$(document).ready(function() { var current = -1; var elems = new Array(); var elems_i = 0; $('.items').each(function() { elems[elems_i++] = $(this); }); var num_elems = elems_i - 1; var animate_out = function() { elems[current].animate({ top: '-100px' }, 'slow', 'linear', animate_in); } var animate_out_delay = function() { setTimeout(animate_out, 5000); /****************************** Change 1000 to make it longer/shorter/whatever */ } var animate_in = function() { current = current < num_elems ? current + 1 : 0; elems[current].css('top', '200px').animate({ top: '0px' }, 'slow', 'linear', animate_out_delay); } animate_in(); });