Social Story Templates

Social Stories About School Trips

School trips can be brilliant. They can also be packed with buses, instructions, excited classmates, changed routines, and the sort of energy that makes adults say things like “everyone stay with your partner” in the tone of someone hoping that will solve everything.

That is where social stories can help. They explain what a school trip might involve so children can feel more prepared and less surprised. This page brings together our social stories about school trips, outings, new places, and the routines that help children feel secure away from the classroom.

School trip social stories illustration

Choose from the topics below -

I will be going on a school trip with my class and teachers

I am so excited!

Going on a School Trip

school school-trip travel

What a school trip may involve so they can feel more prepared.

Sometimes I ride the school bus to go to school or on a school trip

I'm excited to go on
the trip

School Trip Bus Ride

safety school school-trip travel

Helps children prepare for a school trip to make their journey safe, predictable, and comfortable.

Sometimes I visit the zoo with my family or school

We are going to
the zoo

Visiting a Zoo

school school-trip travel

Help children manage noise, busy places, walking long distances and feel calm, safe, and confident while exploring animals and new environments.

Sometimes I visit a museum or art gallery with my family or school

We are going to the museum!

Visiting a Museum or Art Gallery

school school-trip travel

Help children manage walking long distances and feel calm, safe and confident while new environments.

Sometimes I go on a school trip with my class and teachers

It's my class trip today

Safety on School Trips

safety school school-trip travel

Help create safety awareness in children while travelling, staying with their group, and following instructions in new environments

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FAQs

School trip stories work best when children can read them before the outing and then revisit them while preparing.

  • Read the story in advance - A preview helps children know what the day might look like.
  • Talk through key moments - Travelling, arrival, activities, meals, and returning to school can all be explained clearly.
  • Use photos or visuals if helpful - Concrete details often make the plan feel more real and less overwhelming.
  • Revisit after the trip - Looking back can help children remember what went well and what they managed.

These stories are helpful for autistic and neurodivergent children, and for any child who benefits from a clear explanation of what will happen on an outing with school.

You can use these stories before a museum visit, park trip, residential visit, transport-based outing, or any event that takes children out of the usual classroom setting.

These school trip social stories can help children with:

  • understanding the plan for the day
  • coping with travel and waiting
  • staying with the group
  • following unfamiliar rules
  • feeling safer in new places
  • preparing for activities away from school

A school trip social story is a short, simple story that helps children understand what a school outing might involve, from leaving school to returning at the end of the day.

Yes. They are especially useful when a child has never done that kind of outing before and needs a clear preview.

No. Older children can also benefit from a calm, step-by-step explanation of a new outing or a more complex day away from school.

Usually, yes. Repetition helps the day feel more familiar and predictable.