For children who struggle to leave places they love
“Time to go” doesn't have to end in tears.
The park. A playdate. Grandparents' house. A fun day out. For many children - especially autistic, ADHD and emotionally sensitive children - leaving can feel sudden, confusing and upsetting.
Join Ollie Otter and Mummy Otter as they discover that leaving feels easier when the brain has time to prepare - with visual timers, first-then thinking and calm emotional support.
£10.99
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Loved by real parents & grandparents
5-star Amazon reader reviews
“Lovely book worth its weight in gold x”
“I got this for my niece. I wished something like this was around to explain feelings when my son was little... these are amazing.”
“So relatable for my grandchildren x”
Does this feel familiar?
- Your child is happy and absorbed - until you say the words “time to go”.
- Leaving somewhere fun triggers tears, refusal or full meltdowns, even with warnings.
- You want a calm, repeatable way to end the fun without the fight.
A gentler way to end park time
Ollie Otter is having the best day ever at the park. The swings are soaring. The slides are fast. It feels like it could last forever.
When Mummy Otter says it is nearly time to go, big feelings rush in. But with a visual timer, a first-then plan and calm words, Ollie learns that leaving can feel safer when his brain knows what is coming next.
The story gives children a comforting character they can relate to, and gives grown-ups simple, repeatable tools they can try during real-life transitions.
How this story may help
Understand why leaving is hard
Helps children see that big feelings around transitions are normal - not naughty.
Prepare the brain with a countdown
Shows how a short warning helps children shift from one activity to the next.
Use a visual timer
Introduces a simple tool that makes time feel concrete and easier to understand.
Try first-then thinking
Gives children a clear next step so leaving feels less like an ending and more like a plan.
Four gentle tools inside the story
- 1
Visual Timer
Watch the time slowly get smaller so change feels expected.
- 2
First–Then
First one thing, then the next - a clear, calm plan.
- 3
Name Feelings
Give the big feeling a name so it feels less scary.
- 4
Calm Choices
Offer small, kind choices to help children feel in control.
The story introduces these tools through Ollie and Mummy Otter. They are shared language to practise together, not a promise that every transition will be tear-free.
Meet Ollie Otter
Ollie loves the park more than almost anything - so when Mummy Otter says it's nearly time to go, a big feeling rushes right into his body.
It's Time to Go Now is a comforting picture book for children who struggle with transitions, leaving the park, ending playdates, saying goodbye, changes in routine or big feelings when the fun ends.
It's designed for shared reading with parents, carers, teachers and grandparents who want “time to go” to feel calmer, clearer and less overwhelming.
£10.99
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Inside the book
Make “time to go” feel calmer, clearer and kinder.
Because big feelings are normal - and we can do hard things, together.
Big Feelings Are OK: It's Time to Go Now
A gentle story about leaving places we love and learning to manage big feelings.
by Nicola Ahern
£10.99
Buy the Book on Amazon