Social Stories
Each Kidmunicate social story was inspired by a client. Autism social stories or picture stories help prepare children for new experiences (proactive) or help correct behavioral issues (reactive). Social Stories are pictures, supported with text, that describe a situation, action or event, outline steps in a process or set parameters of acceptable behavior.
Prepare your child for new or difficult experiences with social stories
Social stories or picture stories are used to prepare children with autism, Asperger’s syndrome or other developmental disorders for new experiences (proactive) or to correct behavioral issues (reactive). Social stories are not just for ASD, children with anxiety or sequencing issues can benefit from them too. Social stories are pictures, often supported with text, that 1) describe a situation, action or event, 2) outline the steps in a process or 3) set parameters of acceptable behavior for children with social, behavioral and language processing disorders. The goal of our stories is to promote self-management, build self-esteem and/or heighten understanding.
The social stories on this site were all inspired by a child at our clinic and each story has a purpose. And that is important because social stories should be individualized. As such, we provide the Microsoft Powerpoint® versions of the stories, so a parent, therapist or teacher can customize the images or text to fit the needs of the child. Each story is researched to ensure all the important details are in the story. Each of our stories is written with an optimistic tone and we try to provide some flexibility in the steps. For example, in our Preparing for an Airplane Trip, we talk about taking an escalator in the airport, but also inform the child that he or she has choices (an elevator or stairs).
With each social story, we also provide a list of helpful tips. The list helps you think through many of the possible situations can arise while you are preparing your child for a new experience and provides ways to pave a smooth path for your child. For example, we talk about the texture of sand on a beach and recommend that a parent buy some sand from a local hardware store and let the child feel it and wash it off.
Social stories are just one tool that can be used to change behavior or to prepare a child with autism for a new experience. We have had a lot of success using social stories.
Check out the Kidmunicate story on Spectrum Heart called Children With Autism Need To Experience Life, Not Avoid It.
Note social stories may be unsuitable or insufficient for some children.
Parents who work away from home and are not home each day and night
Hi Sara, Are you suggesting a social story to help kids cope with a parent who might travel a lot for work?
I’d love some social stories associated with personal safety, such as parking lot safety, crossing the street, waiting for an adult to open doors.
Thanks for your ideas. We will put these on our consideration list.
Preparing for a school Lock Down would be super helpful! The “Preparing for a Fire Drill” was incredibly helpful for my moderate unit and I was able to demonstrate the slide show and answer questions and concerns before the fire drill occurred. Because of this thorough yet concise social story, my students knew exactly what to expect and were absolutely one of the best behaved classes during the drill.
However, because of the fire drill, a lot of the students have now raised questions about what to expect during a lockdown. While I am sure you won’t be able to create a social story for this before I have to prepare my students for this experience, I think it’s a great social story to have. Thank you!!!
Thanks Barbara.
Going to the zoo
My child has been potty trained since 3 – he is now 5 and refuses to go to the potty at school. There are no problems anywhere else. Just at school. He will try and hold it ALL day, sometimes resulting in accidents, other times he makes it home and bolts for the bathroom because the poor guy has been holding it all day.
I would love a social story about using the toilet at school or in different places even.
It may even be that he is not with his parents so a social story about doing things without mom and dad and being independent.