Inviting Someone to Play – Social Story for Kids’ Social Skills

Introduction

Social interaction is a fundamental part of children's development, especially when it comes to making friends and participating in group activities. However, for many children, the process of inviting others to play or even knowing how to approach others can be a challenge. This difficulty is often magnified for children with autism, ADHD, or other social-emotional challenges who may struggle with initiating and maintaining peer interactions.

The "Inviting Someone to Play" Social Story is designed to teach children the key steps in starting conversations and inviting others to join play activities. Through 16 relatable, real-life scenarios, this social story provides clear and easy-to-understand guidance for children to practice these important social skills. By using a first-person narrative, engaging illustrations, and interactive activities, children can learn how to confidently approach peers, ask politely to join in, and be part of group play.

Whether used in the classroom, therapy sessions, or at home, this resource helps children develop vital communication skills and empathy, ensuring they can build positive, lasting friendships.

Product Details

• Format: Printable PDF
• Total Pages: 11
• Segments: 16 real-life social scenarios, with detailed illustrations and simple text to reinforce the concept of inviting others to play and the steps to join a group.
• Features:
  • First-person perspective storytelling to make the child feel personally involved in the scenarios.
  • 16 real-life scenarios that show how to approach peers, ask to join a game, and share in a friendly manner.
  • Engaging illustrations that enhance understanding and add a visual element to the learning experience.
  • Interactive activities that allow the child to practice key social skills through role-playing and other hands-on exercises.
  • Clear, simple language that is developmentally appropriate for children ages 4-9.
  • Helpful tips and discussion prompts for parents, teachers, and therapists to encourage conversations about social behaviors and communication.

Educational Benefits

This social story is designed to address several key aspects of social and emotional development. Below are the main educational benefits this resource offers:

1. Teaches Key Social Skills

✔ How to approach others and initiate conversations in a friendly manner.
✔ How to invite peers to play politely and effectively.
✔ Developing patience by learning how to wait for a turn and respecting others' space in group activities.
✔ Understanding group dynamics and how to fit in by recognizing when it’s appropriate to join in.

2. Builds Communication Confidence

✔ Encourages children to speak up and interact confidently with peers.
✔ Promotes active listening and understanding non-verbal cues in social interactions.
✔ Helps children navigate social hierarchies and understand the give-and-take of communication.

3. Supports Emotional Development

✔ Teaches empathy by encouraging children to think about how others feel when joining a group.
✔ Reduces anxiety around approaching peers or inviting others to play by breaking the process into simple steps.
✔ Provides role-play activities to practice managing emotions in social settings, such as feeling shy or rejected.

4. Ideal for Children with Social-Emotional Challenges

✔ Designed with children with autism, ADHD, or social challenges in mind.
✔ Guided, step-by-step approach helps children learn social norms in a clear, structured way.
✔ Useful for special education, speech therapy, and early childhood education programs to address social skills development.

5. Promotes Positive Peer Interactions

✔ Helps children build social confidence by encouraging them to join group activities and make friends.
✔ Reinforces the importance of respecting others' turns and building cooperative play.
✔ Aids in developing long-term social strategies that children can use across various settings (home, school, community).

Instructions for Use

The "Inviting Someone to Play" Social Story is a simple, yet effective tool that can be used in multiple settings. Here’s how to maximize its use:

1. Read the Social Story Aloud

• Begin by reading the social story aloud to the child.
• Focus on pausing after each scenario to discuss what the child observed and how the character acted.
• Ask open-ended questions such as:
  • “How would you feel if you were the one asking to join?”
  • “What is a nice way to invite someone to play?”

2. Use Role-Playing for Practice

• After reading each scenario, role-play the situation with the child.
• Use props, toys, or even fellow students/children to demonstrate how to approach peers and invite them to play.
• Practice polite phrases such as “Can I play with you?” or “I would like to join you in your game.”

3. Encourage Real-Life Practice

• After the child has learned the basics from the social story, encourage them to practice in real-life situations.
  • At school: Ask the child to invite a friend to join an activity.
  • At home: Create opportunities for the child to invite siblings or family members to play a game.
  • During therapy: Role-play joining group games with the therapist or group members.

4. Incorporate Interactive Activities

• Use the interactive activities to reinforce the lessons learned in the story.
  • Activity 1: Role-play joining a game, where the child practices asking to join, waiting for their turn, and engaging in the activity.
  • Activity 2: Create a “social scenario match-up” where the child matches the appropriate response to a situation (e.g., “You want to play a game” → “Ask politely if you can join”).

5. Consistent Review and Reinforcement

• Revisit the story weekly or as needed to reinforce the skills.
• Use the story as a tool for discussing specific situations where the child may have experienced challenges in social interactions, and apply the lessons from the social story to those situations.
• Encourage positive reinforcement by praising the child when they successfully invite others to play in real-life scenarios.

Activities Using the Resource

1. Role-Playing Group Play Invitations

Objective: To practice inviting someone to join a group activity.

• Materials: No additional materials required; the social story is the primary resource.
• How to Play:
  • After reading the story, act out a few scenarios where the child practices inviting a peer to play. Use the child’s favorite toys or characters to make it fun and relatable.
  • Encourage the child to practice saying polite phrases like “Can I join your game?” or “Would you like to play with me?”
  • Discuss the appropriate body language and tone of voice that makes an invitation friendly and welcoming.

2. Matching Social Scenarios and Responses

Objective: To identify appropriate ways to invite someone to play and understand social context.

• Materials: Printable matching scenario cards (included with the resource).
• How to Play:
  • Present the child with a set of social scenario cards and corresponding response cards.
  • The child will match scenarios such as “You see a group of children playing a game” with the appropriate response: “Ask if you can join” or “Wait for a turn.”
  • After the matching exercise, have a discussion about why the chosen responses are correct and how they promote positive social interactions.

3. Group Participation Chart

Objective: To track the child’s progress in engaging with others and participating in group activities.

• Materials: Printable group participation chart (included with the resource).
• How to Play:
  • Create specific goals for group interaction (e.g., “Join a group activity once a day” or “Ask a peer to play”).
  • After each successful interaction, mark it on the chart.
  • Offer positive reinforcement like stickers, praise, or a reward after completing a goal (e.g., “joining two group activities in one week”).
  • Use the chart to track growth and discuss progress during conversations with the child.

4. Turn-Taking and Patience Exercise

Objective: To reinforce the concept of waiting for a turn during group play.

• Materials: No additional materials required.
• How to Play:
  • Create a simple turn-taking game with multiple players (such as board games, group play, or even a waiting game like “Simon Says”).
  • Emphasize the importance of waiting for your turn while others are playing.
  • Encourage the child to ask politely to join in and reinforce patience by praising them when they wait calmly for their turn.

5. Reflection and Discussion Prompts

Objective: To encourage the child to reflect on their feelings and interactions during group play.

• Materials: None required (just the social story).
• How to Play:
  • After a playdate or group activity, ask the child reflective questions such as:
    • “How did you feel when you joined the game?”
    • “What did you say to ask to play?”
    • “How did the other children respond?”
  • Discuss what went well and what could be improved. This reflection process reinforces the learning experience and helps the child evaluate their social interactions.

Conclusion

The "Inviting Someone to Play" Social Story is an interactive, structured resource that helps children build confidence in social settings by learning how to join group activities and make friends. With its clear language, engaging illustrations, and interactive activities, this social story is ideal for children with autism, ADHD, or other social-emotional challenges. By using this story regularly in therapy, at home, or in school, children will improve their social skills and develop the confidence to engage with their peers.

With role-playing exercises, matching scenarios, and progress-tracking charts, this resource is designed to help children practice and internalize the skills they need to successfully join group play and interact positively with others. Whether you're a parent, teacher, or therapist, this social story is an essential tool for promoting social inclusion and cooperative play.