Transitions can be tricky! If you feel like you are rushing, nagging, or negotiating, this blog is for you! Here are my top 10 tips for transitions and how to put them into action to smooth transitions.

The truth about transitions: transitions are about trust. Children need to trust that you understand them and what they want before they will engage with what you want.

The truth about directions: connection comes before direction or compliance. Invest in your relationship before initiating a transition. You can build connection and invest in relationships by joining your child’s play or reading a book together for 5 minute before transitioning or by doing a transition song and dance party before jumping into action.

Here are my top 10 tips for transitions:

Yes/And: Validate their feelings AND set a boundary

“You really want ice cream, AND it’s almost time for dinner. You can have carrots or apples.”

Safe Place: Designate a safe place to keep creations in progress so they do not get lost or taken.

“I’ll keep your magnatiles safe while you go potty.”

Special Time: Designate a special time to continue an activity.

“You really want to keep working on your art. Let’s make a special time for your art. Would you like special art time after school or before bath?”

Make a plan: Make a specific plan with chosen roles and goals.

“Let’s make a plan. We have 5 more minutes to play. When it is time to clean up, will you be a block clean up leader or a dinosaur clean up leader?”

When/Then: Validate that the child can do their idea when something else is finished.

“When your shoes are on, then we can go to the park” or “We can go to the park when your shoes are on.”

Structured Choice: Define choices and offer pre-approved options.

“It’s bath time, and you have 2 great choices. Will you sliver like a snake or hop like a frog to the bathtub? You choose, or I choose.”

I’ll Start, You Finish: Support task initiation by modeling how to start and let the child finish.

“I’ll start rinsing the dishes, and you can put them in the dishwasher (AKA feed the dish monster).”

Talk to Objects: Instead of repeatedly telling children what to do, tell an object what needs to happen.

“Dinosaurs, it’s time to clean up. Sean is going to put you in the bucket. Sean is a dinosaur expert, so we can trust him to keep you safe.”

Visual Timer: Help children see how much time is left and how quickly time is changing.

Visual Schedule: Help children know what to expect and see what success looks like. Seeing each step of the process in sequence helps children plan and take appropriate action.

Here are other resources from Learn Play Grow to support smooth transitions:

• Connection Comes Before Compliance: https://learnplaygrowconsulting.com/blog/connectionbeforecompliance

• Visual Schedules https://learnplaygrowconsulting.com/blog/visualschedules

• Why Is My Child in Charge? https://learnplaygrowconsulting.com/blog/whyismychildincharge

• How to Stop Losing Your Sh*t https://learnplaygrowconsulting.com/blog/howtostoplosingyoursht

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Rebecca A. Weiner, M.Ed. is a dynamic educator and creator of Learn Play Grow Educational Consulting. She supports transformational growth for young children with diverse abilities and their families, teachers, and schools through play-based learning, parent and teacher coaching, consulting in schools, and neurodiversity-affirming inclusion support in early childhood programs.