Best for this moment
when your toddler needs focused engagement, especially when you need something flexible indoors or outdoors.
Kind Mouth Actions Song
At a glance: Sing a simple song about all the lovely things mouths can do — kiss, blow, sing, smile — practising gentle mouth actions together. A 5-minute, medium-energy both activity for ages 12m–3y. No prep needed.
Instead of focusing on what mouths should NOT do (bite), this song celebrates what mouths CAN do. 'My mouth can kiss — mwah! My mouth can blow — whooo! My mouth can sing — la la la! My mouth can smile — say cheese!' Each verse pairs a gentle mouth action with a sound and a movement, building a positive association between mouths and kind, safe behaviour. It is far more effective to teach a replacement behaviour than to simply prohibit the unwanted one.
Parent tip
Start before you overthink it. No-prep activities work best when you begin while the moment is still recoverable.
What success looks like
A good outcome is a few minutes of engaged play, some back-and-forth with you, and a small sign of progress in body awareness.
More help for this situation
Meltdowns and tantrums
Meltdown
Start with calm regulation, then move to a simple activity that helps the moment settle.
Read the meltdown guideInstructions
- Start the song with clapping to get attention: 'I know a song about mouths! Ready?'
- Verse 1: 'My mouth can KISS!' — blow a big kiss together. 'Mwah!'
- Verse 2: 'My mouth can BLOW!' — blow a big puff of air. Blow on your child's hand.
- Verse 3: 'My mouth can SING!' — sing 'La la la!' together loudly.
- Verse 4: 'My mouth can SMILE!' — pull the biggest smile you can. 'Say cheese!'
- Verse 5: 'My mouth can EAT!' — pretend to chomp food. 'Munch munch munch!'
- Verse 6: 'My mouth is GENTLE!' — give a soft kiss on your child's hand. 'Gentle mouth. Kind mouth.'
- Repeat the song until your child joins in. Use it as a preventive tool — sing it during calm moments so the association is ready when biting urges appear.
Why it helps
Behavioural research shows that replacement behaviours are more effective than prohibition because they give the child something to DO rather than something to suppress. The NSPCC recommends redirecting unwanted behaviour toward a positive alternative rather than simply saying 'no'. By practising gentle mouth actions in a musical, repetitive context, the child builds a repertoire of safe mouth behaviours that become automatic — so when the urge to bite arises, there are practised alternatives ready to activate.
Variations
- Add actions for each verse: kisses on the hand, blowing a feather across the table, singing into a pretend microphone.
- Make it a game: call out a mouth action and your child does it — 'BLOW!' (they blow) 'KISS!' (they blow a kiss) 'SING!' (they sing).
- Use a mirror so your child can see their own mouth making gentle shapes — visual feedback strengthens the learning.
Safety tips
- Model gentle kisses — some toddlers kiss with open mouths and teeth. If this happens, show a closed-lip kiss: 'Soft lips, like this!'
- Be sensitive if your child has been bitten by another child — they may associate mouth actions with pain. Go slowly.
- Do not force participation — if your child does not want to join in, sing the song yourself and let them watch. Observation is learning too.
When to pause and seek extra support
Stop if your child becomes distressed, unsafe, or consistently frustrated by the activity. If play, behaviour, or development worries keep showing up across settings, check in with a qualified professional.
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