The Power of Social Stories
The Spark Learning Blog • Posted by Alix Naginski, MSc, RBT on November 4, 2025
Social Stories: A Social Guidebook
What if before going to a new nerve-wracking event, you had a guidebook for what to expect, the choices you have within that event, and the expectations of you , so instead of walking in anxious and unsure, you felt prepared, confident, and in control? That’s the role of a Social Story! These custom-made narratives help children understand and navigate social interactions and make learning more personalized and relatable!
Why Social Stories Shine
Social Stories help break down complex social interactions that your child may find challenging. Developed by Carol Gray, these stories simplify situations into clear, step-by-step guides, with narratives tailored to each child’s needs. At Spark, we also use Social Stories to teach skills that benefit from detailed explanations.
Examples include:
- Toileting
- Morning and afternoon routines
- Homework
- Playdates
- Traveling
Within the story, we’re able to highlight the importance of observation, recognize nuance to build key skills. There’s a focus on how specific behaviors or responses can promote positive outcomes.
Predictability and Perspective
Breaking down an event or a skill also provides children with predictability, and enables you to choose the details that you wish to focus on to help explain something that may otherwise be unexpected or difficult for your child. Narratives can help reduce anxiety around new or changing situations by offering a sense of predictability and clear expectations. For instance, if a grandparent will be picking your child up from school instead of you, reading a short social story about this change ahead of time can help your child feel more comfortable and prepared for the day.
Moreover, Social Stories can help teach perspective in a number of ways. Individuals on the spectrum may still be learning short or long term consequences of their actions in unchartered social situations. Listening to an explanation verbally may not resonate in the moment. Thus, creating a Social Story you can reference prior to events or interactions can prime boundaries and expectations for your child. For instance, your child may have a special interest they love talking about. Creating a narrative detailing the steps of a conversation, how to bring up an interest and how to notice if the other person is interested can be very helpful.
The story might include cues such as:
- Making eye contact
- Taking turns speaking
- Watching for signs that the listener is engaged (e.g., nodding, asking questions) or disengaged (e.g., looking away, not responding).
By walking your child through this process with simple language and illustrations, you help set clear expectations while also validating their interests. This kind of pre-teaching can build confidence and reduce anxiety around social situations.
A Positive Focus
Social Stories are all about growth, positivity and learning. They focus on describing and teaching appropriate behaviors in advance rather than dwelling on mistakes during or after the event. If your child is struggling with a certain task or everyday activity, don’t mention those past moments in the story. By way of a common example, if your child is having accidents because they didn’t request to use the bathroom, it is advised not to recall specific events, but rather to remind them the outcome of what will happen if they don’t use the bathroom: “When I don’t go pee in the potty, I might have an accident. This may feel uncomfortable and make my clothes wet. I will need to stop playing to change clothes.” This focuses on the outcome of this undesired event rather than the past accidents they have had.
How to Increase Engagement
Social Stories are wonderful tools, but they must resonate and appeal to the learner in order to be effective. That being said, there are many ways to help make them engaging and relatable. Here are some very common ways to help with this:
- Title: Add a fun title and cover page like a real book.
- Personalized characters: Use the child’s name, picture, and interests to make the story relatable.
- Visuals are vital: Include pictures or drawings to illustrate the story and make it more engaging.
- Interactive reading: Encourage the child to participate by asking questions, reading it or acting out parts of the story.
- Length: Consider your child’s age and ability to attend.
Social Stories are effective tools that help navigate everyday situations by breaking them down into supportive narratives. A well-crafted social story includes a description of what’s happening, offers the perspective of others involved, encourages cooperation, and provides gentle affirmation to build confidence. By including these elements, social stories not only prepare children for what to expect, they also foster understanding, reduce anxiety, and promote positive, respectful interactions. Learn more by visiting Carol Gray: Connecting through Social Stories.
Resources
Gray, Carol. The Official Home of Social Stories™. Carol Gray Social Stories, www.carolgraysocialstories.com
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