Play Fighting... Do you allow?

[DeeDee]

I have two brothers 3 and 1. They want to punch and jump ontop of each other all the time. The one year old wants to punch everyone and everything else too... I have a 2 year old girl and a 14 month old boy that he wants to do this too. Not sure what to do. Should I start with the parents??

[Spixie33]

I would not allow it. I would say "At daycare we don't play like that." And I woudl stop it as soon as I saw them starting to get rough and silly like that.
It is always fun until someone loses an eye - right? lol
I just know that once it starts it always ends with someone getting hurt and in tears. It is always fun and giggles at first.....

[Bookworm]

I don't allow rough play either. It tends to lead towards aggresive behaviour you don't want in a group setting.

[fruitloop]

I don't allow rough play either. It tends to lead towards aggresive behaviour you don't want in a group setting.

This! Rough play is never a good idea in daycsre...ever! I would put a stop to it immediately!

[cfred]

My own 2 boys are 18 mos apart and ALWAYS wanted to rough house. Never allow it! It almost always, as they get older, ends in someone getting hurt and retaliating. Before you know it, it's a real fight. I never allow that kind of play. Far too aggressive and will be a constant source of stress for you when trying to keep the others safe from accidentally stepping into the fray.

[mimi]

the older dck's in need of releasing some energy would be given pool noodles and told they were allowed to hit everything in the backyard except for furniture, flowers and each other. They would wack away at my hedge for the longest time and that seemed to satisfy the need to rough house.

[gcj]

Around here it's zero tolerance! No play fighting, no touching. Hands free with "nice" games. Never ends well. There's better ways to get out energy and it will not be permitted in school, so why confuse them with conflicting rules!

[Momof4]

Nope, no hitting, pushing, throwing toys, none of that is allowed at daycare. I've had boys playing karate before and that sort of thing but no touching, just jumping up in the air and using their imagination.

I think you have the right idea about starting with the parents and best of luck to you.