You’ve spent a good hour at the park. Your toddler’s been running, laughing, and having the best time. But now it’s time to head home for lunch.
And just like that - meltdown. Screaming, tears, the full-body flop on the ground.
Every parent’s been there. The playground exit battle is almost a rite of passage.
The thing is, it’s not about being defiant. Toddlers just have a hard time with transitions. They live completely in the moment, and when something’s fun, they don’t want it to end. It’s all part of normal brain development at this age.
Miller Shivers, a staff psychologist at Lurie Children's Hospital, explains that toddlers have no problem moving to something more fun, but stopping a preferred activity causes tantrums. Your child is testing boundaries and asserting independence.
Start Before You Arrive
Tell your child the plan before leaving home. Say exactly what to expect. "We are going to the park with the swings. When it's time to go, I'm going to say you get one more ride down the slide. Then we go home for lunch."
Source: https://www.healthiest-baby.com/blog/how-to-get-your-kids-to-leave-without-doing-the-fake-out
This preparation creates a mental map. Your toddler knows what comes next.
Give Specific Warnings
Skip the abstract "five minutes" warning. Young children do not understand time yet.
Use concrete language. "You get one more turn on the swing. Then we leave."
Reddit parents confirm this works better than counting minutes. One parent on Mumsnet says she tells her daughter "one more go on your favorite thing, then we get a snack for the car."
Turn Leaving Into a Game
Make the exit fun. Ask your child to hop like a bunny to the car. Or walk like a bear. Or make silly noises together.
Kids respond to playfulness. The physical activity helps them transition their energy from playing to leaving.
Give Them Control
Let your child choose how to say goodbye. They pick whether to wave to the swings or blow a kiss to the slide.
This small choice gives them power. When children feel some control, they cooperate more.
Leave While Still Having Fun
This sounds backward. But leaving 15 minutes early prevents overtired meltdowns.
A tired child has no emotional resources left for transitions. An energized child handles change better.
Stay Calm and Follow Through
If your child refuses after warnings, pick them up and carry them out. Stay neutral. No lectures. No anger.
Say: "I know leaving is hard. We will come back soon."
Do not negotiate. Do not extend time because of the tantrum. This teaches them tantrums work.
The playground exit gets easier with consistency. Your child learns the routine. They trust your word.
Next visit, they will know what to expect. The meltdowns shrink.
You are teaching them an essential life skill: transitions happen, and we handle them together.
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Calm Toddler Hacks provided by Chilkibo Publishing, helping families find their calm with trusted strategies.
