Ready, aim, sprinkle! Learn why your baby or toddler is throwing food on the floor during mealtime and how to prevent your little one from making a mess.

Why Your Toddler Throws Food During Meals

You probably knew that feeding your toddler would be messy, but you probably didn’t expect them to throw food just seconds after you served it. And yet here you are—your little one has turned mealtime into playtime, and after a few bites of spaghetti or sips of milk, they joyfully toss their bowl or dump their cup. (“Hey, gravity works! Let’s do it again!”)

So what’s going on? Well, your child might be throwing food for several reasons, ranging from boredom to, well, who knows why kids do what they do. Keep reading to find out why your child may be more interested in tossing food than eating it—and ways to channel this behavior so mealtimes become a little less chaotic.

Why Does My Toddler Throw Food on the Floor During Meals?

You’ve seen it happen over and over again: you put food on your child’s high chair tray or child-sized plate at the table, they grab a piece with their little fist, and suddenly they’re twisting and tossing the food on the floor instead of putting it in their mouth. But the real question is: why is your child throwing food on the floor?

The answer? It’s complicated. Here are some reasons behind the habit of toddlers throwing food.

Your Child Is Experimenting
It can be maddening to watch food fly through the air (and even more frustrating to clean it up for the umpteenth time), but your child isn’t misbehaving on purpose. They’ve just discovered how fun it is to see what happens when they throw food around the kitchen.

In the process, your budding scientist is busy learning about cause and effect and gravity. After all, they have to see if the same thing happens every time—do chicken strips fall faster than toast?

It’s Fun
It’s totally normal for babies and toddlers to play with their food. Squishing and spreading, and yes, finally throwing it, is how your child learns about different textures and types of food. It may even be more fun than playing with Play-Doh!

Your Child Is Bored, Finished Eating, or Not Happy with the Menu
Throwing food might be your child’s only way of signaling that they’re done eating, not hungry, or simply don’t like what you served.

Your Child Wants Your Attention
What better way to get a reaction than by throwing the contents of their bowl all over the wall? You’ll either laugh (in desperation) or get irritated and frustrated. Either way, you’re rewarding the behavior, even if all they’re getting is negative attention.

Your Child Is Helping Feed the Pets
Your puppy (or kitten) knows that being near your child at mealtime pays off. And your child is eager to show their sharing and helping skills—at least with their four-legged siblings.

Your Child Has Poor Impulse Control
Toddlers, especially early in their second year, have difficulty regulating their desire to touch, poke, grab, and throw everything they see. This is because such young children lack impulse control. But there are ways you can take precautions to minimize the behavior (and its effects) during mealtime.

How to Prevent Toddlers from Throwing Food

It’s not enough to understand why your child loves throwing breakfast, lunch, and dinner off the high chair or table. What can you do about it? Here are some ways to prevent your toddler from throwing food.

Divide and Conquer
The more food there is on their plate, the more tempted your child might be to play with it. So, put just a few bites in front of them and add a bit more once they’ve finished what’s in front of them. Toddlers don’t need large portions, especially when you’re serving new foods.

Give Your Child Something to Do
Let your child practice using a spoon or fork (yes, it can get messy, but not as messy as an overturned bowl). This can also give them a sense of control at mealtime.

Play Games That Encourage Eating, Not Throwing Food
(“Let’s pretend we’re giant hungry monsters. How many broccoli trees can you eat?”)

Keep Pets Out of the Kitchen or Dining Room During Meals
If you have baby gates, use them again to keep pets away. They work!

Sit with Your Child
If your child is throwing food to get your attention, then eating together or at least sitting next to them and talking while they eat will probably help. Just focus on being together, rather than what your little one is doing with the food.

Teach Them to Sign or Use Hand Signals When Done Eating
Teaching baby sign language at the table is another way to shift your child’s focus to something other than throwing food.

Set Clear Expectations
By the time your child is 18 to 24 months old, you can expect some compliance with the rules, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). You can simply state your rule: “Food stays on the table (or tray).” And if your child continues throwing food on the floor, just say, “I see you’re done,” and end the meal.

Stay Calm
Praise your toddler when they refrain from using their throwing arm, and make as little noise as possible when they make a mess (you don’t want to reward the behavior with attention). And yes, it’s easier said than done!

Practice Damage Control
Spread newspaper or a plastic mat under your child’s high chair to make cleanup easier when they’re done, and keep them away from walls and curtains. When it’s time to eat, protect their clothes by rolling up their sleeves and covering them with a big bib. You can also try using a bowl that attaches to the table or a suction plate to make it harder for them to flip it. However, your curious little explorer might find a way to unstick them!

Keep Meals Short
Toddlers have tiny attention spans, so if boredom is behind your child’s food-throwing behavior, shorten the time at the table. Your child might not have the stamina to eat for more than 10 or 15 minutes, and that’s perfectly normal.

… And Predictable
A regular mealtime routine is the best way to ensure your child comes to the table hungry enough to eat. You don’t want them starving before dinner, but keep snacks to a minimum so they’re interested in the food in front of them.

Use Up Your Child’s Energy Before Meals
Practice throwing a ball before dinner instead of throwing food during dinner. Dance before breakfast or let your child take a few laps around the room with push-and-pull toys. Or give your child a variety of plastic containers during bath time to fill with water. Providing non-food ways to satisfy your child’s curiosity about cause and effect can reduce messy experiments during meals.