Navigating Transitions

Navigating Transitions: Playful Strategies to Help Your Child Move From One Thing to the Next

Leaving the park. Turning off the TV. Getting out the door. Coming to the table. If transitions in your house end in tears more often than not, you are not alone. Transitions were brutal in our house too, until I realized my son's brain needed a different approach.

This free guide is every transition strategy I've used in 25 years as a BCBA and as a mom. They're simple, playful, and use things you already have at home. Inside you'll find:

• Visual supports: visual timers, a sticky note First Then, showing a photo of what's next on your phone, and using real objects (the blankie for bedtime, the actual bowl of mac n' cheese) for kids who don't understand pictures or words yet

• Playful movement: puppet helpers with silly voices, "All aboard!" train rides, moving like a dinosaur or an elephant, and a snack scavenger hunt that leads the way

• Built-in motivation: giving choices you're happy with, putting a favorite activity next, and having a snack ready before you give the direction

• Predictable endings: countdown warnings, waiting for a natural stopping point, transition songs, and counting down turns with rocks, leaves, or fingers

• Out in the world: my store trick of snapping a photo of the toy so your child can hold onto it and move on

Pick one strategy, try it this week, and watch those tricky moments get a little calmer for both of you. Grab your free copy now!