Social story topics
Social story: The loud hand dryer in the school toilets
Hand dryers fire without warning, hit peak volume in under a second, and echo hard off tiled walls. For many autistic and neurodivergent students that sudden blast of sound is genuinely overwhelming, not just startling. It can make the whole toilet block feel unsafe, which sometimes means a student avoids going at all, or leaves with wet hands rather than risk the noise.
This social story walks through the moment honestly: wet hands after washing, the choice of dryer or paper towel, the sound starting and stopping, and a simple coping step to try. Read it before school and again just before a toilet break so the student knows what is coming. If paper towels are available as an alternative, name that option in the story so it feels like a real choice.
Your student’s name and interests, illustrated, print-ready in about two minutes.
A sample story
The Loud Hand Dryer
A social story, one sentence a page
- There is a hand dryer on the toilet wall.
- Sometimes the hand dryer makes a very loud noise.
- The loud noise can make my ears feel bad.
- I can press my hands over my ears before the dryer starts.
- I use the dryer and my hands are dry.
Yours is written for your student.
The situation is filled in. Add a name and what they love, then click Make it.
30 free credits with an account, and one free try with none.
Tips for using it
- Check whether your toilets have paper towels and mention that as a genuine alternative, not a failure to cope.
- Practise the coping step (covering ears, counting to three, stepping back) somewhere quiet before the real moment.
- Read the story the morning before a toilet break, not while the student already needs to go.
- Praise the specific action that went well, for example waiting while the dryer ran, rather than a general comment.
Common questions
How long is the story?
Four pages by default, one short sentence a page, which keeps it manageable. You can choose anywhere from one to twelve pages before generating, so you can add more detail about the coping step if that helps.
Can I put the student's name in it?
Yes. Add a first name and an interest and the story is written about that student, with the character illustrated to match. Leave the name blank if you want a copy that works for a whole class.
What if the student is afraid of all loud noises, not just the dryer?
This story focuses on the dryer specifically, which gives the student a concrete, predictable moment to prepare for. For broader support with loud sounds at school, the loud-noises-at-school story covers that wider situation.
Can I print it?
Yes, the story exports as a printable PDF. Many teachers laminate a copy and keep it in the toilets area for the first few weeks, then remove it once the routine feels familiar.