Many children on the spectrum have difficulty transitioning from an activity that has caught their undivided attention, such as playing with their favorite toy. As a parent, using phrases such as “you have a few minutes left” may be confusing for your autistic child. For this reason, using a visual timer that sets a precise time that your child can spent on an activity (in this instance, playing with their favorite toy), can help him or her to better understand the concept of time and to easily anticipate the end of that activity.

Much like a visual timer, a visual countdown allows your child to see how much time is remaining for an activity. However, the difference is that there is no specific time set in the visual countdown. Rather, the countdown tool can be numbered or colored with shapes or styles that are meaningful to your child. For instance, as soon as you remove a top item, such as a box marked number 4, he or she will be able to see that 3 items remain. In regards to the timing in between the items, this depends on when the transition will occur and once the last item is removed, your child will understand that it is time to transition. 

Some children on the spectrum find visual evidence, such as transition cards, to be more effective in easing their troubles with transition. Using a consistent visual cue to indicate when it is time to transition can help to avoid any confusion for your child and to allow them to develop familiar transition routines. For instance, giving them a visual cue, either a photo of them or any type of visual symbol that indicates “go check your schedule” can help them to match the cue with the designated location of their schedule. Upon viewing the schedule, he or she will then be able to predict the transition routine. 

A “finished” box is a box where your child can place items that they are finished with when it is time to transition, or things that represent those items. This box can be located anywhere that you perceive to be suitable and it can be labeled with a word or a visual cue to indicate its purpose. The drive behind introducing a “finished” box is to create clear and predictable transition routine, all while decreasing transition time and heightening positive behavior.

For example, you could put literal things in the box, like a homework assignment, or you could write out "Homework assignment" on a piece of paper and have your child put the paper into the box, to signify that it is finished.