Social Story Templates

Social Stories About Waiting

Waiting is one of those skills adults talk about as if it is very small. Just wait a minute. Wait your turn. Wait in line. Wait until we get there. Wait until the snack. Wait until the teacher calls on you. And yet for many children, waiting can feel absolutely enormous.

That is where social stories can help. They turn waiting from one big frustrating blur into something clearer, calmer, and easier to understand. This page brings together our social stories about waiting, from queuing and turn-taking to travel, busy places, body cues, and all those in-between moments that can feel harder than they look.

Waiting social stories illustration

Choose from the topics below -

In the classroom, when my teacher asks a question, I sometimes raise my hand to answe

When I Raise My Hand to Answer

classroom school social-skills waiting

How to join in during lessons in a calm and confident way.

I love having snacks between meals, especially the ones that I like

When I Want a Snack

food routine waiting

How to recognise when they want a snack and how to ask in a calm and appropriate way.

I'm going to travel on an airplane soon. Sometimes an air journey can be very long

Travelling on an Airplane

airplane airport travel waiting

What happens during a flight so the journey feels calmer and more predictable.

When I travel on a train, I need to stay with an adult at all times to stay safe

Travelling in a Train

sensory travel waiting

What happens when travelling by train.

I love playing with my toys or outside. Sometimes, it’s time to stop playing and do something else

When It's Time to Finish Playing

play transitions waiting

That playtime ends sometimes, and that finishing one activity does not mean fun is gone forever.

I am going to watch a movie at the cinema. It's my favourite movie

Going to See a Movie

play sensory waiting

What happens at the cinema so the experience feels more predictable.

I am going to the amusement park with my family

I'm so excited

Going to an Amusement Park

holidays play sensory waiting

What to expect during a trip to an amusement park.

Sometimes, I need to wait in a line, like when we are at the supermarket or waiting for a ride

Waiting in Line

feelings waiting

Why people wait in line and how they can do it more calmly.

The swimming pool is a place where I can play and swim in the water

I love going swimming

Going to the Swimming Pool

play swimming waiting

What to expect during a trip to the pool.

Sometimes, I need to wait in a line at school to get my turn

It's also called queuing

Queuing in School

school waiting

Why queues happen and how to wait in a calm and safe way.

We are going to the airport to catch a plane. We need to arrive a few hours early. 

Going to the Airport

airplane airport travel waiting

What happens at the airport before a flight.

Sometimes my body tells me that I need to go potty

Not Waiting Too Long for the Toilet

hygiene toilet waiting

Why it is important to go when their body tells them to.

Sometimes I feel nervous but also excited when it is time to board the plane

Boarding an Airplane

airplane airport travel waiting

What happens during boarding in a simple and reassuring way.

Sometimes my brain gets stuck on a problem or worry

I can't stop thinking about it

I Can Come Back to It Later

feelings kind-words social-skills waiting

A social story about stuck thoughts, worries, and letting go. Helps children use calming strategies and return to problems later when they are calm

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FAQs

Waiting stories work best when children see them before the situation they are preparing for.

  • Read the story before the waiting happens - This gives children a mental picture of what the situation might look like.
  • Talk about what waiting feels like - Sometimes just hearing “yes, waiting can feel hard” is genuinely helpful.
  • Revisit the story regularly - Waiting is a skill that often grows with repetition and support.
  • Keep your expectations kind - Patience is something children build over time. It is not a switch they can simply flip on because an adult said, “Be patient.”

These stories are helpful for autistic and neurodivergent children, and for any child who benefits from understanding what waiting means, why it happens, and what they can do while they wait.

You can use these stories before a known waiting situation, such as school queues, airport lines, journeys, snack time, appointments, or outings to busy places.

These waiting social stories can help children with:

  • waiting for a turn
  • standing in lines and queues
  • waiting while travelling
  • coping in noisy or busy places
  • understanding body cues while waiting
  • building patience with support and reassurance

A waiting social story is a short, simple story that helps children understand what waiting means, why it happens, and what they can do during that time.

Yes. They are often very helpful for children who find lines, turn-taking, or delayed access especially difficult.

No. They can also help with travel, outings, snacks, toilets, cinema trips, amusement parks, and many other situations.

Usually, yes. Waiting often becomes easier when the language and expectations feel familiar.