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Social Story for Biting
A biting social story tells a toddler, simply and without shame, what teeth are for and what to do instead when a feeling gets big. Biting is common in toddlers. Often the feeling is there before the words are, and the mouth is the fastest thing they have. Sometimes it is teething, sometimes frustration, sometimes just finding out what happens.
The story below doesn’t call anyone naughty. It names the feeling, gives the mouth something allowed to do, and gives the child one or two short words to use instead. Read it on a calm night, not right after a bite, so it is heard as a story rather than a telling off. Free to read aloud, or make one with your child in it.
What will happen, in order
- The big feeling comes
- Teeth are for food
- Bite the chewy ring instead
- Say a word: “Mine!” or “Stop!”
Read the steps together in the daytime, more than once. The free printable below has these steps at the top and the bedtime story underneath.
Bo and the Chompy Teeth
A free story to read aloud tonight
Bo had sixteen teeth. Some were at the front, for biting apples. Some were at the back, for squashing crackers flat. They were very good teeth.
But sometimes, when a feeling got big, Bo’s teeth wanted to bite something that wasn’t food. When Ava took his truck, Bo’s teeth bit her arm. Ava cried. And Bo cried too, because now everybody was sad and the truck was on the floor.
So Mama told Bo a teeth rule. “Teeth are for food. Teeth are not for people.” She said it in her quiet voice, and then she said it again, so Bo could say it with her.
Then she gave Bo a chewy ring, a squishy green one. “If your teeth need to bite, they can bite this.” Bo tried it. Chomp. It was very chewy.
And for the big feeling, Mama gave Bo a word. “Mine!” Or “Stop!” Short words, loud enough to be heard. The next time Ava took his truck, Bo’s mouth opened, and it said “MINE!” And a grown-up came, and it was sorted.
That night, Bo bit his toast, and his apple slices, and nobody. Then he brushed all sixteen teeth, and put the green chewy ring beside his bed, just in case, and went to sleep.
Read it a few nights running rather than on the morning of. Familiarity is the part that works. The aim is that by the day itself, none of it is new.
Why do toddlers bite?
Biting is very common in toddlers. They may bite when they are frustrated and don’t have the words yet, when they are teething, when they are overexcited, or to see what happens. It usually fades as language grows. Staying calm, keeping the response short and the same every time, and offering words to use instead are common suggestions in parenting guidance.
What should I do right after my child bites?
Many parents find it helps to comfort the child who was bitten first, then say one short, calm sentence to the child who bit, like “No biting. Biting hurts.” A big reaction can make biting more interesting. Save this story for a calm bedtime later.
When should I talk to someone about biting?
If biting is frequent, getting worse, continues well past the toddler years, or comes alongside other worries, mention it to your pediatrician. If it is happening at daycare, agree on the same words and response with the staff.