Mine and yours – talk to your toddler about what belongs to them and what they would like

What to try 

• When your toddler tries to take something that belongs to you that they can’t have, say, “This is mine, you can’t play with it now.”  
• If they take a toy or object from another child, calmly say (something like), “{Child’s name} is playing with that, let’s give it back.”  
• Acknowledge that they’re disappointed that they can’t have it and offer calm reassurance if they’re upset or angry when they can’t have a turn.  

Good to know 

As your toddler first begins to understand the word ‘mine’, they might use it to mean, “I would like this.” They are starting to understand ownership but might not fully grasp that some things are theirs, some are shared, and some things belong to other people. 

You can help with this by saying what you think your toddler means. For example, if they reach for your phone and say, “Mine,” say, “I think you would like my phone.”