weird behaviour since back at daycare

[Pandora]

since DS has been back at daycare, 3 days per week, his behaviour has gone a bit strange. He's started grunting and squealing like a baby, biting himself etc. He's ina toddler room, and I am really concerned that he is mimicking the behaviour of the other kids, as I know one or two of them act like this all the time, where he never used to until recently.
Is it normal 2yo behaviour? Im worried abiout the effects being with this other child might have on his develpoment. He has also started to do things he knows are naughty, then tells me he's XYZ (other childs name)
I really dont want to pull him out of daycare and have to find a new centre, as the staffa nd other children are lovely and hes genereally happy there. But I dont know what else I can do..

[MantaRay]

RayRay, I have found with Jack that 2 is the age of imitation. He copies everything he sees - whether it be adults, Tom, or other kids (especially at day care). I have discussed it with his carer and apparently it is totally normal. My take on it now is that if he doesn't pick these things up from day care now, he will from other kids he has contact with at some point anyway. And he imitates good things too, like using the toilet and holding his spoon properly. So atm I am not too worried about it, I think it is just inevitable, even if it is annoying. If it helps at all, I have found that if he doesn't get a reaction, he usaully stops the particular behaviour pretty quickly. GL with it, I hope it settles down for you.

[Tobily]

Maybe he's ready to move up another room? Dont' they usually move them up to pre-kinder at 2.5, they do here. I noticed he's nearly that age, perhaps he needs to be around more kids his own age and a bit older?

That was the reason we decided to move DD from Family daycare into a centre - all the kids at her FDC were younger than her and though both DH and I, and she loved her carer to bits she really needed to be around kids closer to her age.

Melanie has a good point about them mimicking the good things too - I guess they learn both good and bad habits from other children around them.

[Pandora]

he has just moved from the 0-2 room up to the 2-3 room, which is when its all started.
I hope he starts mimicking good tings soon!