Social Stories for Kids

A social story describes what is going to happen, in the order it will happen, without telling a child how they ought to feel about it. It works by removing the unknown part rather than by reassuring — a child who already knows the chair leans back and someone counts their teeth out loud has far less left to invent.

Every story below is free to read, with no account and nothing to install. And when the child walking into the room should be your child rather than a stand-in, Z Tales writes the same story with their name in it, in about thirty seconds.

Something is coming up

The ones a social story is classically for — read a few nights running before the day itself, not on the morning of.

Bedtime Stories About Going to the DentistThe chair, the bright light, and how boring the counting really is.Bedtime Stories About Going to the DoctorHonest about the quick sharp second, calm about everything else.Story About Getting a Haircut for KidsThe snip by the ear, the itchy collar, and nobody asking first.Bedtime Stories About Starting PreschoolFirst day nerves — the hooks, the rug, and going home at the end.Story About Starting KindergartenThe lunchbox lid, which bus is yours, and where the toilets are.Story About Starting DaycareA day with three parts, so the middle stops being endless.Story About a First SleepoverWanting to go and wanting to come home, both at once.Story About Getting Glasses for KidsBeing looked at, and a world that has suddenly got far too sharp.Bedtime Stories About a First Plane RideThe belt, the tunnel, the backwards bit nobody warns you about.Story About a New BabysitterA stranger who doesn’t know the rules — and the key in the door after.Bedtime Stories About a BirthdayThe hardest bedtime of the year — the night before.

Something is changing

Slower than an appointment, and usually needing the same story more than once.

Something is frightening

Here the story describes the fear plainly rather than arguing with it, which is the part that works.

Bedtime Stories for Being Scared of the DarkThe lamp goes off and the room gets bigger. No monsters in these.Bedtime Stories About Being Scared of ThunderstormsCounting the gap, and hearing the storm move off somewhere else.Bedtime Stories for Kids Who Have NightmaresFor the moment after waking, when the dream is over and the night isn’t.Bedtime Stories for Separation AnxietyFor the child whose real question is “are you coming back?”Bedtime Stories for When a Parent Goes AwayCounting the sleeps down, and who the last light is for.Bedtime Stories About Being Shy and Making FriendsHow a shy child actually gets into the game — sideways, not by saying hello.

Something has happened

These are accompaniment, not preparation. Nobody is being fixed.

Story About a Pet Dying for KidsPlain words, no tidying it away. Sad, and not on their own.Bedtime Stories About a Lost ToyThe worry isn’t being without it. It’s that it’s out there on its own.Bedtime Stories About Missing GrandparentsThe green chair is still there when nobody’s looking at it.Bedtime Stories About Big Feelings and AngerThe night after a hard day. Nobody gets a lecture at bedtime.Bedtime Stories About Saying SorryFor the child who feels worst and can’t make their mouth do it.

Everything else

Other moments a story helps with.

Calming Bedtime Stories for Anxious KidsFor the child whose worries all arrive the moment the light goes off.School Bus Bedtime StoriesWhich bus is mine, where do I sit, what if it goes past my stop.Bedtime Stories for Siblings Who FightRead to both at once. Neither of them is the villain.

Questions parents ask

What is a social story?

A short story that describes what is going to happen, in the order it will happen, without telling a child how they ought to feel about it. It works by removing the unknown part rather than by reassuring — a child who already knows the chair leans back and someone counts out loud has far less left to invent. They are widely used with autistic children and children with anxiety, and they work perfectly well for any child facing something new.

When should I read one?

A few nights before, more than once, rather than on the morning of. Familiarity is the active ingredient, so re-reading the same story beats finding a new one. Bedtime happens to be a good slot for this: nothing is imminent, nobody is rushing, and the information has time to settle.

Do these follow Carol Gray’s Social Stories method?

No, and we do not claim to. Carol Gray’s Social Stories™ is a specific method with its own criteria and training. These are stories written to the same underlying idea — describe what will happen, in order, honestly — and they are not a substitute for guidance from your child’s therapist, teacher or paediatrician.

Can the story have my child’s name in it?

Yes, and for this purpose it matters more than usual. Rehearsal works better when the person walking into the room is them rather than a stand-in. Every story here can be made again with your child’s name, age and description, free, in about thirty seconds.

Are these free?

Every story on these pages is free to read with no account, no card and nothing to install. Making a personalized one is also free — a paid plan adds illustrations on every page, narration read aloud and longer stories.

Want the story to star your own child — their name, their age, what they look like? Make one free, or browse every bedtime story we have.