Baby throws everything on the floor… what if that's normal?
You prepare the meal.
You offer a suitable plate.
And a few seconds later…
👉 everything is on the ground.
Again. And again.
It's frustrating, exhausting… and often misunderstood.
But good news:
this behavior is totally normal in BLW .
And most importantly, it makes sense.
🧠 An essential behavior in its development
When a baby throws food, he is not “doing anything wrong”.
👉 He's learning.
This action allows him to:
understand cause and effect
observe gravity (yes, again 😄)
discover the reactions of its environment
experimenting with textures in a different way
Like when he drops a toy, baby tests, repeats... and learns.
🥄 What baby is really trying to tell you
Depending on one's age and the moment, throwing can have several meanings.
Before 8–9 months: still little control
At first, babies don't always throw things intentionally.
He :
coward
Let it go
loses coordination
👉 His motor skills are still developing.
Around 9–12 months: experimentation phase
That's often where it really starts.
Baby discovers that:
objects fall
it makes noise
the parents react
👉 And it becomes… a game.
Other possible messages
Sometimes, throwing also means:
✔️ “I’m not hungry anymore”
Even if you get the impression that he has hardly eaten anything.
✔️ “I’m tired”
The meal is getting too long.
✔️ “I’m bored”
Not enough stimulation on my plate.
✔️ “I want to do it myself”
A growing need for autonomy.
4 common reasons
If your baby throws things, ask yourself this question:
👉 Does he:
Is he no longer hungry?
Is he tired?
Looking to play/test?
Does it need more autonomy?
The answer changes everything about your reaction.
💛 How to react (without turning the meal into a battle)
The key is not to prevent…
👉 it is to support.
1. Remain calm (even if it's difficult)
Getting angry won't change the behavior.
And it might even reinforce it.
👉 Breathe. It's a phase.
2. Make sense with simple words
Explain calmly:
“When you throw food, it falls on the floor.
If you want to eat it, it stays on the table.”
No need for long speeches. Repetition is enough.
3. Do not pick up immediately
Leave the food on the ground for a few seconds.
👉 Baby understands that it won't come back.
4. Limit without being overly aggressive
You can try again 2 to 3 times.
Then stop if it continues.
👉 This prevents you from getting into a game.
5. Adjust the mealtime
Sometimes the solution is simple:
meal too late
tired baby
poorly suited plate
👉 Adjusting the context makes a big difference.
Photo: © Lune et l'autre
👶 After 12 months: gently setting boundaries
Around 12 months, the gesture becomes more intentional.
Baby can:
testing the limits
seek your attention
express that he wants to leave the table
What you can put in place:
✔️ Remind them of the rules before the meal
✔️ Remove the plate if the behavior continues
✔️ Avoid laughing or overreacting
✔️ Praise good behavior
👉 “I like it when you keep the food on the table.”
🍽️ What if we limited the damage (a little)?
Because yes… sometimes you just want to take a breather 😄
Certain equipment can really help:
👉 This allows baby to explore… without having to recook the kitchen at every meal.
🌿 In summary
A baby throwing food is not a problem.
It's a phase.
He explores.
He tests.
He learns.
Of course, these guidelines apply to a healthy baby who is following their growth curve correctly .
With time, patience… and a little letting go, this phase passes.
4 answers
Hello, thank you for this article. I have a question; my 10-month-old throws food on the floor at every meal, at any time, and has been doing this for months. I've always been told it's just a phase, but it's not stopping 🙁 Is this normal? She throws the food, then looks at it on the floor, observes it, and wants to pick it up again. It's so hard to stay patient every time 😬 Thank you!
Good morning,
Indeed, our little darlings have a knack for testing our patience! What do you do once she's thrown food on the floor?
I tell her not to do that, I explain that she can give me the food if she doesn't want to eat it. I put more food on her plate if she throws it all away.
Now I'm starting to understand that she's going to throw it away before she actually does, so I try to stop her by holding out my hand and saying, "Give it to me if you don't want it." Sometimes she gives it to me, but she still throws it away anyway.
Hang in there, this phase won't last forever! We're actually going through it right now with our youngest...