{"id":63425,"date":"2026-05-18T22:55:03","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T22:55:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/?post_type=first-things&#038;p=63425"},"modified":"2026-05-20T05:11:13","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T05:11:13","slug":"why-toddlers-bite","status":"publish","type":"first-things","link":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/first-things\/why-toddlers-bite\/","title":{"rendered":"Managing Big Feelings: Understanding why toddlers bite"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>Managing Big Feelings Series: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This blog is part of the Managing Big Feelings video series, featuring expert insight about hitting, biting, sharing and tantrums from an infant and early childhood mental health specialist, Tiffany Stenson, MC, IMH-E.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Toddlers are full of sweet moments. They give surprise hugs, laugh loudly and snuggle close when they are tired.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But toddlers also test limits. Sometimes that includes biting.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Biting can be upsetting for parents and caregivers. It may happen during play, at child care or even at home with family members. The good news is that biting is common in early childhood, and it often fades as children grow and develop stronger communication skills.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Understanding why toddlers bite can help parents respond calmly and supportively, guiding more positive behavior.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jbAoKKDjQDE?si=nuIoWdQcu9pJvyQH\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: 40px;\">Why toddlers bite<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This behavior tends to happen most often between the ages of one and two. Toddlers are still learning how to manage big feelings and communicate what they need.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Biting happens for many reasons during early childhood, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teething or exploring with their mouths<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Curious about cause and effect<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feeling frustrated or overwhelmed<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Struggling to communicate their needs<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tired, hungry or overstimulated<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Trying to get attention quickly<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Toddlers often do not yet have the words to explain their feelings. When emotions rise quickly, biting can become their fastest reaction.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The good news? As their language skills grow, biting usually decreases.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: 40px;\">How to respond when biting happens<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If a toddler bites, respond right away, but keep your reaction calm and simple. Short and clear messages help toddlers understand the boundary. Long explanations are harder for young children to process in the moment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You might say, \u201cBiting hurts. I can\u2019t let you bite.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Afterward, focus on the child who was bitten and make sure they are okay. This shows children that hurting others is taken seriously. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once everyone is calm, you can help your child think about safer ways to express their feelings.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: 40px;\">Teaching safer ways to express feelings<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Toddlers need words for their feelings. Practice phrases like:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cStop.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cMy turn.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHelp.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cAll done.\u201d<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When children learn these words, they are more likely to use language rather than bite.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: 40px;\">Use positive reinforcement<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Children learn from encouragement. When you see your child playing gently or using words, praise the behavior. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, \u201cI like how you asked for the toy,\u201d or \u201cYou used your words. That was helpful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Positive feedback helps children repeat the behaviors you want to see. Each time you guide your child through a difficult moment, you are helping them build emotional skills they will use for the rest of their lives.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: 40px;\">Offer alternatives<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Give your child safe ways to respond to strong feelings. For example:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take deep breaths<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ask for help<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Move to another activity<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use words instead of actions<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over time, these alternatives become new, positive habits.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span style=\"font-size: 40px;\">When to seek additional support<\/span><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Biting usually decreases as children develop stronger language and social skills, around the ages of three or four. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If biting continues frequently or seems to be getting worse, it may help to talk with your child\u2019s pediatrician or an early childhood specialist.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Support and guidance can help identify what your child needs and how to respond in ways that support healthy development.<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discover why toddlers bite and what drives this behavior. Learning the reasons behind biting can help you manage it effectively.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":63426,"template":"","tags":[22,23,313,544],"class_list":["post-63425","first-things","type-first-things","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-parenting","tag-child-development","tag-positive-parenting","tag-manage-big-feelings"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.7 (Yoast SEO v27.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Managing Big Feelings: Understanding why toddlers bite - First Things First<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover why toddlers bite and what drives this behavior. Learning the reasons behind biting can help you manage it effectively.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/first-things\/why-toddlers-bite\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"es_ES\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Managing Big Feelings: Understanding why toddlers bite\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Discover why toddlers bite and what drives this behavior. Learning the reasons behind biting can help you manage it effectively.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/first-things\/why-toddlers-bite\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"First Things First\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AZFirstThingsFirst\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-20T05:11:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/toddler-boy-funny-face.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"750\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"393\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@AZFTF\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Tiempo de lectura\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"6 minutos\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/es\\\/first-things\\\/why-toddlers-bite\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/es\\\/first-things\\\/why-toddlers-bite\\\/\",\"name\":\"Managing Big Feelings: Understanding why toddlers bite - First Things First\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/es\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/es\\\/first-things\\\/why-toddlers-bite\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/es\\\/first-things\\\/why-toddlers-bite\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/toddler-boy-funny-face.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-18T22:55:03+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-20T05:11:13+00:00\",\"description\":\"Discover why toddlers bite and what drives this behavior. Learning the reasons behind biting can help you manage it effectively.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/es\\\/first-things\\\/why-toddlers-bite\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"es\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/es\\\/first-things\\\/why-toddlers-bite\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"es\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/es\\\/first-things\\\/why-toddlers-bite\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/toddler-boy-funny-face.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/toddler-boy-funny-face.jpg\",\"width\":750,\"height\":393,\"caption\":\"toddler boy in blue shirt making a funny face\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/es\\\/first-things\\\/why-toddlers-bite\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/es\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Parenting Blog\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/es\\\/first-things\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Managing Big Feelings: Understanding why toddlers bite\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/es\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/es\\\/\",\"name\":\"First Things First\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/es\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/es\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"es\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/es\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"First Things First\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/es\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"es\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/es\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/01\\\/firstthingsfirst_card_gray.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2018\\\/01\\\/firstthingsfirst_card_gray.jpg\",\"width\":800,\"height\":450,\"caption\":\"First Things First\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\\\/es\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/AZFirstThingsFirst\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/AZFTF\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/azfirstthingsfirst\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/first-things-first\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/FTFArizona\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Managing Big Feelings: Understanding why toddlers bite - First Things First","description":"Discover why toddlers bite and what drives this behavior. Learning the reasons behind biting can help you manage it effectively.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/first-things\/why-toddlers-bite\/","og_locale":"es_ES","og_type":"article","og_title":"Managing Big Feelings: Understanding why toddlers bite","og_description":"Discover why toddlers bite and what drives this behavior. Learning the reasons behind biting can help you manage it effectively.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/first-things\/why-toddlers-bite\/","og_site_name":"First Things First","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AZFirstThingsFirst\/","article_modified_time":"2026-05-20T05:11:13+00:00","og_image":[{"width":750,"height":393,"url":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/toddler-boy-funny-face.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@AZFTF","twitter_misc":{"Tiempo de lectura":"6 minutos"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/first-things\/why-toddlers-bite\/","url":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/first-things\/why-toddlers-bite\/","name":"Managing Big Feelings: Understanding why toddlers bite - First Things First","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/first-things\/why-toddlers-bite\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/first-things\/why-toddlers-bite\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/toddler-boy-funny-face.jpg","datePublished":"2026-05-18T22:55:03+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-20T05:11:13+00:00","description":"Discover why toddlers bite and what drives this behavior. Learning the reasons behind biting can help you manage it effectively.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/first-things\/why-toddlers-bite\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"es","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/first-things\/why-toddlers-bite\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"es","@id":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/first-things\/why-toddlers-bite\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/toddler-boy-funny-face.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/toddler-boy-funny-face.jpg","width":750,"height":393,"caption":"toddler boy in blue shirt making a funny face"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/first-things\/why-toddlers-bite\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Parenting Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/first-things\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Managing Big Feelings: Understanding why toddlers bite"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/","name":"First Things First","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"es"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/#organization","name":"First Things First","url":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"es","@id":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/firstthingsfirst_card_gray.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/firstthingsfirst_card_gray.jpg","width":800,"height":450,"caption":"First Things First"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AZFirstThingsFirst\/","https:\/\/x.com\/AZFTF","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/azfirstthingsfirst\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/first-things-first","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/FTFArizona"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/first-things\/63425","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/first-things"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/first-things"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/first-things\/63425\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":63529,"href":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/first-things\/63425\/revisions\/63529"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63426"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63425"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.firstthingsfirst.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63425"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}