Helping Children Make Transitions between Activities

Transitions
Transitions refer to a change. Types of transitions include: Transitions between activities Transitions between multiple settings Transitions between programs

We will focus on transition between activities.

Why Is it Important to Address Transitions Between Activities?

Transitions take time. Children spend a lot of time waiting. Transitions can be stressful and frustrating. Skills such as cleaning up may reduce transition times and may lead to more time for children to be engaged in activities. When children are taught what they should be doing we are less likely to see problem behaviours. Many educators consider childrens ability to independently make transitions a key skill.

Transitions
Plan your routine to contain a minimum number of transition times. Consider what the children and adults will do during these times.

Provide verbal and nonverbal cues before transitions.

Teach children the expectations for the routine. Minimise the number of transitions in which all children have to do the same thing at the same time.

During the Transition

Sing songs, play word or guessing games, recite rhymes or do finger plays with children. Plan a gradual increase or decrease in the level of activity and a good balance of active and quiet play. Allow children adequate time to finish activities. Plan something for those children who finish an activity quickly so they are not waiting without something to do.

Strategies That Support Smooth Transitions Between Activities

Provide positive attention of feedback to children following smooth transitions. Give very specific positive feedback after transitions.

Individualise Transition Strategies

Provide support to children during transitions.

Photos to help anticipate what activity is next.

An individual warning to a child that soon it will be time to clean up and begin a new activity. Support may need to be individualised (i.e. one child may need an adult to provide a 5 minute, 3 minute, and 1 minute warning before cleaning up while the rest of the group might only need a 3 minute warning.

Tidy Up Time
Utilise special songs or cues. Have shelves labelled with words and pictures &/or silhouettes. Assign tasks when necessary. Clean up as you go throughout the day.

Barneys Clean Up Song

Clean up clean up everybody everywhere. Clean up clean up everybody do your

share. Clean up clean up everybody everywhere. Clean up clean up everybody do your share. Clean up clean up everybody everywhere. Clean up clean up everybody do your share

Youtube Barneys clean up song.

Tidy Up Transition
Beat the Clock use an egg timer, kitchen timer, the clock etc. I Spy (naming overlooked items, having children figure out what they are) Assign different colours of items to each child to pick up. Have children pick up 5 items (or however many) Surprising the educator who is coming back into the room. Assign cleaning buddies or create teams.

Tidy Up Transitions

Who knows where this goes? (appeal to their sense of competency) Be funny Does it go there?(naming an obviously silly place) Nominate a cleaning day inspector or inspector committee. Puppets talking to, giving directives and encouraging children to clean up. A round of applause when the room is clean. Yeah!!!!

Positive reinforcement, praise and enthusiasm works wonders.

What can children learn?

Organisation- Teamwork Cooperation- Matching Sorting- Cause and effect Ownership of the room- Responsibility Increased self-esteem/pride-Appropriate expectations Independence and self-help skills- Classification Non stereo-typical experiences

Promote Independence During Transitions

Allow children to move individually from one area to another when they complete an activity.

Teach children to help one another.

Help children to self monitor during transitions.

Identify Transition times in the daily routine

Consider the transition times that may occur in a day at child care. Suggest some strategies that could minimise these and help the day flow smoothly.

Transition to group time

Watch NQS PLP Vignette: transition to group time.

NQS PLP Time to regroup- a transition

Activity- What is the problem?

Michelle is a 3 year old girl. She enjoys playing in the home corner and interacting with friends. When the educator announces that it is time to clean up and sit on the carpet for group time, Michelle gets very upset. She throws toys and pushes other children. When the educator comes near her, Michelle starts screaming and saying that she is not finished playing.

Michelles Behaviour
Possible reasons for Michelles behaviour:

The time is too short and Michelle barely gets into her play when it is time to clean up. She needs more warnings to anticipate clean up time. She does not like group time (it might be too long, too difficult etc.) She does not understand what it means to clean up how and where to put the toys away.

Jims Behaviour
Jim, a 4 year old, is a new preschool student. He and the other pre-schoolers in his room are playing on the playground. When the educator calls them to go inside, they gather next to the entrance door. Jim stays in the sandpit. When the educator approaches him and asks him to come with her, he starts crying and screaming, then drops to the ground.

Jims Behaviour
Possible reasons for Jims behaviour:

Jim is new and does not know the schedule. The time is too short and Jim barely gets into playing in the sand pit when it is time to clean up. Jim needs more warnings to anticipate clean up time. Jim does not like the activity that follows outdoor time.

Jim does not know why educator wants him to come with her and assumes that he has done something wrong.