Transitions are notoriously difficult for young children, so if your child is struggling, you are not alone! Most children don’t like to stop one thing and go to the next thing, especially when they are doing something they really enjoy. 

However, transitions naturally happen a *lot* during your child’s daily routine. For example, transitions occur when going from larger sections of your day (from playing to mealtime, for example) or within steps of one routine (such as moving from potty to brushing teeth within the bedtime routine). If you think about it, getting through an entire day is really just a long set of transitions! 

One of the best ways to help a young child transition more easily from one activity to the next is to use a visual timer. 

A visual timer is a way to SHOW your child how much time is left. Young children don’t have the cognitive capacity to understand time (plus they don’t know how to read a clock!), so even if you tell them they have “two more minutes to play”, they don’t really know what that means. This uncertainty can lead to big emotions or protests because your child is taken by surprise. Using a timer helps them understand that a transition is coming up, therefore making it more predictable when it does. Predictability helps your child feel safe and more regulated.  

As a pediatric occupational therapist and mom of two, I have seen just how powerful using a timer can be with children of SO many different ages and ability levels. And the best part is - most kids love them! 

How to use a visual timer to help your child transition from one activity to the next: 

1. Show your child the timer and tell them explicitly what it’s for. You can say something like “This is going to tell us when it’s time to stop playing and go brush our teeth. It helps us keep track of time and show us when it’s time to stop! You will hear a beeping sound and that’s when we will clean up our toys and walk into the bathroom.” 
2. Start with a short increment of time, such as 30 seconds or 1 minute. This helps your child understand the process more easily as the transition comes up more quickly. Over time you can lengthen the increments. In general, the younger the child, the shorter the increments should be overall.
3. Invite your child to help you set the timer. This is motivating to your child and increases buy-in! Teach them how to turn the dial and point out where to stop it. Then, choose a spot to put it - typically somewhere they can easily see it, but up on a higher surface where they can’t easily touch or mess with it. Remind them explicitly “When the timer goes off, it’s time to stop playing.” 
4. When the timer goes off, have your child help you turn it off and put it away. Move it out of sight or out of reach so that your child doesn’t become distracted by the timer itself. Choose one spot to put it once it goes off and teach your child to put it there each time.
5. Expect that your child may cry or resist at first when the timer goes off, especially when they learn that it means they have to stop doing something they enjoy and transition to something else. This is normal! Continue to follow-through with the transition calmly and swiftly.
6. Give lots of praise. You can say “I’m so proud of you for stopping when the timer went off!”  

*A note: Some children can get fixated on the timer, especially at first. Observe your child and determine how much emphasis to put on the timer itself. If they choose to stop playing and simply watch the timer for the full two minutes, that’s okay, too! This will likely lessen over time as they get used to it. 

Examples for when to use a visual timer with your child: 

• To count down before transitioning from one activity to the next (eg. from play time to dinner time) 
• To count down before transitioning within steps of one routine (eg. from brushing teeth to sitting on the potty) 
• To count down before leaving a fun place (eg. the park, a friend’s house, etc) 
• To count down before it’s time to use the potty 
• The length of time they have to wait before you can give them your full attention 
• The length of time they have to complete their school work or another activity 
• The length of time they are expected to sit at the table for meals 
• A race to see if they can complete a certain task within the allotted time (eg. get dressed in two minutes) 

My favorite timer to use with young children for transitions at home is the Time Timer MOD 10-minute. This is the perfect amount of time to have available to you for all of the examples above. Plus, it is super easy to use for both kids and adults! 

As always, individualize this information to fit your unique child(ren) and family’s needs. And remember - it can take time to see changes in how smoothly transitions go. Be consistent with it and don’t give up! 

Want to learn more about how to help your child get through parts of their daily routine? Struggling with specific parts of the day like bedtime, picky eating during meals, or tantrums? Check out my COMPREHENSIVE DAILY ROUTINE GUIDES. These multi-page digital download guides will teach you exactly how to structure your baby or child’s routine with simple and realistic tips and strategies that work! 

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Jessica Rapp Irwin, OTR/L, is a pediatric occupational therapist, childhood routine expert, and lover of all things child development. She is the founder of Rooted in Routine, an online parenting education community and platform, to help parents learn simple, easy to implement routines for optimal child development for babies and young kids. She is passionate about educating parents on NORMAL, HEALTHY development, which is often simpler than we think. Jessica’s approach is largely rooted in going back to the basics to help you establish solid, age-appropriate routines for your child for things like eating, play, and sleep. She believes this is the most important foundation you can provide for your child - and she wants to help you do just that! 

Learn more about Jessica here and follow her on Instagram to connect.