Transitions during the day

A session at an early years setting involves many transitions during the day that a child has to follow, for example:

• entering nursery and saying goodbye
• transitions between different activities, for example, free-play to carpet-time, to tidy-up time, to snack-time etc
• transitions between places, for example, inside to outdoor play
• leaving nursery and saying goodbye

Routines and structure increase the predictability of the day for young children which makes them feel safe and secure, so there are strategies that can be put in place to make these transitions during the day as smooth and distress-free as possible:

• a visual timetable with pictures of the activities of the day shows children what the plan of the day is.  This should be referred to by adults during the day as this models to the children how to use the timetable
• adults need to remind the children what activity is next so they are prepared for a change before it happens
• visual and sound prompts could be used to remind the children of a change, such as symbols, photos or a bell/chime 
• for younger children, objects of reference could be used, such as a coat to signal it is time to go outside or a nappy to show that it is nappy-change time
• egg timers or other visual timers could be used as a countdown in order to prepare children for a change
• children sometimes like to take an object from one place to another, for example bringing a stone or stick in from outside.  This could be managed by having a container to put them in when you come inside, for example

Room to room transitions

Many settings are organised into rooms depending on the age of the child so during their time at nursery, children may need to make a number of room changes.  Adults need to be aware that even when children are happy and settled it can be a big step for them to move to a new room with older children and different activities and routines.

Therefore, these transitions require planning and staff should ensure that children are fully supported in this move. Adults may need to consider the following:

• Introduce new staff to the child and his or her parents prior to moving rooms.  Allow the new staff to spend time getting to know the children as well.

• Ensure all the relevant information is shared between staff in the different rooms.

• Organise a number of short sessions in the new room so that children can adjust to the new environment and staff gradually.

• Consider how a child’s friendships will be affected by moving rooms and move the children in pairs or small groups rather than individually if possible.

• Transitional objects, such as special teddies or blankets may help the process.

Sometimes, parents and setting staff decide to delay moving a child to the next room due to the child's individual needs, such as mobility or other special educational needs.  This must be considered very carefully as children could miss out on the positive role models and age appropriate activities if a move is delayed for long periods of time.