If your child has entered the stage of having difficulty with transitions, this First Then song may be the behavioral strategy you’re not yet using. Any parent of a toddler or preschooler can tell you how long and challenging the process can be just to get out the door and into the car. This song uses a well-recognized First Then strategy to help little ones anticipate and cope with the upcoming transition.
First/then wording is based on something called the Premack principle, which is the notion that people are more likely to do something they’re not very crazy about if they have the opportunity to do something they really do want to do afterward (for example, first dinner, then dessert, or first wash hands, then eat a snack). Using first then language is also an effective way to break down more complicated directions for little ones who are building their receptive language skills.
Parents, caregivers, and teachers can use the simple “First get in the car, then go” lyrics in this song for smoother transitions to school, the store, grandma’s house, or anywhere else children are going. When you own Transition to the Car, you can play it anytime, anywhere, ad-free.