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Finding the Rhythm: Gentle Tools for Smoother Transitions
- Emma Meisel
- Apr 29
- 4 min read
Healthy Kids. Strong Families.
Supporting connection at home is part of how we build thriving communities.
In this series, we share practical tools to help families nurture confidence, communication, and resilience — one everyday moment at a time.
In our "Healthy Kids. Strong Families." series, we love exploring different ways to build connection and resilience. Today, we’re excited to share a guest post from Emma Meisel, a Music Therapist who specializes in using creativity to help all families navigate the "mental heavy lifting" of daily routines. Below, Emma offers some playful, musical strategies to help turn transition hurdles into moments of harmony.
Transitions can be challenging for us all to navigate, and especially so for children. As kids experience transitions, they’re learning to explore the ebbs and flows of this world, and are also in need of guidance and regulatory support from caregivers. Moving between one task and the next can create feelings of unpredictability, stress, and uncertainty, and it can be challenging to support our younger ones through these moments. Below, I’ve outlined various transitional strategies that may serve as starting points for exploring what works best for you and your children. These suggestions are not prescriptive by any means, but rather are offerings for exploration.
As a music therapist, I often suggest incorporating music in some shape or form as a supportive tool for… just about everything! Using musical experiences for transitions can help create more structure during the transition itself, and spark your child’s engagement.
For example, you could sing the melodies of familiar songs, such as “The Farmer in the Dell”, with lyrics referencing what you’re looking to support your child with. An example of this may be: “Let’s go brush our teeth, let’s go brush our teeth, oh yes, tonight it’s time, let’s go brush our teeth.” The familiarity of the structured song may enhance your child’s feelings of safety and predictability within the transitional time. You could even try clapping along to create a simple, steady rhythm, further reinforcing the structure that your child may be seeking in that moment. Depending on how your child responds, you might try exploring your own playfulness during this time. The song can sound as silly as it needs to, if that’s what’s needed to engage your child.
As another strategy, you could incorporate pre-recorded music into a transition. There are lots of songs out there - think “Clean Up” by Barney & Friends - that focus on supporting children with transitions. Other artists worth exploring are Stephanie Leavell, Kira Willey, and Laurie Berkner. This could also look like incorporating your child’s favorite song or artist into a consistent routine. Try playing a cherished song as they get ready in the morning. Your child may also respond to novelty in this experience - what does it look like to play a different preferred song every day, but at the same time during the same routine?
Other Tools to Consider Incorporating:
Giving your child a structured choice.
This could sound like: “Do you want to put on your pajamas or brush your teeth first?” By providing two options, it allows your child to foster a sense of agency by making the ultimate decision, while still focusing on the tasks at hand. Try to keep the options minimal; otherwise, making a choice may become more challenging.
Meet your child where they’re at, and validate their emotional expressions.
This is a time to get curious. Provide them with a listening ear and help them in identifying what they’re feeling. Sometimes acknowledging how upsetting or frustrating something may feel supports not only the identification of that particular emotion, but also the eventual flow of that emotion into a different one entirely.
Touch base with yourself. How are you feeling at this moment?
Do you feel a sense of stress and uneasiness? Are you thinking about all of the places you need to be, all of the things you need to do, and how little time you have? If your answer is yes, that’s completely natural. Remember, however, that children pick up on the emotional states of their caregiving adults. So, it’s okay to take a moment for yourself. Take some slow, deep breaths, and check in with your own stress levels. In order to co-regulate during times of stress, children need a calm, steady, presence from adults.
Some days may be more challenging to support your child through transitions than others - and you’re not alone in experiencing that. My hope is that these strategies serve as a reminder that there are always new tools and experiences to explore together.
About the Author
Emma Meisel (M.S., MT-BC, LCAT-LP) is a Music Therapist passionate about the intersection of music, emotional co-regulation, and child development. She works with families to find unique, rhythmic ways to support social-emotional growth and foster secure attachments. When she’s not helping children find their groove, she’s exploring new ways to make parenting education accessible and engaging for everyone.
