© 2020 Sunnyside Children’s Clinic

SOCIAL STORIES
Strategies & Ideas for Use
BEHAVIOUR BUNDLE
Social Stories aim to give a first-person description of the who, what, when, where and
how of social and life experiences. They are frequently used, along side combination
strategies, to support learning and/or reduce problem behavior in special educational
settings.

General Strategies for Using Social Stories:

• Read the story regularly across a number of days/weeks so that your learner has
frequent opportunities to learn the new expectations.
• Where skill level allows, give your learner the opportunity to read the story to you and
if they are able to read the story themselves, keep the story easily accessible to them.
• If your learner is able to respond to simple questions, consider asking comprehension
questions after reading the story. Allow them to refer back to the part in the story or
even point to the necessary picture to represent the answer.
• Always pair social stories with other learning or behaviour reduction strategies. Social
stories are less likely to be successful as a ‘solo’ or ‘stand alone’ strategy, especially if the
aim is to reduce problem behavior.
• Supplementary learning strategies may include role play, video modelling, sorting
pictures, or task cards. Adding supplementary learning strategies will also broaden your
learner’s understanding of the new skill and give more context.
• As much as possible, try to build in lots of exposure to topic-related natural learning
opportunities throughout the day.

Taking a Break
ü Aim to read this story when your learner is calm and happy. This will give them the best
opportunity to learn ‘how and when’ to take a break so that they can use the strategies
in the moment when they feel they need to.
ü If you’re using this story in the home setting, we’ve included a page for “where can I
take a break” but you can easily exclude this page if you’re in a school/clinic setting or
send it home for your learner’s family to use.
ü This story is perfect to pair with video modelling and/or role play. You can either use
videos you source online or make your own videos and watch them back. If you make
videos, it can be a great idea to include your learner in the videoing process so they can
see themselves participating in the skill.
Bonus Comprehension Activity: Problem Solving Task Cards. Based on a descriptive
scenario, the learner is asked to identify how they might like to calm down from the
multiple choice visual options.

At Sunnyside Children’s Clinic, we provide local and distance consultation to educators and
families across the globe. If you would like distance consultation for reducing problem
behavior or teaching new skills, please contact us through our contact form on our website
at www.sunnysidechildrensclinic.com
© 2020 Sunnyside Children’s Clinic
I like playing with my toys

Sometimes I need to stop

doing things I like and start
something I don’t like.

Playing with my toys is so

much fun. Sometimes I get
angry when I have to stop.

It’s ok to feel angry. Everybody

gets angry sometimes but it’s
important to calm down too.

© 2020 Sunnyside Children’s Clinic

 Sometimes I feel
frustrated or angry

to help me calm down

I can:

count to 10
ask for a
break

take 5 deep
breaths

use my These are great choices.

‘calm box’
I can ask for a break
if I need one to help me ‘stay
calm’. © 2020 Sunnyside Children’s Clinic
 Where can
I take a
break?

bathroom

living room

outside

kitchen
bedroom

What other places can I go to take a break?

© 2020 Sunnyside Children’s Clinic
Sometimes when I’m playing
with my friends, I get angry
or frustrated

How can I calm down?

take a break

When I’m taking a break, I can

count to 10 take 5 deep play with

breaths other toys
© 2020 Sunnyside Children’s Clinic
 Sometimes I feel angry but I’m not sure why.
This is ok, when I feel this way I can choose to

take a break
and do something else that will help me ‘stay calm’.

talk to someone music trampoline

computer
make a puzzle
iPad or phone

relax
bounce

I will try to ‘stay calm’. My friends

and family will be happy if I try
different things to ‘stay calm’.

© 2020 Sunnyside Children’s Clinic

 Short Version

Taking a Break
Sometimes I feel frustrated or angry

When I feel like this, I can:

ask for a count to 10 take 5 deep use my

break breaths ‘calm box’

I can make choices to help myself ‘calm down’

talk to someone music

trampoline bounce

relax

computer
iPad or phone

I will try to ‘stay calm’.

© 2020 Sunnyside Children’s Clinic
Taking a Break Task Card
Sometimes when I am doing school work, it is difficult to
concentrate. I start to get angry and annoyed.

Which would you prefer to do to calm down?

take 5 deep find a

breaths ‘quiet place’

ask to take a break

from school work and
come back to it later
ask an adult
count to 10
for help
© 2020 Sunnyside Children’s Clinic

Taking a Break Task Card

I was really looking forward to going to the park today but it’s
started to rain and we can’t go anymore. I’m starting to feel angry.

Which would you prefer to do to calm down?

take 5 deep find a

breaths ‘quiet place’

ask to take a break

and do something to
talk about
other things take my mind off it
I can do
count to 10 instead
© 2020 Sunnyside Children’s Clinic
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© 2020 Sunnyside Children’s Clinic 6