Social Stories for Preschool: 12 Ideas + Examples

Preschool is full of firsts: the first goodbye at the door, the first circle time, the first nap away from home. For three- to five-year-olds, and especially for children with autism or speech delays, these routines can feel confusing and overwhelming.

Social stories help by explaining a situation in a few short, calm sentences before it happens. Preschool teachers use them with the whole class, and parents read them at home to prepare for the next day. Below are twelve social story ideas that cover the most common preschool challenges, a complete example, and tips for making them work with very young children.

What makes a good preschool social story?

Preschoolers need stories that are even simpler than those for older children:

• One idea per page, in one short sentence.
• Real photos of the classroom, the teacher and the child whenever possible.
• First person (“I”), so the child sees the story as theirs.
• Six to eight pages at most.
• A happy, reassuring ending.

12 social story ideas for preschool

1. Saying goodbye at drop-off. Mom or Dad says goodbye, the teacher says hello, and “Mom always comes back after nap time.”
2. Circle time. Where to sit, what happens (songs, a story, the calendar), and what to do with wiggly hands.
3. Washing hands. The steps from water to soap to drying, and why we wash before snack.
4. Sharing toys and taking turns. Asking for a turn, waiting, and getting the toy back. See our sharing social story.
5. Using the potty at school. Where the bathroom is, who helps, and that accidents are okay. See our potty training social story.
6. Nap or rest time. Lights go down, everyone lies on their mat, and “I can rest my body even if I am not sleepy.”
7. Lining up. Standing behind a friend, keeping hands to ourselves and following the teacher.
8. Cleaning up toys. The clean-up song, where toys go, and that we will play again tomorrow.
9. Keeping hands to myself. Gentle hands, what to do when angry, and asking a teacher for help. See our hitting social story.
10. Personal space. How close to stand during circle time and in line. See our personal space social story.
11. Transitions. Moving from playtime to snack, or from inside to the playground. See our transitions social story.
12. Playground safety. Taking turns on the slide, sitting on the swing, and staying inside the fence.

Example: “Saying Goodbye at Preschool”

Here is a complete preschool social story you can adapt. Each line is one page; add a photo to each.

1. My name is Lucy. I go to preschool at Little Oaks.
2. In the morning, Daddy drives me to preschool.
3. Daddy walks me to my classroom. My teacher, Ms. Rosa, says hello.
4. Daddy gives me a hug and says goodbye. Sometimes I feel sad when Daddy leaves. That is okay.
5. I can wave to Daddy from the window.
6. Then I can choose a toy or sit with Ms. Rosa.
7. At preschool I play, sing, eat snack and rest.
8. After rest time, Daddy comes back to pick me up.
9. Daddy always comes back. Preschool is a fun place to be!

Notice the structure: the story describes the routine, names the sad feeling as normal, gives the child two things to do (waving, choosing a toy) and ends with the most important reassurance: Daddy always comes back. For a drop-off story, this is one of the rare places where a firm promise is helpful, as long as it is true.

Tips for reading social stories with preschoolers

• Read it before the hard moment, not during it. The best time is at home the evening before, or at a calm time in class.
• Read it every day for a week or two. Young children learn through repetition.
• Let the child turn the pages and point to the photos. Active involvement helps them remember.
• Keep the words exactly the same. Predictability is part of the comfort.
• Act it out. Practice waving goodbye or lining up after reading.
• Praise real-life success. “You waved to Daddy, just like in your story!”

Classroom tips for preschool teachers

Preschool teachers often read a social story to the whole class at the start of the year or before a change, such as a fire drill, a field trip or a new classmate. Keep a binder of printed stories in the reading corner so children can look at them on their own. For individual children who need extra support, send a copy home so families can read the same story with the same words.

Create your own preschool social story

If you need a story for a situation that is not on this list, our free social story generator writes one in seconds. Choose age 3, 4 or 5, add the child’s name, and print the result as picture cards. You can also start from our printable social story template, or browse all our free social stories.