Toddler Has Unmistakable Way of Showing He's Lost Interest in a Toy

Children will rarely hide their boredom when they're done playing with a toy, and they'll usually go looking for the next best thing. But the same can't be said for toddler Jack Levy, who has a far more dramatic way of showing he's done.

Mom of two Ally Levy was left laughing after catching her son's novel way of signaling when he's finished playing with something. Rather than setting it down on the floor or even putting it back in the toy box (wouldn't that be the dream?), Jack prefers launching the toy over his shoulder to get rid of it.

On April 8, Levy shared on TikTok a hilarious video (@allymarielevy) of her eldest son throwing numerous toys over his shoulder whenever he "loses interest" in them. Social media users can't get enough of his carefree attitude, and the clip has already gained more than 1.3 million views and over 103,700 likes.

Levy, 30, who lives in Orlando, Florida, told Newsweek this is a totally "new behavior" that 16-month-old Jack started doing, and while she doesn't know where he learned it, it's been entertaining to watch.

So far, no one has fallen victim to Jack's toy throwing as he hasn't managed to hit anyone or anything yet. Levy jokes that "the dogs are fast at moving out of the way."

Levy said: "He will be fully engaged with a toy and then instantly decides he's done with it and throws it over his shoulder. My husband and I think it's hilarious, but we try to hide our giggles.

"Although he's in day care, I have never seen any other kid do this before, so I was really shocked at all the comments on TikTok from parents saying their children do this too," she said.

Fortunately, the small toys are easy to pick up and put away. But Levy's main problem is that her son has "started doing this with food." Needless to say, mashed-up carrots and broccoli aren't as easy to pick up off the floor.

Throwing objects can be an exciting new trick for toddlers. The website BabyCenter says it shows they're learning fine motor skills as well as hand-eye coordination. As many parents know, toddlers love to show off any new skill they learn and practice it at all times (even when you wish they wouldn't), and this is another phase of toddler development.

BabyCenter says there's no need to stop a toddler from throwing things, unless the child is at risk of injury or could cause major damage. Instead, parents can demonstrate what the child can play with safely, such as a ball. They also can take part in throwing games together to make it more enjoyable.

Now that Jack is crawling and learning to walk, Levy has noticed that he always has to have a small object in both of his hands at once, regardless of what it is. He can never be too prepared, and he never knows when the urge to throw something over his shoulder will take hold.

How Did TikTokers React?

Levy, who welcomed her second son, Jett, in March, never expected the video to go viral, but she's been delighted by the positive response.

"Overall, everyone thinks it's hilarious, and they've been really nice," she said. "I got a few comments from people saying I need to discipline him, which was pretty funny because my husband and I are both pediatric board–certified behavior analysts, and we actually work with children to improve their behavior.

"The video is not that serious, and it's just a lighthearted new behavior we thought was funny," she said.

In the 860 comments on the post, many people lauded Jack's hilarious antics. One comment reads: "Out of sight out of mind."

Another user wrote: "I thought my toddler was broken this whole time!"

Another person joked: "He's throwing those troubles away like."

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