Transitions — moving from one activity to another, starting or stopping something, or changing environments — can be especially difficult for autistic children. For many, transitions bring uncertainty, anxiety, and a sense of losing control, particularly when they have to stop something they enjoy or wait for something new to begin.
The Supporting with Transitions booklet is a free downloadable guide that explains why transitions can be hard and shares simple, effective strategies that make everyday changes calmer and easier.
Why Transitions Can Be Difficult
This resource explains that transitions are often challenging because autistic children may need predictability and routine, find changes sudden or confusing, and experience time as an abstract concept (so phrases like “five minutes” may not mean much). It also highlights how waiting without knowing how long can create anxiety — and how visual supports can reduce this by making transitions clearer and more predictable.
What’s Included in This Resource
This booklet includes several practical, visual tools you can use straight away, such as:
- Wait Card – a clear “WAIT” visual to support pausing before the next activity, with simple scripts like “Wait. Then snack.”
- Waiting Visual – a removable visual strip (e.g., 3–5 pieces) to show waiting getting shorter, starting with small waits and building up gradually.
- 5–4–3–2–1 Countdown Visual – a structured way to end an activity calmly by removing numbers one by one until “All Done” and moving to the next activity.
- Timers – guidance on using visual timers (such as sand timers or digital visual timers) and pairing them with clear language like “When the sand is gone, we tidy up.”
- Other helpful ideas – including visual timetables, transition objects, First–Then boards, consistent songs/cues, and practising small transitions at home.
Tips for Success
The guide also includes practical tips to help these strategies work well, such as keeping language simple, showing what’s next (not just “finished”), giving warnings with timers/countdowns, starting small, involving the child (e.g., removing countdown pieces), staying calm, and celebrating small wins.