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Handling Transitions

April 19, 2026

Every day when his mother drops him off at child care, Jack cries. Then when she comes to pick him up, he throws a tantrum because he doesn’t want to stop playing with his friends and go home.

Jack’s mother says he does the same thing at home: whenever she tells him it’s time to do something else or go somewhere, he resists. Unlike some children who can easily go with the flow of whatever’s happening, Jack has a hard time with transitions and his resistance is disruptive and frustrating.

The importance of routines

Routines help make transitions easier. In addition, they:

  • Play an important role in the development of young children and help children learn about normal human interaction.
  • Provide predictability and are
  • Reduce power struggles between caregivers and children.

Tips for helping children handle transitions from one activity to another

  • Create a ritual that the child can expect: at bedtime, brush teeth, read a story, sing a song, hug and kiss.
  • When you leave your child, give him or her something to keep until you come back, such as a picture or other small object.
  • Giveadvance warning: “You can finish playing your game and then it will be time for bed.”
  • Make transitions fun: for cleaning up toys before bed, sing a song: “This is the way we pick up toys.”
  • Let the child choose how to make the transition: “Do you want to play one more game before we get ready for bed?”
  • Especially in a child care setting with lots of children, help children develop the skills they need to transition from one activity to another more quickly: putting on and taking off coats, lining up, cleaning up Less time spent in waiting for everyone else might help decrease problem behaviors during transition times.

Transitions with Young Children. PA’s Promise for Children. http://bit.ly/2kFFJEs

Supporting Transitions: Using Child Development as a Guide. Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center. http://bit.ly/2l2ThtE

Routines and Transitions. NAEYC. www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/routines-and-transitions

Contact

Programs and families can contact the program leadership directly at PAIECMH@pakeys.org with questions or concerns.

Additional Considerations

This project is supported by the Office of Child Development and Early Learning.