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Child Development & Early Education vocabulary · Behaviour and Guidance

Tantrum

Meaning in child development & early education, with examples

/ˈtæntrəm/nounCore term

In child development & early education, tantrum means: A sudden outburst of crying, shouting, kicking or throwing oneself on the floor, common in toddlers who cannot yet express or control strong feelings.

In Turkish: öfke nöbeti, huysuzluk krizi, ağlama krizi

How it is used

Children have or throw a tantrum; it is also called a temper tantrum. It is an everyday, informal word used by parents and staff alike. Some professionals use meltdown for a state of being overwhelmed, especially in autistic children, and see it as different from a tantrum.

Example sentences

  1. He had a tantrum when it was time to tidy up.

  2. Tantrums are very common between the ages of one and three.

Common collocations

  • have a tantrum
  • throw a tantrum
  • temper tantrum
  • calm down after a tantrum
  • self-regulationThe ability to manage your own feelings, attention and behaviour, for example calming down after being upset or waiting for a turn.
  • co-regulationThe process in which a calm, caring adult helps a child manage strong feelings, for example by staying close, speaking softly and naming the emotion.
  • toddlerA young child who has recently learned to walk, roughly between one and three years old.
  • challenging behaviourBehaviour that is difficult for adults to manage or that may harm the child, other people or property, such as biting, hitting or frequent long outbursts.

More terms: Behaviour and Guidance

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