Grandin’s mother found a small, private school to send her daughter to. Before Grandin started at the school, the school officials prepared the other students. They explained that there was something different about Grandin’s brain that caused her to have different needs. They compared this to children who had challenges, such as trouble walking, because of polio, a disease that was well-known and feared at the time. At the school, Grandin made friends, who stood up for her if she was teased. Her small, close-knit group of friends was together for many years.

Making things such as kites gave Grandin joy. She enjoyed being creative and making things with her hands. She even booby-trapped her room. Other children enjoyed spending time with Grandin because she was creative and had fun ideas. Art also became something Grandin liked. She drew animals like dogs, ducks, and cats, and learned to sew. She and her friend Eleanor even got special permission to take carpentry classes at school, which were ordinarily available only to boys. These experiences gave Grandin the idea of becoming an inventor.