It is a normal, healthy activity at any age. During masturbation, children usually rub themselves with their hands. Girls may rock against an object such as a stuffed animal or pillow. Children usually appear dazed, flushed, and preoccupied while they are masturbating.
Some parents are surprised that masturbation can normally begin in toddlers and preschoolers.
Up to one third of children discover masturbation while exploring their bodies at 1 or 2 years of age. Most continue to do it simply because it feels good. Children may masturbate as often as several times each day, or as seldom as once a week. Masturbation occurs more often when they are sleepy, bored, watching television, or under stress. Some children masturbate frequently because they are unhappy about something, such as the birth of a sibling or having their pacifier taken away.