Five Occupational Therapy Tips to Improve Daily Transitions
Each child and situation is different, and it may take a combination of the following strategies to help transitions go smoothly! As with most things, practice makes perfect- it is important to use pretend play to practice transition skills before they are needed in the moment. Additionally, please always allow for extra time when learning new skills, as this will decrease the overall stress of the transition.
- Use first then language
- Everyone benefits from knowing what the plan is. By utilizing this phrasing, your child will know what is expected of them before the transition occurs
- “First, we need to clean up, then, we can eat a snack!”
- Everyone benefits from knowing what the plan is. By utilizing this phrasing, your child will know what is expected of them before the transition occurs
- Provide choices
- Often times we ask our children “Can you pick up the blocks?”. This opens up the possibility of children replying “no!” which leaves us up a creek without a paddle. Instead, by offering specific choices, we are allowing choice but also controlling what the choices are to encourage cooperation.
- “Do you want to clean up the blocks OR the barbies?”
- Often times we ask our children “Can you pick up the blocks?”. This opens up the possibility of children replying “no!” which leaves us up a creek without a paddle. Instead, by offering specific choices, we are allowing choice but also controlling what the choices are to encourage cooperation.
- Make it a game!
- In the stress of a transition, it is easy to forget how children learn best- play! By making it a song or a game, we bring out the best in our children and change the atmosphere around the transition.
- “Who can get dressed the fastest?”
- In the stress of a transition, it is easy to forget how children learn best- play! By making it a song or a game, we bring out the best in our children and change the atmosphere around the transition.
- Time Warnings and Visual Timers
- Time is such a tricky abstract concept- even for adults. There are many ways that we can make time more tangible and easier to understand for our kids. By focusing on things that they can touch, feel, and experience, we can make transitions easier to understand. For example, when swinging, we can ask if they want two or three more pushes, offering choice in addition to providing a tangible limit before the transition. If we rely on timers, ensuring that there is a visible element to the timer to allow the concept of the passing time more understandable.
- “Would you like 2 more pushes or three?”
- Time is such a tricky abstract concept- even for adults. There are many ways that we can make time more tangible and easier to understand for our kids. By focusing on things that they can touch, feel, and experience, we can make transitions easier to understand. For example, when swinging, we can ask if they want two or three more pushes, offering choice in addition to providing a tangible limit before the transition. If we rely on timers, ensuring that there is a visible element to the timer to allow the concept of the passing time more understandable.
- Validate the feelings and keep the boundaries firm
- Transitions often bring up big feelings, and these feelings are valid- it is hard to stop doing fun things! It is important to validate these feelings while also holding firm to the boundary of transitioning to the new task. The phrase “the problem is” helps to explain the problem while also not negating their big feelings.
- “I know it is hard to stop playing, THE PROBLEM IS, our appointment is in 20 minutes”
- Transitions often bring up big feelings, and these feelings are valid- it is hard to stop doing fun things! It is important to validate these feelings while also holding firm to the boundary of transitioning to the new task. The phrase “the problem is” helps to explain the problem while also not negating their big feelings.
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