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Going Somewhere New

Roo Bloom · Social Stories · roobloom.com

  1. A park I don’t knowOn Saturday, we are going to a park I have never been to.
  2. I might feel unsureI might feel excited, worried or not sure.
  3. Knowing the planIt helps to know what will happen.
  4. Looking at pictures firstBefore we go, Mum and I can look at pictures of the park.
  5. I can ask questionsI can ask my questions about the new place.

    I can say: “Is there a swing there?”

  6. I stay with my grown-upAt the new park, I stay with my grown-up.
  7. If it feels like too muchIf it feels like too much, I can help my body.

    I could try… Stay close to a grown-up · Hold my calm-down thing · Find a quiet spot for a bit

  8. I can say when I’m readyWhen I feel ready to go home, I can tell Mum.

    I can say: “I’m ready to go home now.”

  9. New turns into knownA new place can turn into a place I know.
  10. It gets easierEach new place gets a little easier.
  11. I am learningI am learning. I can feel proud that I went somewhere new.

I can remember

  • New places can feel big. That’s okay.
  • I can ask what will happen.
  • I can look at pictures first.
  • I stay with my grown-up.
  • New places become places I know.
For grown-ups

What this story teaches

That new places can feel big because they are unknown, and how to make them smaller: know the plan, look at pictures first, ask questions, stay with a grown-up, and say when it’s time to go.

When to use it

  • A day or two before a visit somewhere new — a park, a library, a relative’s house.
  • The morning of the visit, alongside real photos of the place.
  • After the visit, to talk about what it was really like.

For this story

  • Show real photos or a map and describe the order: arrive, play, snack, home.
  • Agree before you go what your child should do if they can’t see you, in words that suit them.
  • Plan a short first visit. One that ends well is better than a long one that ends in overwhelm.

How to use it

  • Read it together on a calm day, not mid-meltdown. In the hard moment itself, fewer words help more: stay close, keep everyone safe, and save the story for later.
  • Read it again just before a tricky moment you can see coming: on the way to the park, the night before a haircut.
  • Make it fit your child: skip pages, stop when they’ve had enough, swap a detail as you read so it matches your child’s day, or read only the “I can remember” card.
  • Add your child’s first name on the story’s opening page and it appears in a line or two. The name stays in this browser and is never sent anywhere.
  • Use the story’s words in real life (“No means not right now”), and model them when you hear “no” too.
  • Notice tries, not perfect calm. Big feelings are allowed; the story is about what to do with them.

Good to know

  • These stories are for everyday disappointments and changes. They never mean a child should put up with pain, fear, unsafe touch, bullying or anything that hurts — telling a trusted adult is always the right answer there.
  • Nothing here asks a child to make eye contact, hug anyone — family included — stop stimming or stop crying. Crying and moving are ways bodies cope, and headphones or a break are always allowed.
  • Where a story says a grown-up will do something — stop when a hand goes up, give a warning, keep a “later” spot — make sure it really happens, or change that page. A signal that isn’t honoured teaches a child their words don’t work.
  • The aim is understanding and choices, not a quiet or compliant child. Asking “why?”, saying no to touch and disagreeing in words are skills to welcome.
  • Visual stories help many children and not every child. Adapt, skip or change any page. This is an educational resource, not therapy or medical advice.