We are a School Psychologist and Classroom Teacher, each with over 20 years experience working in Inner City schools. We are passionate about advocating for the exceptional abilities of educators, students and families, hoping to inspire others in the process!
We offer a range of educational and wellness resources, ranging from social stories, interventions, to lesson plans, digital prints and workbooks.
Please take some time to enjoy our Wellness Playground!
We are a School Psychologist and Classroom Teacher, each with over 20 years experience working in Inner City schools. We are passionate about advocating for the exceptional abilities of educators, students and families, hoping to inspire others in the process!
We offer a range of educational and wellness resources, ranging from social stories, interventions, to lesson plans, digital prints and workbooks.
Please take some time to enjoy our Wellness Playground!
Social Story: Taking My Medication
Many children and students take medications for various reasons, whether it be a medical condition, illness, or diagnosis such as ADHD. Children often times do not feel comfortable with the idea of medication, or do not know how to take medications properly. This social story is meant to make the process of taking medication more predictable, easier to manage, and less stressful for children.
This social story conveys these themes using practical examples, engaging visuals, and developmentally appropriate language suited to elementary and special education students.
We hope this social story will help you help the children and students you work with!
What You Will Receive:
1 high-quality PDF file
8.5"x11" in size
11 Pages
How to Use:
After uploading product, save file to your device
Print either at home, or via local print provider or online print service
Bind, laminate, or place in duotang to use with your students
Personal Note:
Should you require a different file format or size, let us know and we can do this for you.
We love what we do and so would appreciate your feedback and review so we can continue to provide practical resources to our fellow educators.
Thank you.
Social Story: No Running Away.
Our children and students often have difficulty regulating their emotions and behaviour, and sometimes respond by running away. This might look like running from their teacher or other adult, bolting from the classroom, running the hallways, or leaving the school. This social story discusses what running away looks like, , safe and unsafe reasons to run away, what may cause the urge to run away, and offers alternative behaviours that are safer and more appropriate.
This 11-page social story conveys these themes using practical examples, engaging visuals, and developmentally appropriate language suited to elementary and special education students.
We hope this social story will help you help the children and students you work with!
What You Will Receive:
1 high-quality PDF file
8.5"x11" in size
11 Pages
How to Use:
After uploading product, save file to your device
Print either at home, or via local print provider or online print service
Bind, laminate, or place in duotang to use with your students
Personal Note:
Should you require a different file format or size, let us know and we can do this for you.
We love what we do and so would appreciate your feedback and review so we can continue to provide practical resources to our fellow educators.
Thank you.
Social Story: Using the Stairs
Using the stairs is an important life skill that many of our children and students struggle with, whether due to difficulties with motor coordination, development, or limited experience or safety awareness.
However, with the correct guidance, we can successfully teach our children and students to use the stairs safely. This social story teaches children the steps involved in using stairs safely, and what this might look like in various settings and situations.
The social story conveys these themes using engaging visuals and developmentally appropriate language suited to elementary and special education students. It can be used by parents, students, teachers, educational assistants, and clinicians.
We hope this social story will help you help the children and students you work with!
What You Will Receive:
1 high-quality PDF file
8.5"x11" in size
13 Pages
How to Use:
After uploading product, save file to your device
Print either at home, or via local print provider or online print service
Bind, laminate, or place in duotang to use with your students
Personal Note:
Should you require a different file format or size, let us know and we can do this for you.
We love what we do and so would appreciate your feedback and review so we can continue to provide practical resources to our fellow educators.
Thank you.
Social Story: Riding on an Elevator.
Riding on an elevator is a life skill that is useful. However, many children and students do not have experience on elevator, and elevators can be particularly anxiety-provoking for children with specialized needs (e.g., ASD, ADHD, FASD, sensory sensitivites, etc.).
This social story guides the user through what to expect when riding on an elevator - including what it looks like, what it feels like, and how to ride on one, step by step. This visual guide makes riding an elevator more predictable and less stressful for children.
The social story conveys these themes using engaging visuals and developmentally appropriate language suited to elementary and special education students.
We hope this social story will help you help the children and students you work with!
What You Will Receive:
1 high-quality PDF file
8.5"x11" in size
16 Pages
How to Use:
After uploading product, save file to your device
Print either at home, or via local print provider or online print service
Bind, laminate, or place in duotang to use with children
Personal Note:
Should you require a different file format or size, let us know and we can do this for you.
We love what we do and so would appreciate your feedback and review so we can continue to provide practical resources to our fellow educators.
Thank you.
Social Story: When I Feel Worried or Anxious
Our children and students often struggle with feelings of worry and anxiety, whether at home, at school, or in the community. And, our kids often don’t know how to cope with these strong feelings. This social story helps to educate children about what worry/anxiety is, the different types of worry and situations we might experience, and some helpful strategies we may learn to help calm our worries.
This 14-page social story conveys these themes using practical examples, engaging visuals, and developmentally appropriate language. There is also opportunity for children to add their own input and examples.
Students may benefit from having an adult guide them through this lesson to provide clarification and support along the way. We hope this social story will help you help the children and students you work with!
And remember, this resource is not a substitute for therapy or counseling, but merely an educational aid - should students require more intensive supports, please seek assistance from an adult or trained mental health professional.
What You Will Receive:
1 high-quality PDF file
8.5"x11" in size
14 Pages
How to Use:
After uploading product, save file to your device
Print either at home, or via local print provider or online print service
Bind, laminate, or place in duotang to use with your students
Personal Note:
Should you require a different file format or size, let us know and we can do this for you.
We love what we do and so would appreciate your feedback and review so we can continue to provide practical resources to our fellow educators.
THANK YOU,
Social Story: Solving Problems Together
Problem-solving amongst peers is an important life skill, but is often challenging for our students. Like any other skill, problem solving requires practice in order to get better at it. This social story helps students to develop healthy boundaries and relationships with their peers, and to navigate how to problem-solve and engage in conversation without creating conflict or negative feelings.
This 12-page social story conveys these themes using practical examples, engaging visuals, and developmentally appropriate language. It is best suited to K-6, and special education settings. We hope this social story helps you, help the children you work with!
What You Will Receive:
1 high-quality PDF file
8.5"x11" in size
12 Pages
How to Use:
After uploading product, save file to your device
Print either at home, or via local print provider or online print service
Bind, laminate, or place in duotang to use with your students
Personal Note:
Should you require a different file format or size, let us know and we can do this for you.
We love what we do and so would appreciate your feedback and review so we can continue to provide practical resources to our fellow educators.
THANK YOU.
This is a social story meant to discourage students from Throwing Things, as a way to deal with strong feelings. The story goes through why a student may be feeling upset or frustrated, and outlines the potential dangers of Throwing Things. It goes on to present alternative behaviours and safe coping strategies, and allows the student to offer their own strategy ideas.
It is in PDF format (8.5x11 inches) and so can be easily printed and laminated. It is presented in a fun and visual format, that can be used across all ages and developmental levels.
I have personally used it in individual and group format, in elementary and special needs junior high/high school classrooms. I hope it helps you, help your students!
Please leave reviews, feedback and comments, so I may continue to provide resources to my fellow educators that are worthwhile in reaching our students. Thank you!
The sad reality is some of our students, in their already vulnerable state, lack the necessary coping mechanisms to manage strong behaviour, emotions and feelings, and events in their lives, and will choose to Self-Harm or Self-Injure in order to cope.
This is a Social Story meant to help children and youth to navigate and deal with Self-Harm/Self-Injury, by Choosing Safe and Healthy Alternatives, instead. This social story validates the student’s emotions, by acknowledging their desire to self-harm, but stresses that these are harmful choices, and that there are some very healthy and effective alternative behaviours that can keep them safe, while getting them the help they need. In addition to suggested strategies, there is a page for the student to list their own personal strategies, as well.
This is an important topic that warrants a frank discussion, and I hope this social story helps get the message across to youth, whether they be higher functioning or more developmentally vulnerable.
This 8-page social story is in PDF, 8.5 x 11 inch format, and so can easily be printed and/or laminated. It is presented in a simple and visual format, and can be used across all ages and developmental levels.
I have personally used it in individual and group format, in elementary and special needs junior high/high school classrooms. I hope it helps you, help your students!
I always appreciate feedback and comments, so please feel free to leave your opinions and suggestions! Thank you.
This Social Story: When My Parents Separate or Divorce, was created to help and support children who are living through a family break up, in particular, parents who are experiencing a separation or divorce. Parental separation has a significant impact on our children and students, and is a form of loss and trauma that needs careful attention and intervention.
This social story guides the child/reader through the following:
a. What constitutes a family
b. Explaining that families sometimes have difficult times
c. Parents sometimes argue too much and no longer get along
d. Parents decided it may be best to live apart to prevent further stress on family
e. Reinforces that the child is never to blame - it is never the child’s fault
f. Reinforces that this is an adult decision
g. Explains that even though parents separate, they often still get along and work together for the sake of the children, and still love their children very much
h. Provides examples of various emotions the child may be feeling
i. Provides examples of the various reactions the child may be experiencing
j. Validates these feeling and reactions
k. Walks through ways to feel supported, such as talking to trusted adult, counselor and expressing feelings through writing, drawing, art and music
l. Makes note of possibility of parents meeting different partners, and possibly introducing new members to the family (e.g., stepsiblings, etc.) but that these new connections can be fun and interesting
m. Finally, the story normalizes the experience of going through this separation and loss, and emphasizes that things will be okay!
What You Will Receive:
The social story is 15 pages, in PDF (8.5 x 11) format, and so can be easily printed and laminated. It uses engaging visuals and simple language that is appropriate for all developmental levels and ages.
How To Print:
a. Following Purchase, Download File to your Device
b. Open PDF file and save and/or print
c. You may use home printer, online service, or local printshop.
Please leave your review and feedback, so we may continue to provide practical resources to our fellow educators. Thank you
Social Story: No Climbing
Many of our students who are active and impulsive in their behaviours, need to have movement in their days. Our students often resort to climbing in inappropriate situations and settings. This social story distinguishes between appropriate and inappropriate climbing and offers alternative behaviours that are safer and more desirable.
This 9-page social story conveys these themes using practical examples, engaging visuals, and developmentally appropriate language suited to elementary and special education students.
We hope this social story will help you help the children and students you work with!
What You Will Receive:
1 high-quality PDF file
8.5"x11" in size
9 Pages
How to Use:
After uploading product, save file to your device
Print either at home, or via local print provider or online print service
Bind, laminate, or place in duotang to use with your students
Personal Note:
Should you require a different file format or size, let us know and we can do this for you.
We love what we do and so would appreciate your feedback and review so we can continue to provide practical resources to our fellow educators.
Thank you.
This Social Story is intended to provide students with awareness of their body, with emphasis on the fact that their body has private parts, and these parts should be respected. This story ideal for students across elementary and into junior high levels, in particular for students with special needs (intellectual disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder, etc.). Some of the areas covered include:
Our body is private and has private parts
Definition of private parts
Fact that boys and girls have different private parts
Private parts should not be shown or touched in public
If private parts need to be touched, this should be done in private, such as bathroom or change room (in public), and bedroom or bathroom (at home)
Presents different reasons for wanting to touch private parts: bothering them, need to use washroom, or to fulfill curiosity
Covers topic of self-touching out of curiosity - that this is okay, but needs to be done at home, in private
That touching or staring at other people’s private parts is NOT okay
Reminder to respect others personal space and privacy
Reinforcing that reminding self to follow these rules will make them proud!
This story is in PDF format, and can be easily printed and laminated. It has developmentally appropriate language, and is full of engaging visuals.
As always, please leave your feedback/review, so I may continue to provide practical resources to my fellow educators. Thank you!
Our students and children often struggle with managing their emotions and feelings, especially when these emotions are strong and overwhelming. It can be difficult to understand how to manage emotions in the midst of stress, and how to juggle more than one emotion at a time. This Social Story is meant to provide students with clear, step-by-step guidance and instruction around How to Manage Strong Emotions.
This includes:
A. Normalizing the experience of having strong emotions
B. Examples of common emotions
C. Examples of what being extremely excited, angry, and worried might look like, both mentally and physically
D. Introducing effective strategies to Calm and Process strong emotions
E. Offering space for the student to come up with their Own strategies
F. Reinforcing the importance of learning this skill!
This 11-page social story is in PDF format, and can be easily printed and laminated. It contains engaging visuals and developmentally appropriate language. It is best suited for elementary students (Gr. K-6) and students in special education/life skills classroom settings.
As always, I encourage you to leave a review/feedback, so I may continue to provide practical resources to my fellow educators. Thank you!
Many of our students have difficulties modulating and controlling the volume of their voices. This is especially true with our students who have issues with language, impulse control, and limited social awareness (e.g., language disorder, deaf/hard of hearing, ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, FASD, etc.).
This is a social story meant to help children to practice controlling the volume of their voice, across all settings, but particularly at school, and in the classroom. The social story consists of 13 pages of visual teaching of these concepts.
It provides an overview of what Voice Volume looks like, from Not Talking at all, to Soft/Quiet, to Medium, to Loud and Extra Loud. This story explains that each volume level can be appropriate, but only in the right place and situation, and right time - providing examples of what this looks like.
Included in the story is a VOICE VOLUME METER visual, that incorporates a 1-5 rating scale, and corresponding visuals and descriptors. This visual aid can be laminated and used in the classroom and at home, either on the wall or in a binder.
It is in PDF format, and so can easily be printed and/or laminated. It is presented in a simple, fun and visual format, and can be used across all ages and developmental levels. I have personally used it in individual and group format, in regular elementary and special needs classrooms. I hope it helps you, help your students!
And, please feel free to leave your review and feedback, as I am always striving to provide valuable resources to my fellow educators. Thank You!
Social Story: Going to the Park.
Going to the park or playground can be an unpredictable and overwhelming experience for many of our children and students, especially those with specialized needs.
This social story guides children through what to expect when at the park - from the sights, sounds and people (and animals) encountered, activities to do, and overall experience - making a trip to the park a more predictable experience.
The social story conveys these themes using engaging visuals and developmentally appropriate language suited to elementary and special education students.
We hope this social story will help you help the children and students you work with!
What You Will Receive:
1 high-quality PDF file
8.5"x11" in size
14 Pages
How to Use:
After uploading product, save file to your device
Print either at home, or via local print provider or online print service
Bind, laminate, or place in duotang to use with children
Personal Note:
Should you require a different file format or size, let us know and we can do this for you.
We love what we do and so would appreciate your feedback and review so we can continue to provide practical resources to our fellow educators.
Thank you.
Social Story: Poking is Not Okay
Many children and students have difficulty keeping their hands to themselves, and resort to behaviours such as poking. Poking can be done using hands or fingers, and can be aggravating to other peers and adults. This social story provides an overview of poking, and offers alternative behaviours that are healthier, safer and more appropriate.
This 8 page social story conveys these themes using practical examples, engaging visuals, and developmentally appropriate language suited to elementary and special education students.
We hope this social story will help you help the children and students you work with!
What You Will Receive:
1 high-quality PDF file
8.5"x11" in size
8 Pages
How to Use:
After uploading product, save file to your device
Print either at home, or via local print provider or online print service
Bind, laminate, or place in duotang to use with your students
Personal Note:
Should you require a different file format or size, let us know and we can do this for you.
We love what we do and so would appreciate your feedback and review so we can continue to provide practical resources to our fellow educators.
Thank you.
Social Story: Using Scissors
Using scissors properly and safely is an important life skill that our students often need help learning. Some of our students may struggle with fine-motor skills, or simply have a hard time navigating a task such as cutting. This social story guides the student through what scissors looke like, what they are used for, how to use them, good safety practice while handling scissors.
This 9-page social story conveys these themes using practical examples,engaging visuals, and developmentally appropriate language. There is also opportunity for children to add their own input and examples.
What You Will Receive:
1 high-quality PDF file
8.5"x11" in size
9 Pages
How to Use:
After uploading product, save file to your device
Print either at home, or via local print provider or online print service
Bind, laminate, or place in duotang to use with your students
Personal Note:
Should you require a different file format or size, let us know and we can do this for you.
We love what we do and so would appreciate your feedback and review so we can continue to provide practical resources to our fellow educators. Thank you!
This Social Story, entitled My ADHD & ME: Strategies for Life! is something I created in order to not only educate, but to empower children and youth with ADHD, in order to better understand themselves, to advocate for themselves, and learn strategies to utilize their many strengths, in life.
Children and youth with ADHD need to be educated on what ADHD means, what it brings (both challenges and positive strengths) and how to best manage it, so that they may experience life to the fullest!
This 20 page social story is more of a Success Guide for Life, for children and youth with ADHD. It can be used independently, as well as alongside teachers and parents.
It includes the following:
Description of ADHD, including explanations of Inattention, Hyperactivity and Impulsivity
Analogy of ADHD as our brain and body being like a turbo-charged engine
Discussion on how Revving so fast can affect our learning
What feelings and emotions may come along with ADHD
Validation and examples of different emotions and how this can look when it overwhelms us
Analogy of learning how to apply the brakes to slow down, and be a happy driver and in control
Discussion of several practical strategies to help with applying the brakes and regaining control, including space for child to list their own strategies
Brief discussion on medication as a tool to help with staying on track
Emphasis on the ADHD child’s strengths, with examples and space to list their own!
Reminder that ADHD makes them extra special
Page for child/youth to write or draw what it is like for them to live with ADHD.
This 20 page story is in PDF format (8.5x11 inches), and is easily printable. It is full of engaging visuals, and uses developmentally appropriate language. It is geared towards elementary to early junior/secondary students, as well as students in special education and life skills settings.
As always, please leave a review/feedback so I may continue to provide practical resources to my fellow educators. Thank you!
SOCIAL STORY: MANAGING CLASSROOM TRANSITIONS
This social story on classroom transitions is intended to help students to transition from classroom to classroom. Transitions are an expectation in school, but often prove challenging and stressful for many young learners. This story guides students through the necessary routines, expectations, and what to consider within themselves and the environment, in order to see success in changing from classroom to classroom at school.
As educators and parents, we model important social behaviors and provide explicit instruction for appropriate behavior. Read this social story frequently with your child/student(s), who may struggle with making transitions. It is important to read the story before an incident has occurred, rather than as a consequence for not coping with transitions well.
We hope this resource helps you and your children now and in the future!
It is in PDF format, and so can easily be printed and/or laminated. It is presented in a simple, fun and visual format, and can be used across all ages and developmental levels. I have personally used it in individual and group format, with elementary and early junior high students, across regular and special education settings. I hope it helps you, help your students!
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
1 High-Resolution PDF File, 9 Pages, 8.5"x11"
PERSONAL NOTE:
We love what we do, and do our best to provide a wide variety of options, quality resources, and flexibility in printing our digital files, all in attempts to make your life easier!
Please provide your feedback, so we may continue to provide practical resources to our fellow educators!
Social Story: When I Feel Like Harming Myself
Our children and students sometimes struggle with strong emotions, and even resort to wanting to harm themselves in order to cope with some of these feelings. This might include cutting, scraping, scratching, or other forms of self-harm. This social story focuses primarily on non-suicidal self-injurious behaviour. In other words, self-injury that causes harm, but not necessarily death. The lesson describes self-harm and talks through some of the common feelings that children and youth may have, as well as some helpful coping strategies and alternative behaviours that are healthier and safer.
Self-harm is an important topic that is often not addressed directly - out of fear and uncertainty. This social story aims to help in generating healthy discussion about self-harm with students, particularly those students who need visuals to aid in communication and comprehension.
This social story conveys these themes using practical examples, engaging visuals, and developmentally appropriate language. Students would benefit from having an adult guide them through this lesson to provide clarification and support along the way. We hope this social story will help you help the children and students you work with!
And remember, this resource is not a substitute for therapy or counseling, but merely an educational aid - should students require more intensive supports, please seek assistance from an adult or trained mental health professional.
What You Will Receive:
1 high-quality PDF file
8.5"x11" in size
13 Pages
How to Use:
After uploading product, save file to your device
Print either at home, or via local print provider or online print service
Bind, laminate, or place in duotang to use with your students
Personal Note:
Should you require a different file format or size, let us know and we can do this for you.
We love what we do and so would appreciate your feedback and review so we can continue to provide practical resources to our fellow educators.
This is a social story that aims to:
(a) Provide basic information about this unique situation we are in, and
(b) To hopefully alleviate children’s anxiety and reassure them that they will be okay
The social story explains what Coronavirus/Covid-19 is, in basic terms, how it may affect the people around us, what symptoms to look for, what this means for school and social interactions, and how to ultimately keep safe and healthy. It goes on to normalize feelings of anxiety and worry, and reassures children that things will go back to normal and they will return to school, their friends and their favourite activities.
Please Take Care, and Stay Safe and Healthy!