them and help them manage their emotions by giving them words to express their emotions and calm down
D: To ensure that your child does not throw food- serve small quantities of food and remove the food if they are not hungry and start playing with the food.
Remember your child needs to THROW TO GROW.
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