How to Use Stories to Help Children with Social Skills Holt Boyd Extension Podcast

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How to Use Stories to Help Children with Social Skills - April 27, 2023 - LaDonna Werth and Lisa Poppe - Early Childhood Extension Educators

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• [0:00] Fit and Healthy Kids - An Early Childhood Podcast. (with music)
• [0:04] (LaDonna Werth) Hello from Nebraska Extension.
• [0:07] This is LaDonna Werth and Lisa Poppe,
• [0:09] Extension Educators in the field of Early Childhood.
• [0:13] We bring the research from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to you.
• [0:18] (music)
• [0:19] As a parent, we enjoy reading to our children.
• [0:23] Children love to listen and ask questions as we read.
• [0:26] Lisa, how can we use stories to teach about emotions?
• [0:31] (Lisa Poppe) Children love to listen to stories.
• [0:34] Not only are stories used to entertain children,
• [0:37] they can also be used as tools to teach new skills and expectations.
• [0:41] Many parents read books to teach their children the alphabet or numbers,
• [0:46] but stories can also be used to: Teach social skills, such as how to take turns,
• [0:51] And to teach clear behavior expectations,
• [0:55] they are used to reinforce routines, such as getting ready for bed.
• [0:59] Prepare for new experiences, such as the first day of school,
• [1:02] or address a challenging behavior, such as hitting.
• [1:06] (LaDonna Werth) What are social stories and how can we use them?
• [1:10] (Lisa Poppe) Social stories are brief, simple stories that are created to show your child
• [1:14] what to expect, and what is expected of him, during a certain activity.
• [1:19] Social stories can include pictures of your child and
• [1:23] they are written in a way that he can understand.
• [1:26] They also use positive language to show your child what he can do
• [1:30] and provide healthy ways to deal with really strong emotions.
• [1:34] For example, a social story
• [1:36] that teaches a new skill to replace hitting might say,
• [1:39] “If my friend tries to take my toy,
• [1:42] I can say ‘Stop. This toy is busy.’”
• [1:46] Social stories validate how your child actually feels,
• [1:50] but also can show him how others are feeling.
• [1:54] When used for specific situations, social stories help children
• [1:58] to make wise choices and give them the confidence to try new experiences.
• [2:03] (LaDonna Werth) Lisa, can you give me an example of a social story?
• [2:07] (Lisa Poppe) Sure, you must first….
• [2:10] Choose a situation that has been challenging for your child.
• [2:13] For example, if your child and her friend Ben
• [2:15] have been having problems with sharing when they play,
• [2:18] you can write a simple social story to teach her how to share with him.
• [2:23] It might go like this - I feel excited when I go to Ben’s house!
• [2:27] We play with trains, do puzzles and build towers.
• [2:30] Sometimes, we both want to play with the same train.
• [2:33] If we both want the same toy, I have choices!
• [2:37] I can find another train and ask Ben to trade.
• [2:40] I can get a timer and we can take turns.
• [2:43] I can ask my mom for help. OR
• [2:46] I can choose to play with something else.
• [2:48] I feel proud when I make wise choices!
• [2:51] As you can see, this type of social story
• [2:54] helps your child to see that her problem is normal,
• [2:57] teaches her words to help her express her feelings and
• [3:00] gives her choices by telling her what she can do.
• [3:04] Social stories are very helpful to children when they go into a new situation.
• [3:09] Like, if your child is going on an airplane for the first time, you can create a
• [3:14] social story to provide him with clear expectations of what is going to happen.
• [3:19] (LaDonna Werth) I love reading story books to children and
• [3:23] watching how the book comes to life for them.
• [3:26] Is social stories a good way to teach children expectations?
• [3:30] (Lisa Poppe) Yes they are, reading stories to your
• [3:34] child provides a time for everyone to relax.
• [3:37] These moments are a perfect time to teach your child or talk to her about feelings.
• [3:42] Social stories are a great tool you can use to teach your child expectations or
• [3:47] new skills before she is expected to use them.
• [3:51] When you read a book with your child again and again,
• [3:54] she feels confident about making choices that help her to have a positive experience.
• [3:59] (LaDonna Werth) As parents, it is fun to set in a chair and snuggle with your child.
• [4:05] Take this time to read and help your child
• [4:08] figure out new skills and guide them through challenging behaviors.
• [4:13] This has been LaDonna and Lisa with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
• [4:17] Until next time, enjoy your family time together.
• [4:21] Fit and Healthy Kids is a co-production of
• [4:24] Nebraska Extension, Georgia Extension,
• [4:26] Kansas State Extension, South Dakota State Extension,
• [4:30] and the Iowa Childcare Resource and Referral.