HELP with hitting - my son has become a bully at daycare!

DS is 20 months old and when he gets really excited like in the morning when he sees his friends or on the playground in the afternoon when he's all wild and energetic - he'll hit and run away and laugh. Or if someone falls down on the ground on the playground, he'll pounce on top of them to wrestle I guess - he's just all around rough. Thankfully no one has gotten hurt but I want to nip this in the bud before it gets to that point. I want to help him realize that this is not ok. His teachers take him aside and tell him NO sternly and make him say he's sorry and stand with them without playing (time out). I had a long talk with DH and explained that there is to be no rough housing with DS at all, the little that he does do with him could be fueling this behavior. What else can we do? At home this isn't an issue cause there aren't any other children around and we don't spank or hit him ever to have learned that this is OK, so I just don't know how else to handle it.

If you made it this far, thank you. Any advice you have, I would appreciate it. TIA~

Re: HELP with hitting - my son has become a bully at daycare!

Sounds like you are doing the right thing. Perhaps get a book to explain it? We have the Teeth are Not for Biting Book.
Hands are Not For Hitting

Re: HELP with hitting - my son has become a bully at daycare!

Maybe act out the correct behaviours.

Have you and DH work together.

Bring a specal toy and get all excited and happy. Then walk over to the toy and stand next to it without touching it.

Have DH fall down, walk over and make nice to him to make sure he is okay?