My son seems to want to throw all his wooden toys - any suggestions? 

Hi there!
You are not alone! Kids throw things for different reasons. One reason is that they may be in a moment of deep learning. Really! A child can learn a lot from throwing. How does an object sound when it hits the floor? What shapes are likely to move in which ways? Will this bounce or not? What does the surface that is being thrown on sound like when different things hit it? Does that surface make things bounce higher? These are all things kids learn by throwing objects again and again. They are investigating their world, and they are also learning about their own bodies. As they throw, they are also cultivating wonderful gross motor skills! When I see a young child busy doing this work, I think of the many athletes who make a living throwing things. 

 

Another reason a child might be throwing is to test the boundaries of what is acceptable behavior, or because getting a reaction out of adults is often interesting to young ones. Children may also have some big feelings that need to be expressed and throwing things is their go-to way of moving through those feelings. 

 

Luckily, we don’t have to discern the reason for the repeat throwing. Regardless of the reason for the throwing, my suggestion for keeping that throwing manageable is exactly the same: let them throw in a way that is safe for them and the things in your home.  

 

Set up a place in your home where they can throw without harming anything or anyone. A long hallway or corner away from breakables both can work really well. Fill up a basket with throwable objects and place it where you think your child might sit or stand to throw. Let them know that you’ve noticed they throw things a lot and you want to make sure they can do that in a safe way. You can even call that place “the throwing place”. Perhaps you take a turn throwing to model for them how it works. When you have thrown all the objects, place them back in the basket. 

 

Every time they are throwing items you don’t want them to throw or throwing in other parts of the house, bring them to this place and encourage them to throw there. Make it fun and interesting by changing the throwing things often. An older sibling can be a wonderful resource for finding throwable items!   

By Olynda Smith AMS Certified Montessori teacher and Simplicity Parenting Family Life Coach