Can I use fewer than five tokens?

Yes. On a hard day, use 1 practice token plus the final `one more, then finished` turn. The finish cue and home move matter more than the full count.

When should I practice this before a real park exit?

Try it during a calm indoor moment before you need it outside. If the word `finished` is already escalating your child, skip the practice round and use the familiar visual cue with direct grown-up support.

Back to library

Toddler at a low table sliding paper tokens down a drawn slide toward a finished cup while a home card and toy person sit nearby.

Skill builderAutism supportRepeat LoopIndoor

One-More Slide Tokens.

Use a few tokens, 1 finished cup, and 1 home card only. Count each token into the cup, say `One more, then finished` on the last turn, and move the toy person home right away.

Your child slides paper tokens into a finished cup, counts down to one more, and moves a toy person from park to home.

Skill builderAutism supportRepeat LoopIndoor

One-More Slide Tokens.

Your child slides paper tokens into a finished cup, counts down to one more, and moves a toy person from park to home.

Play time

5+ min

Age

2-3 years

Energy

Low

Mess

Low

Effort

Medium

Where

Indoor

Start here

The recipe.

Medium parent effort

8 things

What you need

1 sheet of paper with 1 simple drawn slide or slide path
5 paper slide tokens
1 small finished cup
1 small toy person or paper person
1 home card
1 visual timer, if your child already uses one
1 child
1 adult

5 min minimum

Setup

Then start the loop

Step 01

On a low table, place the slide paper in front of your child with all 5 tokens at the top and the finished cup at the bottom.

Step 02

On the same table, place the toy person beside the slide and set the home card on the opposite side so `park` and `home` stay visible from the start.

Step 03

Beside the slide paper, place your visual timer if you already use one, then sit next to your child ready to keep the same short countdown words each turn.

Slide it down.

The loop

How play unfolds.

Four panels showing the token slide setup, countdown turns, the last token, and the toy person moving from park to home.

1
Point to the toy person and home card, say `First park, then home`, and let your child slide 1 token into the finished cup.
2
Count down 1 token at a time, using the same short words before each slide and drop.
3
On the last token, say `One more, then finished`, then help your child move the toy person from `park` to `home`.
4
Stop after the home move, even if your child asks for more.

01
Point to the toy person and home card, say `First park, then home`, and let your child slide 1 token into the finished cup.
02
Count down 1 token at a time, using the same short words before each slide and drop.
03
On the last token, say `One more, then finished`, then help your child move the toy person from `park` to `home`.
04
Stop after the home move, even if your child asks for more.

Safety Check

Stay with your child the whole time, and supervise closely if the tokens, cup, or toy person might get mouthed or thrown.
Keep only 1 token in play at a time if grabbing or throwing starts to take over the routine.
Stop the round if the word `finished` or the last-turn cue makes your child more upset instead of calmer.

Supporting the play

What to say in the moment

Match what you say to what you see.

Prompt ladder

Level 1 (Start)

Slide one down.

Level 2 (Keep going)

This one goes in.

Level 3 (Stretch)

Which number is next?

Level 4 (Extend)

Last slide to finished.

If your child seems...

What you'd see

Focused

What to do

Say

Slide, drop, finished cup.

Add

Ask 1 light prompt like `Is this park or home?`

Extend

Let your child point to the next token before moving it.

Make it easier

Younger end

-Keep only the next token within reach and hold the rest until each turn is done.
-Point to the exact start spot on the path before each turn so your child does not have to search for it.
-Count any token that reaches the cup with your help as a full success.

Make it harder

Older end

+Pause after the drop and let your child find the next countdown number before you say it.
+Have your child move the token and then point to the home card without your finger guiding both spots.
+Let your child carry out the final toy-person move to home after the last token with only the words `Park finished`.

If it's not working

If you see

If child ignores it

Do the first token yourself with the full words, then hand your child the next token and invite 1 turn at a time.

If you see

If child misuses it

Hold the finished cup and the extra tokens on your side, and pass over only 1 token at a time so throwing or grabbing does not take over.

If you see

If child gets frustrated

Stop the countdown, sit beside your child until they calm, repeat `Park finished, now home`, and do not add extra turns after the upset.

Skill spotlight

Visual Transition Countdown

Repeating a short ending routine, Moving from `park` to `home` with a clear finish cue

This helps a child stay with 1 short ending pattern, see that `finished` really means the next step starts now, and move out of a favorite activity with less surprise.

•Sliding 1 token at a time makes the ending visible instead of sudden.
•The finished cup gives every turn the same destination, so the routine stays predictable.
•Moving the toy person from `park` to `home` connects the pretend countdown to the next real-world step.

Real-world transfer