Taking Turns in Conversations – Social Story for Kids

Introduction

Having a conversation is more than just talking—it involves listening, waiting, and responding appropriately. Many children, particularly those with autism, ADHD, speech delays, or social communication challenges, struggle with taking turns in conversations.

Children may:
✔ Interrupt frequently without realizing it
✔ Struggle with waiting for their turn to speak
✔ Dominate conversations or talk over others
✔ Have difficulty recognizing conversational cues
✔ Feel frustrated when others don’t let them speak

This printable social story teaches children the importance of taking turns while talking and how to actively listen and engage respectfully in conversations.

Through relatable real-life scenarios, children will learn:
✔ Why it’s important to listen before speaking
✔ How to recognize when it’s their turn to talk
✔ How to pause and wait in conversations
✔ What to do when someone else is talking
✔ How to ask questions and respond appropriately

By learning how to take turns in conversations, children will build better friendships, develop stronger social skills, and improve their communication confidence.

Product Details

• Format: Printable PDF
• Total Pages: 11
• Number of Segments: 16 real-life scenarios
• Features:
  ✔ Engaging illustrations demonstrating turn-taking conversations
  ✔ Clear, simple language for easy understanding
  ✔ Interactive activities to reinforce learning
  ✔ Designed for home, school, and therapy use

This easy-to-use social story can be printed or used digitally on tablets and computers.

Educational Benefits

1. Develops Turn-Taking & Listening Skills

• Helps children recognize when it’s their turn to speak.
• Encourages active listening and respectful conversation habits.

2. Enhances Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Skills

• Teaches children how to wait, respond, and respect others while talking.
• Encourages self-awareness, patience, and positive communication.

3. Supports Children with Special Needs

• Provides structured, visual learning for children with autism, ADHD, or speech delays.
• Reinforces expected social behaviors in a step-by-step manner.

4. Promotes Meaningful Peer Interactions

• Encourages smooth, engaging conversations with friends, classmates, and family members.
• Helps kids navigate conversations more comfortably in everyday settings.

5. Encourages Real-Life Application

• Uses relatable scenarios (e.g., talking in class, chatting with a friend, speaking in a group).
• Reinforces social etiquette for conversations in different settings.

Instructions for Use

Step 1: Read the Social Story Together

• Sit with the child and read the story aloud, emphasizing key phrases.
• Discuss each scenario and illustration, ensuring the child understands why turn-taking matters.
• Ask guiding questions such as:
  • “What should you do when someone else is talking?”
  • “Why is it important to wait for your turn?”

Step 2: Engage in Interactive Learning

• Practice role-playing with the child in different conversational scenarios.
• Use the interactive activities included in the resource, such as:
  ✔ Fill in the blank exercises (e.g., “When my friend is talking, I should ______.”)
  ✔ Sorting correct and incorrect conversation responses

Step 3: Encourage Real-Life Practice

• Challenge the child to wait for their turn in at least one conversation per day.
• Use gentle reminders when they interrupt or talk over someone.
• Celebrate their progress with positive reinforcement (e.g., “Great job listening and waiting before you spoke today!”).

Step 4: Revisit & Reinforce

• Read the social story regularly to reinforce learning.
• Encourage caregivers, teachers, and peers to model appropriate turn-taking.
• Praise and encourage the child whenever they engage in conversations respectfully.

Activities Using the Resource

These engaging activities reinforce the skill of taking turns in conversations while making learning fun and interactive.

1. Conversation Turn-Taking Role-Play

Objective: Teach children how to wait, listen, and respond appropriately in a conversation.
Materials: None.

How to Play:

• Choose a conversation topic (e.g., favorite food, a recent trip, a fun memory).
• Model a conversation turn-taking example:
  • Start talking and demonstrate pausing to allow the child to respond.
  • If the child interrupts, gently remind them to wait until you finish speaking.
• Take turns asking and answering questions, emphasizing eye contact and patience.
• Praise the child when they wait and respond appropriately.

2. “Whose Turn Is It?” Sorting Game

Objective: Help children recognize when it’s their turn to speak.
Materials: Printable conversation cards (with different scenarios).

How to Play:

• Print and cut out conversation scenarios.
• Read a scenario aloud (e.g., “Emma is talking about her pet dog. What should Jake do?”).
• The child chooses the correct response:
  • Option 1: "Wait and listen, then respond" ✅
  • Option 2: "Interrupt and talk about my dog" ❌
• Discuss why waiting for a turn is important and reinforce the correct choice.

3. Conversation Ball Toss

Objective: Encourage turn-taking by passing a ball to indicate whose turn it is to talk.
Materials: A small ball or stuffed toy.

How to Play:

• Sit in a circle with 2 or more people.
• The person holding the ball speaks, while others listen quietly.
• When done talking, pass the ball to the next person, signaling it’s their turn.
• Continue until each person has had a turn to speak.

4. Conversation Jar Challenge

Objective: Encourage kids to practice turn-taking in real-life conversations.
Materials: A jar and small slips of paper.

How to Play:

• Write different conversation prompts on paper slips (e.g., "What’s your favorite game?").
• Each day, pick one prompt and have a conversation about it.
• Remind the child to wait, listen, and respond appropriately.
• Each time they take turns correctly, add a sticker or small reward.

Conclusion

Taking turns in conversations is an essential social skill that helps children engage in respectful, meaningful interactions. This social story provides structured learning through real-life scenarios, engaging illustrations, and fun activities to make learning easy and effective.

By using this resource consistently, children will:
✔ Listen before speaking
✔ Wait for their turn in conversations
✔ Engage in positive social interactions
✔ Develop confidence in communication

With patience and practice, turn-taking will become second nature!