To ask for help dealing with 3yr old transitions

[Hotandknackered]

I'm asking this about my 3 almost 4 year old niece who I look after and see regularly. Often when it's time to go home or for me to leave she gets upset and will cry and shout . The more tired and hungry she is the worse it is. She is the same when leaving her grandma's house our when grandma goes home. She so will do this after a day out if she is having fun.

I know this is pretty normal she is just 3. But I'd like to know what kind of behaviour around leaving / transition is normal at that age from your experience. I'd also like some advice on how we can make it easier.

I stay fairly calm but I am aware as I'm not her parent I can leave and it's my poor sibling left dealing with it.

What helps is plenty of warnings, after we do this eg swimming then we are doing that eg eating. Use an egg timer or a app of one on your phone so she can visually see 5 mins, then the timer is the baddie not you! Eg in five minutes we are leaving the park. Give her an important job to do during the thing you are transitioning to and really big up the importance. Eg when We go to the car it's your job to remind me to wind the window down.
Don't worry perfectly normal behaviour and usually very manageable. I think toddler taking book covers this too.

5 minute warnings? Countdown on your phone? So many cuddles then I have to go? An alarm on my phone seems to work with my DD, she knows when I talk about the alarm going off in insert minute it’s a transition, takes some time to get used to depending on the child but hopefully it may help :)

A treat that she can have when you have gone home maybe? But yes, a lot of warning will help.