At two, I’d treat this as curiosity about rules and feelings, and begin teaching him a simple way to ask privately. Your explanation is plausible; his comments alone don’t establish that he wants to get anyone into trouble.

Two-year-olds are still developing empathy and self-control, and need repeated help with social situations. Keep your explanations short and your expectations modest. [ZERO TO THREE’s guidance for ages 24–36 months](https://www.zerotothree.org/resource/24-36-months-social-emotional-development/) supports this approach.

Try a consistent response:

- **Describe what you can see.** “He’s crying. He seems upset. His grown-up is helping him.” If you don’t know why, say, “I don’t know.”
- **Give him a concrete privacy cue.** Get close and quietly say, “You can ask me in a quiet voice.” Practice this when he’s calm, and acknowledge success: “Thank you for asking quietly.”
- **Answer briefly, then redirect.** If he repeats the question, say, “We talked about that. Let’s give him some space and go to the swings.” You can stay warm while ending the discussion.
- **Use specific descriptions of behavior.** When he says “Sam was bad,” respond, “Sam hit. Hitting hurts.” This gives him words for the action and its effect.
- **Acknowledge an old incident once.** “Yes, you remember that he threw the toy. The teacher helped.” If he keeps returning to it, check gently: “Did that scare you?” He may need reassurance or help understanding what happened.

Keep asking for help welcome: “You can always tell me if someone hurts you, you feel scared, or you need help.” At this age, let adults decide which reports need action; avoid making him sort everything into “tattling” and “telling.”

You can start teaching quiet questions now, but expect plenty of reminders. Maturity and practice should help; there’s no reliable age when this particular habit will disappear. Avoid calling him a tattletale or punishing his questions—give him the words and routine you want him to use.