Social story topics
Social story: Arriving at school in the morning
The first ten minutes of school ask a student to do many small things in a fixed order, in a busy room, while saying goodbye to the person who brought them. For autistic and neurodivergent students that goodbye can be the hardest part of the day, and the steps that follow are easy to lose in the noise.
This story gives the morning a shape: goodbye, bag on the hook, hat in the tub, sit on the mat, something good to do. Read it at home the night before or in the car, so the student arrives already knowing what comes next. A visual schedule of the same steps by the door makes it stick.
A sample story
My Morning at School
- 1First, I walk through the school gate in the morning.
- 2Then, I hang my green bag on my peg inside.
- 3My teacher knows that mornings can feel very big.
- 4I can walk to my chair and sit down at my table.
- 5I am at school, and I feel ready to start my day.
A sample made with HandsOnTop. Yours is written for your student.
Make this story for your student
The situation is filled in. Add a name and what they love, then click Make it — the first one is free.
Free to try · no card needed.
Tips for using it
- Keep the goodbye short and the same every day; the story can say exactly what it will be.
- Put a visual schedule of the morning steps where the student can see it.
- Give the student a job on arrival so there is something to do, not just wait.
Common questions
Can parents read this at home?
Yes, and it works best when they do. Email the PDF or print two copies so the same words are heard at home and at school.
What if the goodbye is the hard part?
Write the exact goodbye into the story, for example "Mum says see you at three, then I walk in with Ms Lee." A predictable goodbye is easier than a long one.
How often should it change?
Only when the routine changes. If a new teacher or a new room is coming, make a fresh story for that rather than editing this one.