Many people, children as well as adults, have difficulty when it comes to making a transition from one thing to another. No one wants to abruptly stop what they are doing and immediately move on to a different activity. This is even more true when the new activity is something they do not want to do. Quick transitions create stress, and small children are not yet equipped to handle this properly.
In my classroom, there are lots of transition times, beginning with when they are first dropped off, then between all the scheduled activities throughout the day, and lastly, when leaving for home. While each child handles these transitions differently, they all do better when there is a transition activity during the change. A transition activity is something that you do to alert the child that a new activity is coming and that helps them cope with the change.
In a previous blog post, I talked about the importance of routines. Children need to feel they are in control of their day and routines establish that feeling of control. So following routines is the first step in controlling transitions. And transitional activities are a key part of a well-defined routine.
I think there are three key steps to successfully managing transitions:
- Provide advance warnings
- Establish repeatable rituals
- Give positive feedback
The first step to a smooth transition is by providing the children with a warning that their current activity is about to end. One good method is to use a timer. Warn them that they have a few minutes to finish up and start a timer to show them visually how much time is left. It is even better to have the child start the timer. For the child who has difficulties paying attention, it is more effective if you approach them individually to alert them of the upcoming change. The more they feel in control of the transition the better.
Small activities, which you can use repeatedly during transitions, can quickly become fun, emotion-controlling rituals. In my classroom, we often sing a short song or recite a short rhyme when putting things away or lining up to go outside. We also have each child grab a favorite toy or animal to hold for story time. These things give them time to think about the next activity and helps them get ready for it. Some additional ideas for successful transitional activities can be found here: 6 Preschool Transition Activities & Ideas | LWT (lwtears.com)
Lastly, positive feedback is key to building successful transition skills. Reward children with praise as they put things away, get lined up, or complete whatever ritual you have established to prepare for the next activity.
You can use many or all of these ideas at home. Kitchen timers or sand timers can be found at many discount stores or on the internet. To get your child to pay attention to you when you are talking, you can say something like “1,2,3, look at me” and they can respond back “1,2 look at you.” This way you know they are looking at you and have your attention. For more impact, you can turn the lights on and off. Sometimes children need such a visual cue instead of just a verbal one.
When cleaning up is your between time activity, offer choices, like: “Do you want to put your dolls in the crib or in your toy basket?” Sometimes cleaning up can be very overwhelming to a child, especially if the toys are strewn all over the floor. If you want to help your child clean up, you can offer them a choice of which task they would like to do, such as: “Do you want to put the blue blocks away or the red ones?”
