Is this like a transitions social story?

Yes, it works the same way as a transitions social story or one of the books about transitions for toddlers: one simple moment, told step by step. The difference is that your child is the main character. Their name and a friend’s name are in the story, and it comes narrated, so you can listen together at home.

What if my child still cries when we leave?

That is okay, and the story says so. Leaving may still feel sad or cross; the story shows the goodbye happening anyway, gently, with a grown-up who stays calm and kind. One story will not end every hard goodbye, but hearing how it goes can make the next one feel more familiar.

What is the small step in the story?

Your child picks one way to leave, such as one last slide, waving goodbye to the swings or holding a grown-up’s hand on the way out. After listening, the questions on this page help you plan together what their goodbye to the playground could be next time.

Story about leaving the playground, starring your child

Create a story

Your child’s name

Friend’s name (optional)

Any extra details to add?

Anything to avoid? (optional)

Optional — leave out monsters, getting lost, separation, loud surprises, or anything they don't want tonight.

The story is written and narrated in :

Narrator voice:

Every everyday challenge story is about 3 minutes long.

Who's listening?

The small step in this story

Your child picks one way to leave, such as one last slide or waving goodbye to the swings. Leaving may still feel sad or cross, and that is okay; the story shows the goodbye happening anyway, gently.

Talk about the story together

What was the last thing the character did at the playground?
How did it feel to leave?
What could be your goodbye to the playground next time?

Your child can answer, point to a picture, or simply listen. There is no correct answer.

They are designed for everyday conversations and practice. They do not promise that one story will change a habit or make a worry disappear.

When your toddler won’t leave the park

For a toddler, the playground can be the best place in the world, and leaving it can feel like the fun is being taken away all at once. If your toddler won’t leave the park without tears or one more run to the slide, you are far from alone. What usually helps is a goodbye that is predictable: a warning, one last turn, a wave to the swings. That is why parents look for a transitions social story: hearing how leaving goes makes the real goodbye easier to expect.

Questions parents ask

Is this like a transitions social story?: Yes, it works the same way as a transitions social story or one of the books about transitions for toddlers: one simple moment, told step by step. The difference is that your child is the main character. Their name and a friend’s name are in the story, and it comes narrated, so you can listen together at home.
What if my child still cries when we leave?: That is okay, and the story says so. Leaving may still feel sad or cross; the story shows the goodbye happening anyway, gently, with a grown-up who stays calm and kind. One story will not end every hard goodbye, but hearing how it goes can make the next one feel more familiar.
What is the small step in the story?: Your child picks one way to leave, such as one last slide, waving goodbye to the swings or holding a grown-up’s hand on the way out. After listening, the questions on this page help you plan together what their goodbye to the playground could be next time.

A story about leaving the playground, starring your child

When your toddler won’t leave the park

Questions parents ask