A sunny afternoon in downtown Rubberdale with colorful buildings and two racers about to share something important
A Rubberdale racer holding something special while a friendly racer nearby asks if they can try it, set on a cheerful downtown street

Can I Try?

Your racer has something they really, really love. Then a friend walks over and asks, "Can I try?" Sharing is hard when something is special. So what will your racer do?

SharingKindnessGenerositySchool ReadinessRelationship SkillsRubberdale

About This Story

What your child will experience

In Can I Try?, your child picks a Rubberdale racer and a special thing that belongs to them — then faces that classic, hard moment: a friend asks for a turn.

Through simple choices, your child guides their racer through the real pull to hold on, a calming moment that fits their character, and a decision about how (or when) to share. The story never lectures. It just follows what happens next.

Why this approach helps

This story is built around emotional regulation practice and perspective-taking — two skills that grow slowly and with repetition, not in a single sitting.

Each racer has their own calming move. Seeing that modeled in a low-stakes, playful setting helps children begin to recognize and reach for their own strategies over time.

The story answers a real question — what's in it for me? — honestly: a friend who wants to play with you, and more fun than you had alone. No moralizing required.

What to notice as a parent

  • The worry your child picks is often a real one. What if they use it wrong? What if it doesn't come back? These clues are worth a gentle follow-up: "Has that ever happened to you?"
  • A child who chooses to wait or say "not yet" is practicing boundary-setting — that's healthy, not a red flag.
  • The best part they name at the end can open a real conversation about friendship and fun.

Personalize This Story

Make this story truly special by adding these details:

  • ✓Pick a racer.
  • ✓What is the racer's special thing?

Story Questions

Questions your child may be asked while creating this story:

  1. What was the first thing the main character thought?
  2. What did the main character feel?
  3. What does the main character do?
  4. What new way does the friend try it?
  5. What was the best part for the main character?
Create This Story

Loved by Families

Join thousands of happy families who've empowered their children with personalized, interactive stories.

“At first I thought it was one of those bedtime ploys to stay up later, but when the request came again first thing in the morning I realized it was just genuine excitement about Wanderly. My two kiddos - ages 7 and 8 - had a blast selecting their adventure pals (they have the cutest "pets" that go on the adventure with them) and choosing the direction of the story every step of the way. I turned up the reading level today and it was neat to see my son work through a few new words and stick with it because he was so excited about his story.”

— Taryn S

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— Sebastian

“We've been using it every night for bedtime stories for our 3 year old.”

— Matt

“Ok, so I installed this yesterday, and I've already read 5 stories with my 4 year old. That's over an hours worth of time. Today he tried to negotiate to have me read 4 in a row... He's fully engaged, and takes his time over the choices - I think that and the funny moments in the stories are what have him hooked. He lost it when our cat (yes, you can include your pet in a story!) turned into a elephant. As a parent, it's whimsical and a welcome change from the regular books in rotation. I was initially unsure about using my phone to engage him during bedtime, but he entrallment quickly overcame that. I would wholeheartedly recommend it to others.”

— Simon

“It's been fantastic for creating and sharing our stories with beautiful art. What a great keepsake!”

— Shayla

“My dyslexic 4th grader struggles with reading and comprehension. She is finally excited to read using Wanderly!”

— Bill

“As an lifelong educator, I give this app an enthusiastic 5 stars+. With opportunity to choose and name characters, type of story and plot ... what could be more creative? What could be a more productive use of screen time? I love that this app was created and is carefully monitored by a Mom of young kids. She also happens to have technical/AI chops ... she was a Google Product Manager in their Education Products sector. The graphics are quite lovely, the story lines are fun and age-appropriate.”

— Helen

“I'm very impressed with the ease with which I was able to write a fun (and colorful) story. I wrote one for my grandchild and can't wait to share it with her.”

— Bill

“My son is 6.5 yrs old and has been able to read for about a year but, prior to Wanderly, he would never choose to read on his own. The first time he discovered Wanderly he read for two hours straight. My husband and I were honestly shocked because he's always struggled to stay engaged in independent activities. He was really drawn in by the opportunities to create/shape the characters and narrative and he continues to use the app regularly. We love it!”

— The lyttlest

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