Transitioning through activities

[Amateur Owner]

Wondering if anyone has tips to help transitioning. My 17 month old goes limp on me and throws a tantrum when we have to leave one activity to go to the next. Granted he doesn't know what's coming next, but is there something that have worked for you that I could use. He still can't communicate so it's hard to explain...

[playfelt]

You might want to determine if it really is necessary that he move to the new area or is it possible to bring the new activity to him. If you have the things needed in a bin or bucket he will likely show interest in what you are carrying. Walk past him and ask if he wants to come and check out what is in the bucket. Also make sure that you are giving him large blocks of time to do his own things and not constantly asking him to change focus. He is pretty young to have too much of his day planned for him as compared to setting out things for him to choose in his own time.

[Amateur Owner]

thanks for the input playfelt. The problem is he had over an hour playing in the space we were in...and when he realized what we were doing in the next activity he loved it, but getting him to it was hard!

[playfelt]

Some children need a lot of warning that a change is going to happen and others just use the warnings to get more anxious about the impending change so it makes it worse. What you may have to do is put out what you need for the next activity and then wait for him to show interest in it and make the transition himself. For things like coming for lunch or getting a diaper changed I would just pick him up and take him to the next thing and just keep repeating "it is time for .... now" which lets him know what is going to happen, he has your physical support while transitioning and he is also learning that no matter how much he protests the change is still going to happen.

[giraffe]

I am with playfelt, I always use warnings. I also try to tidy up between different activities so that the "toy of interest" is put away.

And remember some of it is his age, 17mth is a very emotional age. And he will act up more than your dckids because you are his mommy.

[Amateur Owner]

Thank you all for your suggestions, I am working on the multiple warnings @ giraffe - I've found my tot to be very whiny over the last 2 months. I initially had 2 DCKs maybe that was it? but am down to 1 apart from him, for about 2 weeks now...he also went through a hitting and biting stage, which I'm glad to say has 98% passed!