This article was co-authored by Catherine Palomino, MS. Catherine Palomino is a former Childcare Center Director in New York. She received her MS in Elementary Education from CUNY Brooklyn College in 2010. This article has been viewed 29,157 times.

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It’s not uncommon for toddlers to touch themselves downstairs, but if they’re doing it around other people, there are ways you can teach them to stop. When you notice your toddler touching themselves, stay calm and try to redirect their attention to something else, like their favorite toy. This will be much more effective than telling them off or punishing them, since this can confuse and upset them. Calmly explain that it’s okay to touch themselves when they’re in private, but not around other people or in public. If they’re touching themselves a lot and they don’t seem interested in much else, they might be doing it to help them deal with stress. In this case, help them find other ways to express their feelings, like taking deep breaths and talking about how they feel. For more advice from our Childcare co-author, including how to stop your toddler touching other children inappropriately, read on.