This social story is designed to help children understand and manage the emotion of anxiety. It provides a gentle introduction to what anxiety is and how it can affect both the mind and body. The story explains the physical sensations associated with anxiety, such as a racing heart, sweaty palms, or a stomach ache, and helps children recognize these signs in themselves.

The social story identifies common triggers that might cause feelings of anxiety, such as upcoming events, new situations, or challenging tasks. It offers practical and reassuring strategies for coping with anxiety, including deep breathing exercises, talking to a trusted adult, and using calming techniques like visualization or relaxation activities.

With clear, child-friendly language and supportive illustrations, this social story aims to make the concept of anxiety more approachable and manageable for children, empowering them to handle their feelings with confidence and calm.

What is included?

As well as a 26 page social story there is also a shorted adapted book version of the story with movable pictures to attach to each page.

Why do you need this?

The point of a social story is to use a patient and reassuring tone to teach children about social situations in a way that can be easily understood. Social stories can be useful for any child who is struggling to understand a situation or concept or needs help to understand a social skill or social cue, expectations, perspectives, common responses or is troubled about an upcoming event but social stories are particularly useful for children on the autistic spectrum for whom social cues can be challenging and who often suffer anxiety if they do not know what to expect from a situation.

How and when might you use this?

· To implement a social story, you should first ensure that you have eliminated distractions; that it is just you and the child sitting together focussed on the story.

· Initially you should read the story through twice with the child but it is then vital to revisit it regularly.

· Try to find a way to incorporate the story into the child's daily schedule.

· If the story is relating to a particular inappropriate behavior, it is useful to read the story when this behavior occurs, you do not however want the story to be seen as any kind of punishment.

· Regularly praise your child and keep it a positive experience.

These books should be used over and over to reinforce the point so I would suggest either putting the pages into a display book or laminating and binding them.