Daily Transitions – Time for a Change

Transitions take place throughout the day and every day. During transitions, we are asking our children to stop one activity (or thought) and move to a different one. Typical transitions for young children include:

·         Getting dressed

·         Cleaning up after play

·         Getting ready for bath time

·         Getting into and out of the car

·         Moving to the table for a meal

·         Bedtime

·         Leaving the park or play area

·         Going into or leaving day care

Some children might feel confused, frustrated, or overwhelmed by transitions. They may have become very involved in what they are doing and not want to stop, or may not understand why they have to stop.

Children’s temperaments vary and their abilities differ. Understanding and following directions, exercising self-control, having language skills to express needs, physically moving from one place to another and/or handling noise or confusion all impact a child’s transition success.

To make transitions a little easier for your child, review your daily schedules and make a list of your child’s transition times in a typical day. Plan and prepare your child ahead of time. Talk with your child about the reason for the transition and ways to make the process easier for him or her.

It help children if they are given a little bit of power, too. Offering your child choices during a transition can help, too. For example, “It’s time to go to leave the park and go home. Do you want to walk backwards to the car or do you want to skip?” or “We need to pick up the toys before we watch our movie. If you pick up the blocks, I can pick up the book, deal?”

Be creative!