I request gentle hands please and ask ds to stroke my hand gently. If he hits again I put him on the floor on his bottom and reiterate hitting hurts and gentle hands please. And again ask him to stroke my hand. When he shows he is gentle I pick him up. I have found this helpful anywhere we are and helped my dd move through the hitting phase very quickly.

You might also like to buy him a drum, saying hitting is for drum, gentle hands with mummy.