Kindergarten Social Stories: First Day & Routines

Kindergarten is a big step. Compared with preschool, the day is longer, the rules are more structured, and there are new experiences such as the school bus, the cafeteria, recess with older children and fire drills. Many five- and six-year-olds feel anxious, and children who rely on routine, including many autistic children, can find the first weeks especially hard.

A kindergarten social story prepares a child by explaining what will happen, how people might feel and what the child can do, in short sentences they can read again and again. This guide includes a complete first-day story, ideas for the most common kindergarten routines, and tips for using social stories at home and in class.

Example: “My First Day of Kindergarten”

Read this story together for one or two weeks before school starts. Replace the names and details, and add photos of the real school and teacher if you can.

1. My name is Omar. Soon I will start kindergarten at Maple Street School.
2. Kindergarten is a school for big kids who are five and six years old.
3. On the first day, Mom will walk me to my classroom. My teacher’s name is Mr. Lee.
4. There will be many new children. They might feel excited or nervous too.
5. Mom will say goodbye. I might feel worried. That is okay. I can take a deep breath and hold my favorite keychain.
6. In kindergarten, we sit on the carpet, read stories, sing songs and learn letters and numbers.
7. At lunchtime, I will eat in the cafeteria. It can be noisy. I can eat my lunch and talk to a friend.
8. At recess, I can play on the playground. When the bell rings, I line up with my class.
9. If I need help, I can raise my hand and ask Mr. Lee.
10. At the end of the day, Mom will pick me up. I can tell her about my first day.
11. Every day, kindergarten will feel a little more familiar. I am ready to learn!

This story follows the social story balance of describing more than directing: most sentences explain what will happen and how people feel, and only a few suggest what Omar can do.

Kindergarten social story ideas

• Riding the school bus. Waiting at the stop, finding a seat, staying seated, and getting off at school.
• The cafeteria. Lining up, carrying a tray, opening containers, and how loud the room can be.
• Recess. Playground rules, taking turns on equipment, and lining up when the bell rings.
• Raising my hand. Waiting to be called on and what to do when it is someone else’s turn.
• Fire drills. The loud alarm, walking outside in a line, and waiting until the teacher says it is safe to go back.
• A substitute teacher. What happens when the usual teacher is away, and that they will come back.
• Specials such as gym, music or art in a different room.
• Losing a game. Feeling disappointed and saying “good game”.
• Making friends. How to ask “Can I play?” and what to do if the answer is no.
• Waiting for a turn. See our waiting social story.
• Changing activities. See our transitions social story.
• Keeping hands to myself. See our hitting social story.

Tips for parents

• Visit the school before the first day if you can, and take photos for the story.
• Start reading the story one to two weeks before school, once a day at a calm time.
• Talk about feelings openly. Ask, “Which part are you excited about? Which part feels tricky?”
• Practice key skills such as opening the lunch box, using the bathroom and putting on a jacket.
• Keep the goodbye short and predictable on the first day, just like in the story.

Tips for kindergarten teachers

Teachers often read a class social story during the first week about routines like the carpet, lining up and the cafeteria. For individual students, a personalized story with their name and photos can make a big difference. Share the story with families so the child hears the same words at home and at school. Before unusual events such as fire drills, assemblies or field trips, a short story read the day before can prevent many meltdowns.

How long should a kindergarten social story be?

Most kindergarten stories work well with eight to twelve pages and one or two sentences per page. Some five-year-olds can follow slightly longer stories, especially if they include photos and the child’s own name. If the child loses interest, split the story into two shorter ones, for example “The School Bus” and “Lunch at School”.

Create a personalized kindergarten story

Use our free social story generator to write a kindergarten social story with your child’s name in seconds. Try situations like “the first day of kindergarten”, “riding the school bus” or “fire drill at school”, choose age 5 or 6, and print the result as picture cards. You can also start from the social story template or read our guide to social stories for preschool for younger children.