It is completely normal for children, especially young children, to fight over toys.
Sharing and taking turns are skills children are developing just like talking, reading, and writing.
The way you respond to disputes over toys will affect your child's behavior in the future.
If your child has clearly taken a toy from another child, do not let your child keep it. Letting your
child play with a toy taken from another child teaches your child that behavior is okay. Take the
toy from your child and give it back to the other child. Do not get mad at your child. Remember,
taking toys from another child is normal for young children. Redirect your child to something
he/she can play with. If he/she gets upset, wait until he/she begins to calm then offer another
toy or remove your child from the situation.
If there is a dispute over a toy and it is not clear who took what from whom, you can try putting
the toy in a time-out. Remove the disputed toy and set it out of both children's reach. Return the
toy when the children are calm and playing with something else.
