Are hitting, biting and throwing things normal behaviors during the terrible twos?
Applies to age: 24–36 months
In short
Hitting and biting are common in young children, and most of them occasionally bite, hit or push another child. This does not mean the child will grow up to be aggressive.
What is normal
All claims: international norm
- Hitting and biting are common in young children during the tantrum stage.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
Hitting and biting are common, too.
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-09 · license [1]
- Most young children occasionally bite, hit or push another child.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
Most young children occasionally bite, hit or push another child.
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-09 · license [1]
- Young children are curious and may not understand that biting or pulling hair hurts.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
Toddlers are curious and may not understand that biting or pulling hair hurts.
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-09 · license [1]
- Such behavior does not mean the child will grow up to be aggressive.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
This does not mean your child will grow up to be aggressive.
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-09 · license [1]
- Children often go through phases of being upset or feeling insecure, and at those times express their feelings through aggression.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
Children often go through phases of being upset or insecure and express their feelings by being aggressive.
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-09 · license [1]
- A child may behave badly because they need more attention.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
Children may be behaving badly because they need more attention.
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-09 · license [1]
- Difficult behavior in young children is often simply due to being tired, hungry, overexcited, frustrated or bored.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
Often it's just because they're tired, hungry, overexcited, frustrated or bored.
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-09 · license [1]
When to worry
All claims: international norm
- If a child's behavior seriously worries a parent, it is worth seeing a doctor about it.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
If you're seriously concerned about your child's behaviour, talk to your health visitor or GP.
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-09 · license [1]
See a doctor
- It is worth consulting a specialist about whatever worried the parent, and getting advice from a midwife, a nurse or a pediatrician.
Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
Warto jednak skonsultować ze specjalistą to, co Cię zaniepokoiło i korzystać z rad położnej, pielęgniarki czy pediatry.
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-09 · license [2]
international norm “International norm” next to a section heading means its claims come from a non-Polish source, because no Polish source in our registry covers this topic. When this applies to only some of the claims, the foreign ones carry the same label next to their source.
Sources
- NHS (nhs.uk, Anglia)
- https://www.nhs.uk/baby/babys-development/behaviour/temper-tantrums/
- https://www.nhs.uk/baby/babys-development/behaviour/dealing-with-child-behaviour-problems/
License: Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: NHS (nhs.uk, Anglia). Content summarized and translated by the editors; changed relative to the original. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The summary is ours and is not attributed to the NHS. - Portal Pacjenta (pacjent.gov.pl)License: CC BY 3.0 PL. Source: Portal Pacjenta (pacjent.gov.pl). Content summarized and translated by the editors; changed relative to the original.