24 secrets of daycare teachers—steal their tricks!

Being interrupted when engaged in an activity can be irritating to anyone, but for kids who don’t yet have the skills to manage their frustration, it can seem like the end of the world. Still, we don’t always have the luxury of moving from point A to point B on our kids’ time. So do what ECEs do: Offer a warning before the start of a new activity. Teachers at Freeman’s daycare centre will flash lights or sing a song to cue transitions. She suggests parents could do the same with visual or audio cues, like sand timers or a smartphone alarm. “Tell your child in advance that when the timer goes off, it’s time to clean up,” Freeman says. “Children accept transitions better when they know what’s coming next.”