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Let me set the scene for you: I’m working in a summer program housed in an elementary school. I’m standing in a hallway lined with bulletin boards, colorful youth artwork, and posters of the school’s values. We’ve just finished our morning circle, and now we’re ready for breakfast. Suddenly, the theme song from Mission: Impossible plays in my head – 🎶 Dun dun da-da, dun dun da-da... 🎶 – and I imagine a voice saying:
"Your mission, Jen, should you choose to accept it, is to get these 12 kids from the cafeteria to the restrooms and back with no loss of limbs, no casualties, and no incident reports filed. Can you complete this mission?"
I look down the hallway; it stretches out like a football field between us and the restrooms. I turn to the 12 kids, who stare back at me with expressions of despair (or was that mischief?). I steal another glance down the hall, then back at the kids, and think to myself, We can do this!
So, we line up to start our trek—because of course, we have to do it the “proper” way. I remind them of the rules: no talking, walk single file, stand like tin soldiers with hands at your sides, and keep pace with the person in front of you. Then I turn on my heel and begin leading the group down the hallway. Five seconds haven’t passed before I sense the formation falling apart behind me. I whirl around and, in my best drill sergeant voice, bark out a reminder of the orders. “Understood?” I ask.
Five seconds later, I’m spinning around again. After about ten more about-faces and repeated commands, we finally reach the restrooms. During this epic hallway mission, my persona devolves from strict drill sergeant one of desperation – I’m practically begging the kids to please just hold it together. Their personas change too: any resemblance to an orderly line has long been forgotten.
We make it to the restrooms, but now the challenge truly begins: only two kids can go into each bathroom at a time. Ugh. Now we have to wait... and wait... and wait. After what feels like an eternity the group is devolving into whining and tattling. I, of course, respond by raising my voice a few decibels with each passing minute. The only successes of this “mission” are that no one lost life or limb, and I don’t have to file any incident reports. Small victories. And the worst part? We’ll have to repeat this transition routine a dozen more times today. Ugh!
At that moment, a wave of helplessness washes over me. Does every transition have to be like this? Why do these in-between moments bring out the worst in me as a youth development professional, turning me into someone I hardly recognize, all over some simple behavior management? Who can relate? After sharing this story with many fellow youth workers, I learned I was not alone. In fact, transitions are commonly dreaded by students (because they’re boring) and by staff (because they’re so difficult to manage). I wasn’t the only one who felt like moving a group of kids down a hallway was a high-stakes mission.
Only after venting my frustrations to co-workers did I finally start to think differently. My colleagues helped me learn from my mistakes. I realized I had been treating transition times as if they were solely about behavior management, when in fact they could be so much more. Transitions didn’t have to be the worst of times; they could actually be the best of times if I was intentional and made the most of those moments. And why do we even need single file lines? In short, I decided to stop approaching transitions as dreaded chores and exercises in compliance and start embracing them as opportunities.
Managing transitions and wait times in summer and afterschool programs is crucial for maintaining a positive, productive environment (and for our own sanity as youth workers!). With the right perspective, even these in-between moments can be transformed from chaos into connection. Here are some strategies and tips to help turn wait time into a GREAT time in your program:
Instead of thinking of transitions as just a means to an end, flip the script and see them as a means to connect with young people. There are 1,440 minutes in a day – how can you use each one to build deeper relationships with your kids? Even a two-minute walk down a hallway or a five-minute wait for the bus can be sprinkled with genuine conversation and connection. Ask a question about their day, share a quick funny story, or give a few individual words of encouragement. Research shows that positive adult-youth relationships built on trust, understanding, and caring will foster children’s cooperation and motivation, leading to better behavior and outcomes. Every little interaction during transitions can reinforce that trust. When youth feel seen and heard in those small moments, they’re less likely to act out and more likely to respond to your guidance. In other words, relationship-building is behavior management in its most proactive form.
Can you imagine a world where you and the kids actually look forward to lining up for the restroom? It can be a reality if you incorporate quick, engaging activities during transitions or wait times. The key is to keep their minds and bodies busy with something fun and positive, so boredom and the ensuing behaviors don’t have a chance to creep in. For example, turn waiting in line into a mini game or challenge. You could sing a silly call-and-response song, play a round of I Spy, or take turns telling knock-knock jokes. Maybe show off a quick magic trick to amaze them. Even simple physical challenges work well: try having everyone balance on one foot, or do a quiet game of Simon Says with funny actions.
One expert suggests that waiting times can be transformed into meaningful moments by prompting in-place movements or playful tasks that engage children’s bodies and minds. These kinds of brain breaks not only burn off energy but also serve as proactive behavior management by preventing idle time. In fact, quality standards in early childhood settings recommend no more than a few minutes of idle waiting without an activity – and while your kids might be older, the principle still holds.
One of my favorite transition games is a quick round of “I Spy” with a twist. When I say, “I spy... children dancing in one place,” everyone dances in place. When I say, “I spy a rock star playing air guitar,” they all rock out silently. After a few fun prompts, I eventually say, “I spy students lining up quietly,” and magically they’re all following the prompt. Games like this get kids moving and laughing, then smoothly bring their focus back to the task at hand. The transition itself becomes an activity.
If you want to keep things more low-key, consider using mindfulness exercises during transitions. Simple deep-breathing routines, a minute of quiet reflection, or even a mindful listening exercise (“Let’s close our eyes and listen for 10 seconds—what sounds can you hear?”) can help children calm down and refocus as they move to the next activity. Mindfulness techniques are powerful tools to help kids regulate their behavior and ease the stress of switching gears. In fact, practicing mindfulness during transition times can disrupt potential meltdowns and help kids shift their attention more smoothly. Whether you choose energizing games or calming breathing exercises, the goal is to engage young people during every wait – turning “dead time” into productive time. They’ll be having fun and you’ll have far fewer behavior challenges to manage.
Imagine if you were deeply involved in a task and suddenly someone said, “Stop what you’re doing right now and move on to the next thing this instant.” You may feel pretty frustrated, right? Kids are no different. Give young people a 5–10 minute warning before an activity ends to help them prepare for the transition. A gentle heads-up (“In five minutes, we’ll clean up and go to lunch”) allows them to wrap up what they’re doing and get ready to switch gears. This simple step can do wonders for behavior management because it prevents that feeling of abruptness that often triggers pushback or upset.
Another big part of preparation is having your materials and logistics ready for the next activity before you start a transition. If you know you’ll need art supplies after snack time, set them out in the new room beforehand. If the next activity is outdoors, have everyone’s jackets or water bottles in a handy spot. Being organized means you won’t have long stretches where kids are wandering around or waiting with nothing to do while you scramble – those are prime moments for misbehavior to flare up.
Many programs find that if transition times are not planned and staffed properly, those minutes turn into chaos and lost learning opportunities. On the flip side, when you do plan transitions intentionally, you can even make them something the kids look forward to.. For example, you might build a routine where every day after recess, the class spends 5 minutes in a fun trivia challenge as they line up to come back inside. The students know it’s coming, they know the rules, and they’re eager to participate – which means they’re not inventing mischief on their own. The bottom line: plan for transitions just like you plan your regular activities. A well-prepared transition routine is far less likely to devolve into a challenge you need to manage.
Even the best-laid transition plans can go awry – and that’s okay. prepared to adjust on the fly if you notice a transition is not going as smoothly as you hoped. Maybe the quiet line-up game you tried is actually winding the kids up more – switch tactics and try a calming strategy instead. Or perhaps you planned a song to occupy the group for ten minutes, but they breezed through the transition in three – great, move on rather than stretching it out and risking boredom. Read the room and adapt as needed. Unexpected challenges will come up (the bathrooms are unexpectedly closed, the bus is late, a child is having a rough day) so having a flexible mindset will save your sanity and keep things positive.
It’s also helpful to establish a feedback loop for your transitions. Regularly ask your kids and your staff what’s working and what isn’t during those in-between times. You might discover that one group loves the silly songs, while another finds them babyish and would prefer a riddle or a round of charades. Or a staff member might share a great idea for walking in the hall (like pretending to walk through sticky bubblegum) that you can add to your toolkit.
By seeking feedback and being willing to adjust, you demonstrate to the young people that you’re responsive to their needs – which builds trust and cooperation. In summary, plan well, but be ready to pivot. A little flexibility can prevent a minor hiccup from turning into a full-blown incident.
Lastly, don’t shoulder the transition challenge alone – train your staff and enlist your team’s support. All staff and volunteers in your program should be equipped with effective transition strategies and an understanding of how important these moments are for overall behavior management. Consider providing professional development sessions that focus specifically on managing in out-of-school settings. Effective training will highlight how to connect with youth during transitions, how to use proactive strategies to engage them, and how to maintain a positive atmosphere even in the hectic moments between activities. In team meetings, make it a regular practice to discuss transitions: What strategies are working? Where are the pain points? Staff can share success stories or brainstorm solutions for challenges. This collective problem-solving ensures that everyone is continually improving and on the same page.
Crucially, cultivate a staff mindset that values empathy and understanding over sheer control. Yes, we want to mitigate chaos and maximize safety, but how we respond to behavior in those transitional moments sets the tone for your program’s culture. If a student is struggling while waiting, a staff member trained in empathetic behavior management might kneel down, check in with the child, and find a way to engage them, rather than getting frustrated themselves. These caring responses turn tough moments into relationship-building moments and teach kids that their feelings are acknowledged.
By implementing these strategies, you can transform transition times from stressful interludes into valuable, positive experiences for both young people and staff. Instead of dreading the hallway walk or the wait for the bus, you’ll start to see these moments as little nuggets of opportunity – for connection, for fun, and for learning.
So the next time you hear that Mission: Impossible theme playing in your head as you prepare to move a group of energetic kids, take a deep breath. With some planning, creativity, and a focus on relationships, you can turn the “mission impossible” of transitions into a mission totally possible – maybe even enjoyable. Turning wait time into a GREAT time isn’t just a catchy phrase; it’s a mindset. Embrace it, and watch your program flourish during all those in-between moments!
Let me set the scene for you: I’m working in a summer program housed in an elementary school. I’m standing in a hallway lined with bulletin boards, colorful youth artwork, and posters of the school’s values. We’ve just finished our morning circle, and now we’re ready for breakfast. Suddenly, the theme song from Mission: Impossible plays in my head – 🎶 Dun dun da-da, dun dun da-da... 🎶 – and I imagine a voice saying:
"Your mission, Jen, should you choose to accept it, is to get these 12 kids from the cafeteria to the restrooms and back with no loss of limbs, no casualties, and no incident reports filed. Can you complete this mission?"
I look down the hallway; it stretches out like a football field between us and the restrooms. I turn to the 12 kids, who stare back at me with expressions of despair (or was that mischief?). I steal another glance down the hall, then back at the kids, and think to myself, We can do this!
So, we line up to start our trek—because of course, we have to do it the “proper” way. I remind them of the rules: no talking, walk single file, stand like tin soldiers with hands at your sides, and keep pace with the person in front of you. Then I turn on my heel and begin leading the group down the hallway. Five seconds haven’t passed before I sense the formation falling apart behind me. I whirl around and, in my best drill sergeant voice, bark out a reminder of the orders. “Understood?” I ask.
Five seconds later, I’m spinning around again. After about ten more about-faces and repeated commands, we finally reach the restrooms. During this epic hallway mission, my persona devolves from strict drill sergeant one of desperation – I’m practically begging the kids to please just hold it together. Their personas change too: any resemblance to an orderly line has long been forgotten.
We make it to the restrooms, but now the challenge truly begins: only two kids can go into each bathroom at a time. Ugh. Now we have to wait... and wait... and wait. After what feels like an eternity the group is devolving into whining and tattling. I, of course, respond by raising my voice a few decibels with each passing minute. The only successes of this “mission” are that no one lost life or limb, and I don’t have to file any incident reports. Small victories. And the worst part? We’ll have to repeat this transition routine a dozen more times today. Ugh!
At that moment, a wave of helplessness washes over me. Does every transition have to be like this? Why do these in-between moments bring out the worst in me as a youth development professional, turning me into someone I hardly recognize, all over some simple behavior management? Who can relate? After sharing this story with many fellow youth workers, I learned I was not alone. In fact, transitions are commonly dreaded by students (because they’re boring) and by staff (because they’re so difficult to manage). I wasn’t the only one who felt like moving a group of kids down a hallway was a high-stakes mission.
Only after venting my frustrations to co-workers did I finally start to think differently. My colleagues helped me learn from my mistakes. I realized I had been treating transition times as if they were solely about behavior management, when in fact they could be so much more. Transitions didn’t have to be the worst of times; they could actually be the best of times if I was intentional and made the most of those moments. And why do we even need single file lines? In short, I decided to stop approaching transitions as dreaded chores and exercises in compliance and start embracing them as opportunities.
Managing transitions and wait times in summer and afterschool programs is crucial for maintaining a positive, productive environment (and for our own sanity as youth workers!). With the right perspective, even these in-between moments can be transformed from chaos into connection. Here are some strategies and tips to help turn wait time into a GREAT time in your program:
Instead of thinking of transitions as just a means to an end, flip the script and see them as a means to connect with young people. There are 1,440 minutes in a day – how can you use each one to build deeper relationships with your kids? Even a two-minute walk down a hallway or a five-minute wait for the bus can be sprinkled with genuine conversation and connection. Ask a question about their day, share a quick funny story, or give a few individual words of encouragement. Research shows that positive adult-youth relationships built on trust, understanding, and caring will foster children’s cooperation and motivation, leading to better behavior and outcomes. Every little interaction during transitions can reinforce that trust. When youth feel seen and heard in those small moments, they’re less likely to act out and more likely to respond to your guidance. In other words, relationship-building is behavior management in its most proactive form.
Can you imagine a world where you and the kids actually look forward to lining up for the restroom? It can be a reality if you incorporate quick, engaging activities during transitions or wait times. The key is to keep their minds and bodies busy with something fun and positive, so boredom and the ensuing behaviors don’t have a chance to creep in. For example, turn waiting in line into a mini game or challenge. You could sing a silly call-and-response song, play a round of I Spy, or take turns telling knock-knock jokes. Maybe show off a quick magic trick to amaze them. Even simple physical challenges work well: try having everyone balance on one foot, or do a quiet game of Simon Says with funny actions.
One expert suggests that waiting times can be transformed into meaningful moments by prompting in-place movements or playful tasks that engage children’s bodies and minds. These kinds of brain breaks not only burn off energy but also serve as proactive behavior management by preventing idle time. In fact, quality standards in early childhood settings recommend no more than a few minutes of idle waiting without an activity – and while your kids might be older, the principle still holds.
One of my favorite transition games is a quick round of “I Spy” with a twist. When I say, “I spy... children dancing in one place,” everyone dances in place. When I say, “I spy a rock star playing air guitar,” they all rock out silently. After a few fun prompts, I eventually say, “I spy students lining up quietly,” and magically they’re all following the prompt. Games like this get kids moving and laughing, then smoothly bring their focus back to the task at hand. The transition itself becomes an activity.
If you want to keep things more low-key, consider using mindfulness exercises during transitions. Simple deep-breathing routines, a minute of quiet reflection, or even a mindful listening exercise (“Let’s close our eyes and listen for 10 seconds—what sounds can you hear?”) can help children calm down and refocus as they move to the next activity. Mindfulness techniques are powerful tools to help kids regulate their behavior and ease the stress of switching gears. In fact, practicing mindfulness during transition times can disrupt potential meltdowns and help kids shift their attention more smoothly. Whether you choose energizing games or calming breathing exercises, the goal is to engage young people during every wait – turning “dead time” into productive time. They’ll be having fun and you’ll have far fewer behavior challenges to manage.
Imagine if you were deeply involved in a task and suddenly someone said, “Stop what you’re doing right now and move on to the next thing this instant.” You may feel pretty frustrated, right? Kids are no different. Give young people a 5–10 minute warning before an activity ends to help them prepare for the transition. A gentle heads-up (“In five minutes, we’ll clean up and go to lunch”) allows them to wrap up what they’re doing and get ready to switch gears. This simple step can do wonders for behavior management because it prevents that feeling of abruptness that often triggers pushback or upset.
Another big part of preparation is having your materials and logistics ready for the next activity before you start a transition. If you know you’ll need art supplies after snack time, set them out in the new room beforehand. If the next activity is outdoors, have everyone’s jackets or water bottles in a handy spot. Being organized means you won’t have long stretches where kids are wandering around or waiting with nothing to do while you scramble – those are prime moments for misbehavior to flare up.
Many programs find that if transition times are not planned and staffed properly, those minutes turn into chaos and lost learning opportunities. On the flip side, when you do plan transitions intentionally, you can even make them something the kids look forward to.. For example, you might build a routine where every day after recess, the class spends 5 minutes in a fun trivia challenge as they line up to come back inside. The students know it’s coming, they know the rules, and they’re eager to participate – which means they’re not inventing mischief on their own. The bottom line: plan for transitions just like you plan your regular activities. A well-prepared transition routine is far less likely to devolve into a challenge you need to manage.
Even the best-laid transition plans can go awry – and that’s okay. prepared to adjust on the fly if you notice a transition is not going as smoothly as you hoped. Maybe the quiet line-up game you tried is actually winding the kids up more – switch tactics and try a calming strategy instead. Or perhaps you planned a song to occupy the group for ten minutes, but they breezed through the transition in three – great, move on rather than stretching it out and risking boredom. Read the room and adapt as needed. Unexpected challenges will come up (the bathrooms are unexpectedly closed, the bus is late, a child is having a rough day) so having a flexible mindset will save your sanity and keep things positive.
It’s also helpful to establish a feedback loop for your transitions. Regularly ask your kids and your staff what’s working and what isn’t during those in-between times. You might discover that one group loves the silly songs, while another finds them babyish and would prefer a riddle or a round of charades. Or a staff member might share a great idea for walking in the hall (like pretending to walk through sticky bubblegum) that you can add to your toolkit.
By seeking feedback and being willing to adjust, you demonstrate to the young people that you’re responsive to their needs – which builds trust and cooperation. In summary, plan well, but be ready to pivot. A little flexibility can prevent a minor hiccup from turning into a full-blown incident.
Lastly, don’t shoulder the transition challenge alone – train your staff and enlist your team’s support. All staff and volunteers in your program should be equipped with effective transition strategies and an understanding of how important these moments are for overall behavior management. Consider providing professional development sessions that focus specifically on managing in out-of-school settings. Effective training will highlight how to connect with youth during transitions, how to use proactive strategies to engage them, and how to maintain a positive atmosphere even in the hectic moments between activities. In team meetings, make it a regular practice to discuss transitions: What strategies are working? Where are the pain points? Staff can share success stories or brainstorm solutions for challenges. This collective problem-solving ensures that everyone is continually improving and on the same page.
Crucially, cultivate a staff mindset that values empathy and understanding over sheer control. Yes, we want to mitigate chaos and maximize safety, but how we respond to behavior in those transitional moments sets the tone for your program’s culture. If a student is struggling while waiting, a staff member trained in empathetic behavior management might kneel down, check in with the child, and find a way to engage them, rather than getting frustrated themselves. These caring responses turn tough moments into relationship-building moments and teach kids that their feelings are acknowledged.
By implementing these strategies, you can transform transition times from stressful interludes into valuable, positive experiences for both young people and staff. Instead of dreading the hallway walk or the wait for the bus, you’ll start to see these moments as little nuggets of opportunity – for connection, for fun, and for learning.
So the next time you hear that Mission: Impossible theme playing in your head as you prepare to move a group of energetic kids, take a deep breath. With some planning, creativity, and a focus on relationships, you can turn the “mission impossible” of transitions into a mission totally possible – maybe even enjoyable. Turning wait time into a GREAT time isn’t just a catchy phrase; it’s a mindset. Embrace it, and watch your program flourish during all those in-between moments!
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