Trying New Activities – Social Story with Vocabulary and Role-Play

Introduction

Encouraging children to try new activities can be a wonderful way to build confidence, adaptability, and social skills. This social story PDF, "Trying New Activities," is designed to support children in understanding and embracing new experiences through relatable scenarios. With real-life images and first-person narratives, this resource helps children visualize and connect with the story, making it easier for them to apply these lessons in their own lives. Ideal for use in classrooms, at home, or in therapy settings, this social story aids in developing language skills, comprehension, and emotional growth.

Product Details

• Format: Printable PDF
• Total Pages: 11
• Social Story: 8 pages with 16 segments, each featuring a real image and a first-person sentence
• Vocabulary & Spelling: Page 9 includes 5 vocabulary words with multiple-choice meanings and 5 spelling words with correct and incorrect options
• Comprehension: Page 10 offers comprehension and open-ended questions to reinforce understanding
• Role-Play Activities: Page 11 includes role-play scenarios to practice skills from the social story
• Designed For: Early learners, special education, speech therapy, and social skills development
• Visuals: Real-life images to enhance connection and understanding

Educational Benefits

1. Builds Confidence and Adaptability

• Encourages children to step out of their comfort zones and try new activities.
• Helps them develop resilience and adaptability by facing and overcoming new challenges.

2. Enhances Social Skills

• Promotes interaction with peers through shared experiences and activities.
• Teaches children how to navigate new social settings and make friends.

3. Supports Language and Vocabulary Development

• Introduces new vocabulary in context, enhancing language skills.
• Reinforces correct spelling and understanding of words through interactive exercises.

4. Improves Comprehension and Critical Thinking

• Encourages children to think about the story and answer comprehension questions.
• Develops critical thinking by discussing open-ended questions related to trying new activities.

5. Provides Real-Life Application

• Uses real images to help children relate to the scenarios, making it easier to apply lessons in real life.
• Offers practical role-play activities to practice skills learned in the story.

Instructions for Use

Step 1: Read the Social Story Together

• Sit with the child and read through the social story pages.
• Discuss each segment, focusing on the images and sentences to ensure understanding.
• Ask questions like, "How do you feel when trying something new?" to encourage engagement.

Step 2: Vocabulary and Spelling Activities

• Go to page 9 and review the vocabulary words.
• Ask the child to pick the correct meaning for each word from the two options provided.
• Review the spelling words and have the child choose the correct spelling from the options.

Step 3: Comprehension and Open-Ended Questions

• Turn to page 10 and read the comprehension questions together.
• Encourage the child to think about the story and answer the questions.
• Discuss open-ended questions to promote deeper understanding and personal connection.

Step 4: Role-Play Activities

• Use page 11 to engage in role-play scenarios based on the social story.
• Encourage the child to act out trying new activities, using props if available.
• Discuss feelings and reactions during the role-play to reinforce learning.

Step 5: Reinforce and Repeat

• Regularly revisit the social story and activities to reinforce learning.
• Encourage the child to try new activities in real life, using the skills and confidence gained from the story.
• Provide positive reinforcement and support as they explore new experiences.

Activities Using the Resource

1. Picture & Sentence Match

Objective: Enhance understanding and recall of the social story.

How to Play:

• Print and cut out the segments from the social story.
• Mix them up and ask the child to match each picture with its corresponding sentence.
• Discuss each match, asking the child to describe what is happening in the picture.

Skill Development:

• Visual literacy
• Sentence comprehension
• Memory recall

2. Vocabulary Builder

Objective: Strengthen vocabulary and spelling skills.

How to Play:

• Use page 9 to review vocabulary words.
• Create flashcards with words on one side and meanings on the other.
• Play a matching game to pair words with their correct meanings.
• For spelling, write words with both correct and incorrect spellings and let the child choose the right one.

Skill Development:

• Word recognition
• Spelling accuracy
• Contextual understanding

3. Comprehension Quiz

Objective: Improve comprehension and critical thinking.

How to Play:

• Use page 10 to ask comprehension questions about the story.
• Encourage the child to answer in full sentences, explaining their reasoning.
• Discuss open-ended questions to explore personal experiences and feelings about trying new activities.

Skill Development:

• Reading comprehension
• Critical thinking
• Expressive language

4. Role-Play Scenarios

Objective: Practice social skills and build confidence.

How to Play:

• Refer to page 11 for role-play scenarios.
• Set up simple props to simulate new activities (e.g., trying a new game or hobby).
• Act out scenarios, encouraging the child to express feelings and reactions.
• Discuss what they learned and how they felt during the role-play.

Skill Development:

• Social interaction
• Emotional expression
• Confidence building

5. Real-Life Application Journal

Objective: Apply lessons from the story to real-world experiences.

How to Play:

• Encourage the child to try a new activity each week.
• Have them keep a journal, writing or drawing about their experiences.
• Reflect on what they learned and how they felt, using prompts from the social story.

Skill Development:

• Self-reflection
• Writing and drawing skills
• Real-world application

6. Story Retelling

Objective: Reinforce narrative skills and memory.

How to Play:

• Ask the child to retell the social story in their own words.
• Use the pictures as prompts to guide the retelling.
• Encourage them to add personal touches or relate it to their own experiences.

Skill Development:

• Narrative skills
• Memory enhancement
• Creative expression

Conclusion

The "Trying New Activities" social story PDF is a versatile and engaging resource designed to help children build confidence, adaptability, and social skills through relatable scenarios and real-life images. With 11 pages of content, including vocabulary and spelling exercises, comprehension questions, and role-play activities, this resource is ideal for early learners, special education, and speech therapy. By encouraging children to step out of their comfort zones and try new experiences, this social story supports language development, critical thinking, and emotional growth. Whether used at home, in classrooms, or therapy sessions, it offers a practical and interactive way to foster personal development and real-world application.