Explaining Important Topics to Your Little One Through Social Stories
Have you ever felt like the topic you’re explaining to your little one is unbelievably important, but it just doesn’t seem to be clicking? Maybe they seem distracted, or bored, or maybe they just aren’t getting it.
I’m here to let you in on a secret tool for connecting with your young child: social stories.
Social stories are short descriptions of specific events, situations, or activities, including pictures. They include information about what to expect in that situation and why. They are often written in the first person, and are always written in simple, kid-friendly language.
Here’s an example section from the social story that I wrote for my son when we moved houses:
Social stories were originally created by special educator Carol Gray in 1991 as a tool to improve the social skills of people with autism. While social stories are an amazing tool for this purpose, they are also useful for explaining difficult, complex, and/or important topics to all young children in terms that they can understand.
After all, many young children are still learning to process verbal information, take on multiple perspectives, and understand what to expect in new situations.
You can use social stories to help explain and explore many ideas, such as:
major life events, like moving or divorce
changes to family routines
what to expect on the first day at a new school
positive strategies for responding to conflict with peers
The sky’s the limit when it comes to finding uses for social stories.
If you’re interested in creating a social story for your child, here are the steps:
Break down your message or explanation into simple, kid-friendly language. Here’s an example sequence for a child who’s afraid of monsters at bedtime:
I go to bed at night so my body can rest.
Sleeping helps me feel calm and ready for my day.
I have a routine for going to sleep. First I ___, next I ___, then I ___.
Sometimes, when it is time for me to fall asleep, I feel worried or scared.
I miss my mom, and wish she was right next to me.
All of my feelings are okay.
My room is a safe place to rest. My bed is safe.
Monsters can’t get me in my room because they are not real. Monsters are just pretend.
My mom is close by and will hear me if I call her.
If I miss my mom, I can hug my stuffie, take deep breaths, or ask her to come talk to me.
Create a slideshow using a tool like Google Slides, or simply draw comics with captions. Stick to one idea or concept per slide/box, and make sure each slide/box has a picture. You can grab pictures from Google Images, use clipart, etc.
Print your story.
Sit down with your child and read the story together. Let them ask questions, and use the story as a jumping off point for generating discussion.
If creating a social story sounds like too much effort, good news: there are TONS of social stories that already exist. Try Googling “social story + [your topic]” - you may be surprised about how many resources already exist.
For more parenting tips and guidance, book a parent coaching consultation with Cultivation Parent Coaching and Consulting today.
