Between here and there
A journey begins before the train, car or plane starts moving. It begins with a bag by the door, a different time on the clock and the question of how many places come between home and wherever the child is going. The destination may be exciting, but the in-between parts often hold the most unknowns.
A personalised narrative can give that in-between time a clearer shape. It can describe the route in the order that is most useful to the child, including the familiar parts of leaving home and the different parts of arriving somewhere new.
New places can be demanding for the senses
Stations, airports, buses and unfamiliar streets can be bright, noisy, crowded and full of movement. For children with sensory differences, announcements, queues, smells, luggage, changing temperatures or an unfamiliar seat can shape the whole journey.
The story can name those details without describing them as a problem to solve. It can also include practical support, such as headphones, a familiar item, a quieter place to wait, a planned snack or a chance to step away with a trusted adult.
The journey can stay understandable when plans move
For children who rely on familiar routines, travel can interrupt several usual parts of the day at once. A simple account of when the child will leave, travel, arrive, eat, rest and return can make the change easier to understand.
Travel also brings the possibility of a change in the plan: a delay, a different platform, a traffic queue or a new waiting place. A social story can be honest about this while explaining how a trusted adult will share the next step.
There should be room for the child's questions
A child who communicates differently may want to know how they can ask for the toilet, a snack, a break or more information when the journey is busy. Including their preferred way to communicate can make those options easier to access in the moment.
For some children with ADHD, a long wait or several transitions can take extra effort. The story can focus on the few details that matter most, rather than asking a child to hold an entire itinerary in mind.
How it can help
Related support topics
Some families start from the situation; others start from the wider support need. These pages explore the same idea from that angle.
Turn this guide into a story
Create a story your child can recognise.
Bring the details that matter together in one personalised story: where your child is going, who may be there, what may happen, and which choices or support are genuinely available.
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