Many children engage in sexual play during their childhood years. Games such as ‘playing doctors and nurses’ and ‘I’ll show you mine if you show me yours’ are very common.

Children involved in such games:

• Are usually of a similar age, size and developmental level
• Are not forced to play the games
• Will be light-hearted and not upset by the games.

Generally, children's sexual behaviour is of concern if it occurs repeatedly, is out of balance with their other activities, and continues even when an adult intervenes. Sexual behavior between children is abusive if it hurts, frightens or upsets one, or both children; one child has greater sexual knowledge; there are threats, bribery or coercion; one child forces another child to keep the behaviour a secret; or one child is bigger, older and more developmentally advanced.

To minimise the risk of child-to-child sexual abuse, talk with your children about your family's touching rules (and have them posted somewhere obvious where people can easily see them), have an open telling environment where your kids know they wont get into trouble if they 'tell' and help children understand their own feelings. See talking to children about sexual abuse for more information.