Sharing and Taking Turns – Social Story for Kids’ Social Skills

Introduction

Sharing and taking turns are essential social skills that help children develop friendships, cooperation, and patience. However, many young children—especially those with autism, ADHD, or social anxiety—struggle with understanding why sharing is important and how to take turns appropriately in social settings.

This printable social story provides a structured and engaging way to teach children how to share with others and take turns in different situations. With real-life scenarios, simple language, and interactive activities, this resource helps children learn:

✔ Why sharing and turn-taking matter in friendships and playtime.
✔ How to take turns in conversations, games, and group activities.
✔ Ways to manage frustration when waiting for a turn.
✔ Positive ways to ask for a turn or share toys, materials, and space.

This social story is designed for parents, educators, and therapists working with children who need extra support in developing cooperation, patience, and self-regulation skills. Whether used at home, in the classroom, or during therapy sessions, this resource provides a clear, relatable, and hands-on approach to teaching sharing and taking turns.

Product Details

• Format: Printable PDF
• Total Pages: 11
• Segments: 16 real-life scenarios focused on sharing and turn-taking
• Features:
  ✔ Engaging illustrations to help children understand real-life situations.
  ✔ First-person storytelling for relatable learning experiences.
  ✔ 6 interactive activities to reinforce key concepts.
  ✔ Child-friendly language that is easy to follow.
  ✔ Scenarios include: Sharing toys, taking turns in conversations, waiting in line, and group play.

This structured and engaging social story is perfect for home, school, and therapy use, offering a fun and effective way to build social skills.

Educational Benefits

This social story provides children with a structured and engaging approach to learning about sharing and taking turns.

1. Builds Cooperation & Patience

✔ Helps children understand why sharing is important in friendships and group play.
✔ Encourages patience and self-regulation when waiting for a turn.
✔ Supports positive interactions and teamwork.

2. Encourages Positive Social Interactions

✔ Teaches children how to take turns in conversations, games, and activities.
✔ Provides clear examples of what to do when waiting in line, playing with others, or using shared materials.
✔ Reinforces respectful and polite behaviors during social interactions.

3. Supports Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) & Special Needs

✔ Designed for children with autism, ADHD, and behavioral challenges.
✔ Uses structured lessons to help children understand social expectations.
✔ Encourages emotional regulation and impulse control.

4. Reinforces Learning with Interactive Activities

✔ Includes role-playing, matching, and comprehension exercises to help children apply what they’ve learned.
✔ Encourages real-life practice through engaging activities and discussion prompts.

This step-by-step approach ensures that children internalize these important social skills and apply them in everyday situations.

Instructions for Use

This social story should be used consistently to help children develop stronger cooperation and turn-taking skills.

1. Read & Discuss the Story

• Read the story aloud with your child or student.
• Pause at key moments to ask reflection questions:
  "How do you feel when someone shares with you?"
  "Why is it important to wait for your turn?"
  "How can we ask nicely for a turn?"

2. Use Real-Life Examples & Visual Cues

• Identify real-life moments where a child can practice sharing and taking turns.
• Use visual reminders like a "Sharing & Turn-Taking" chart in classrooms, homes, and therapy rooms.
• Model positive social interactions and reinforce good behavior with praise.

3. Engage in Interactive Activities

• Use the six included activities to reinforce key strategies:
  ✔ Role-Playing Social Scenarios – Practicing sharing in different situations.
  ✔ "Good Sharing vs. Not-So-Good Sharing" Sorting Activity – Identifying positive sharing behaviors.
  ✔ Social Scenario Matching – Recognizing the best ways to share in group play.
  ✔ Patience & Turn-Taking Exercise – Teaching children how to wait for their turn.
  ✔ Comprehension Questions – Checking understanding of the story.
  ✔ Creative Activity – Drawing or writing about a time they shared or took turns.

4. Reinforce Positive Social Behaviors Daily

• Model good sharing and turn-taking skills in everyday situations.
• Praise positive interactions when a child shares willingly or waits for their turn:
  "Great job waiting your turn and asking politely!"
  "I love how you shared your toy with your friend!"

Activities Using the Resource

This printable social story includes interactive activities to help children practice sharing, turn-taking, and cooperation in a fun and engaging way. These activities reinforce real-world application and encourage positive social interactions.

1. "Taking Turns Role-Play" Activity

Objective: Help children practice waiting their turn in different social settings.
✔ Materials: No materials needed—just role-playing.
✔ How to Play:

• Act out different situations where children need to take turns, such as:
  ✔ Taking turns on the swings at the playground.
  ✔ Waiting their turn in a conversation.
  ✔ Taking turns with a favorite toy.
• Encourage the child to use polite phrases such as:
  ✔ "Can I have a turn, please?"
  ✔ "You can go first, and I’ll go next!"
  ✔ "Let’s take turns so we both can play!"

2. "Good Sharing vs. Not-So-Good Sharing" Sorting Activity

Objective: Teach children the difference between positive and inappropriate ways to share.
✔ Materials: Printable sorting activity cards.
✔ How to Play:

• Show different sharing behaviors (e.g., "Letting a friend borrow a toy" vs. "Grabbing a toy without asking").
• Have the child sort them into two categories:
  ✔ Good Sharing (e.g., asking nicely, offering a toy, taking turns).
  ✔ Not-So-Good Sharing (e.g., grabbing, refusing to share, getting upset when asked to share).
• Discuss why sharing helps build friendships and makes playtime more fun.

3. "Sharing Challenge" Daily Practice Chart

Objective: Encourage children to practice sharing and turn-taking in daily life.
✔ Materials: Printable challenge chart.
✔ How to Play:

• Set a goal for the child to share or take turns in different situations (e.g., "Share a toy with a sibling" or "Take turns during a game").
• Track progress on the challenge chart.
• Celebrate success with stickers, praise, or a small reward.

4. "What Would You Do?" Social Scenario Matching

Objective: Help children understand when and how to share in different settings.
✔ Materials: Printable matching activity.
✔ How to Play:

• Show different social situations (e.g., "A friend asks to borrow a crayon," "Two kids want to play with the same toy").
• Have the child match the correct response to each situation.
• Reinforce the importance of fairness, kindness, and patience.

5. "Act It Out" Sharing Game

Objective: Reinforce positive sharing behaviors through interactive play.
✔ Materials: A few toys, art supplies, or other shared materials.
✔ How to Play:

• Give two or more children a single toy or resource.
• Ask them to come up with a fair way to share it (e.g., "I’ll use it first, and you can have it next").
• Encourage children to practice negotiation, fairness, and teamwork.

Conclusion

"Sharing and Taking Turns – Social Story for Kids" is an engaging and structured way to help children:
✔ Learn how to share and take turns with others.
✔ Develop patience, cooperation, and kindness.
✔ Understand the importance of fairness in social situations.

By using real-life scenarios, engaging illustrations, and structured activities, this printable social story helps children gain confidence in social interactions and build meaningful friendships.

✅ Instant download – Start using it today!
Perfect for home, school, and therapy sessions.