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Waiting My Turn

Roo Bloom · Social Stories · roobloom.com

  1. I want the swingAt the playground, I really want a go on the swing.
  2. Someone is on itBut my friend is on the swing right now.
  3. I might feel impatientI might feel impatient, cross or worried.
  4. We take turnsThe swing is for everyone, so we take turns.
  5. I can ask for the next turnI can ask my friend for the next turn.

    I can say: “Can I have a turn next?”

  6. I can listenI can listen to the answer.
  7. Helping my body waitI can help my body while I wait.

    I could try… Count slowly · Move my body — stretch or jump · Squeeze my hands, then let go

  8. I can play nearbyI can play nearby while I wait.
  9. My turn is comingWaiting doesn’t mean I miss out. My turn is coming.
  10. Now it’s my turnNow it’s my turn on the swing, and my friend waits.
  11. I am learningI am learning to wait. It gets easier each time.

I can remember

  • Waiting can feel hard, and that’s okay.
  • I can ask for the next turn.
  • My turn is coming.
  • I can play nearby while I wait.
For grown-ups

What this story teaches

That turns go round, that waiting for one can feel long and frustrating, and a few things to do meanwhile: ask for the next turn, listen for when, help the body wait, and play nearby.

When to use it

  • On the way to a busy playground or a party.
  • Before a play date, if turn-taking with a favourite toy is hard.
  • After a moment when your child waited, to name what they did.

For this story

  • Make turns concrete: “ten more swings”, a sand timer, or “until the song ends” is easier to wait for than “soon”.
  • Show your child where to wait safely — to the side of a swing, never in front of it.
  • If another child never gives a turn, step in and help. Waiting is a skill; being left out isn’t something to put up with.

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.