Have you noticed that the minute you tell your child it’s time to leave somewhere, a tantrum starts brewing? If this is a common occurrence in your household, I want you to know that you are not alone. Transitions are tough for our little ones and often trigger a tantrum. 

When we ask them to transition from one task to another, we’re often asking them to go from doing something fun, like playing with a friend, to doing something not so fun, like cleaning up and going home. Let’s be honest, as adults, we don’t like that either!

I have some tips and tricks up my sleeve that will help you eliminate tantrums triggered by transitions and help your child shift from one task to another with ease. Doesn’t that sound nice? Let’s get into it!

Give them a heads up

Rather than abruptly telling your child that their activity is coming to an end, give them some notice. Try telling them how much time they have left to do the activity so that they can wrap up their game.

For example, if your child is taking a bath, rather than telling them, “It’s time to get out of the bathtub,” let them know ahead of time that their bath time is coming to an end. Give them a five minute warning and then a one minute warning. When you give them the one minute warning, make it clear that their time is coming to an end and let them know that they need to wrap up any loose ends on their game before the minute is up. That might sound like this, "In one minute we have to get out of the bathtub. Finish up your game."

Time is an abstract concept for our toddlers. If your child is having a hard time grasping how long ten minutes or five minutes is, try using the free “TimeTimer” app for a visual representation of the time frame you’ve given them. This will help your child understand how long a minute actually is and will be more effective.

Make it fun

Which would you rather do?

Option 1: “Pick up your toys, it's time to get ready for bed.”

Option 2: “It’s time to clean up. I spy with my little eye, red toys. Can you find all the red toys and put them away?”

Were you thinking of option 2? Because I sure was! Our children would much rather connect with us and have fun while completing a task. When we, the caregivers, slow down and have fun with our child, we gain our child’s cooperation in completing the task and can often skip the pushback/tantrum.

Other ways you can make something fun are: by making up a song, playing a game, or by being silly.

Transition with a lovey

Transitions can signal a change from one environment to another environment. Letting your child make the switch while bringing a familiar lovey or blanket with them can offer a sense of security and safety for your child. A child’s lovey is a familiar tool that they rely on to help them stay calm. This constant during a change can be a key player in keeping their big feelings regulated. 

There you have it! 3 tips and tricks to help make those transitions smoother. Remember, toddlers are all different and one strategy may work better for you in a particular moment than another. It’s nice to keep them all in your back pocket for a time of need.