by Donna Shea
Difficulty with making transitions is a common theme that I see with many kids at my Center. There have been numerous upset moments over the years such as over needing to finish a Lego project or a drawing when everyone else has already left. Some parents mention a major struggle getting their children to come to their social group, only to have a great time when they arrive. Children who push or shove in the recess line, run away from recess aides or who have a hard time bringing their energy down to return to class are all demonstrating tricky transitions. How do you help a child learn to turn tricky transitions and into terrific transitions?
Initially, it is important to build in a little extra time when possible to practice making transitions. I try very hard to not have to be somewhere immediately after a social group when I have new members that are learning this skill. When there isn’t extra time, here are a couple of visual or auditory cues that I have found help children make successful transitions:
This is a simple clock that I use window markers on to show kids time moving. We have “green time” or free time until 5:30. At 5:35, time becomes yellow and we start getting our brains to think about the fact that a transition is approaching and make sure we finish whatever we are working on. When we reach “red time,” we clean up and get ready for parent pick-up and we are “done” at 5:45 PM. The kids now tell me when we are getting to yellow and red, and after a week or two, transitions go more smoothly. When possible, I also let kids save a Lego project for one week to work on the next time, or allow a few crayons to be “borrowed” to finish a picture at home.
These are a couple of handy little apps that I use as timers for transitions, turn-taking and anytime we need to containerize time or become unstuck. I have a Droid, but I’m sure that there are many similar apps out there for the Iphone.
The app on the left is a visual timer that counts down one or two minutes. The red will disappear as the timer moves, allowing kids to see how much time is left. The one on the right is an egg-timer app and allows up to an hour on the timer. When times runs out, it clucks like a chicken and the kids have found that funny, making transitions much less painful and eliminates the need for me as the adult to use my voice or repeat myself in order for the transition to happen.
Here is a link to a similar visual timer app on Google Play: Flip’s Timer
Here is a link to the egg timer app on Google Play: Get Cracking
Most importantly, it is most helpful to teach a child the word “transition” and it’s meaning from an early age. It gives a name and meaning to the thing that he or she may be struggling with. Here is a little social story for kids on tricky transitions that you are most welcome to use with your child who may sometimes get caught up in tricky or sticky transitions..
Transitions Are Tricky…And Sometimes, Sticky!
