For the grownup

How to prepare a toddler for vaccines and shots

This free Wonder Situations pack is a printable, parent-led story for shot day (ages 3–8). Read it the night before or the morning of a vaccine visit so a young child knows the steps: you walk in together, you wait together, and you stay together.

What the pack actually walks through

  1. 1.Arrive as a pair. A shot is a tiny poke that puts medicine under the skin so the body can practice being ready. The helper inside is on the child's team — not someone who is mad at them.
  2. 2.Wait in the quiet room first. Holding a hand, looking at a book, or taking slow breaths is part of the visit, not a surprise before the poke.
  3. 3.Go into a quiet room with a chair or table. A nurse or doctor is a helper, not a villain. The grownup stays beside the child.
  4. 4.A wipe cleans a small spot. It can smell sharp, like alcohol, and feel cold and wet. That smell is the cleaning step.
  5. 5.Then a short squeeze under the skin. The child can hold still and squeeze a grownup's hand. Still is a try, not a test. You do not have to like this part.
  6. 6.A band-aid covers the small spot. Say thank you and walk out the same door together. Brave means staying and trying, not liking every part.

Practice at home: wipe a cotton pad on an arm, squeeze a grownup's hand, count to three, then put on a real band-aid, two rounds. Stay together. Co-regulate first: hold, breathe, then the poke. Do not promise "it won't hurt" — name the cold alcohol smell, the short squeeze, and the band-aid. Close with a short all-done.

Wonder Situations · Appointments

Field-guide scene: Getting Shots

A field-guide story to read together

Getting Shots

A calm, page-by-page story for vaccine day.

Ages 3–8 · The night before or morning of shots or a vaccine visit.

Page 1 of 6

Field-guide scene: Today we get shots

Today we get shots

A shot is a tiny poke that puts medicine under the skin. The medicine helps the body practice being ready. We walk to the door together, and we stay together.

Point together

  • The door we walk through as a pair.
  • Big Wonderer stays close the whole visit.
  • The helper inside is on our team.

Page 2 of 6

Field-guide scene: We wait together

We wait together

First we sit in a quiet waiting room. You can hold a hand, look at a book, or take slow breaths. Waiting is part of the visit — the room comes after we sit together.

Point together

  • Two chairs side by side.
  • A book you can hold while we wait.
  • Waiting is a step, not a surprise.

Page 3 of 6

Field-guide scene: The room and the helper

The room and the helper

We go into a quiet room. There is a chair or a table, and a helper — a nurse or doctor — who is on our team. Your grownup stays right beside you.

Point together

  • The chair or table you will sit on.
  • The helper is a person on our team.
  • Your grownup stands close.

Page 4 of 6

Field-guide scene: A cold wipe

A cold wipe

The helper cleans a small spot on your arm or leg with a wipe. It can smell sharp, like alcohol, and feel cold and wet for a moment. That smell means the skin is getting ready.

Point together

  • The small wipe in the helper's hand.
  • Cold and wet on one small spot.
  • The smell is the cleaning step.

Page 5 of 6

Field-guide scene: A squeeze, then still

A squeeze, then still

Then comes a short squeeze under the skin. You can hold still and squeeze a grownup's hand. I stay right here. Still is a try, not a test. We do not have to like this part.

Point together

  • Your grownup stays close.
  • Squeeze a hand if you want.
  • Still is a try, not a test.

Page 6 of 6

Field-guide scene: Band-aid, all done

Band-aid, all done

A band-aid covers the small spot. The visit is finished. We say thank you and walk out together. You stayed. Brave means staying and trying, not liking every part.

Point together

  • The band-aid on the small spot.
  • We walk out together.
  • Brave means staying and trying.

Keep these pages for you

Grownup pages

Parent script

  • We'll stay together the whole visit. Waiting is a step, then the room.
  • The wipe can smell strong and feel cold. That's the cleaning step.
  • Squeeze my hand. I stay right here.
  • After, a band-aid, then we walk out together.

Try it together

Practice at home: wipe a cotton pad on an arm, squeeze a grownup's hand, count to three, then put on a real band-aid. Do two rounds.

Parent note

Stay together. Co-regulate first: hold, breathe, then the poke. Do not promise "it won't hurt" — name the cold alcohol smell, the short squeeze, and the band-aid. Waiting is a step. Close with a short all-done and walking out together.

For professionals

Useful medical-coping primer before a vaccine visit — pair with clinic comfort-position requests.