Explaining the Pandemic to Children Using a Social Story
There have been so many changes and unknown factors this year due to Covid-19 pandemic. Many schools and other places such as the public playgrounds continue to be closed. A lot of us thought that this all would be over by the Fall, and our children can go back in-person to their schools by now. However, here we are, still in the middle of this ongoing pandemic.
How do we explain such a complex issue to our children? How can we assure that eventually, things will be alright again? How can we explain the new changes to them, such as needing to wear masks and wash our hands a lot more without further anxiety?
How Do We Explain the Pandemic to Our Children?
Just talking to them doesn’t work for many children, especially for our children with special needs. It’s best to communicate so they can understand by creating and using a social story such as this pandemic social story booklet.
What is a Social Story?
A social story is a short description of a particular situation, such as the current school closure due to the Coronavirus pandemic. It can also explain what is happening (E.g., The schools and some places are closed due to Coronavirus, we are keeping these places close for now to keep people safe, they will be open again once things are safer, etc.) and the expected behaviors (E.g. We wear masks when we go outside, and we don't shake hands or hug other than with family, we stay in our bubble when we see our friends, we play outside with our friends, for now, we wash our hands as soon as we get home, etc.).
The term Social Stories ™ was first coined by Carol Gray, a teacher and an educational consultant who is now the director of the Gray Center for Social Learning and Understanding in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is a social learning tool to help teach and explain information that our children may find difficult or confusing.
They are primarily used for children with Autism, developmental delays, social issues, or any other difficulty with comprehension. However, they can be used to explain complex information for any child.
Tips When Making a Social Story
- Create it with your child and get their input (E.g., What to call it, what image to use, etc.).
- Customize it, such as by making it gender-specific.
- Try to use words and pictures that your child is familiar with.
- Keep it simple and at the level of the child’s understanding.
- You can make it short such as this
- If teaching a skill, break down the skill into smaller steps.
- Include information about what to expect in this situation and why.
Tips When Using a Social Story
- Introduce it when your child is calm.
- In the beginning, go over it often with your child. Later, you can do it less. Let's say you're trying to explain why the school is still closed. During the 1st week, maybe you go over the social story daily. After that, maybe just once per week.
- You can also use it as a visual cue/visual reminder. Let's say your child starts to get upset and asks for his school bus. You can take out the social story and use it to explain, instead of just verbally explaining to him and telling him no school.
There is a better chance for lower anxiety and maladaptive behavior when our children understand what to expect.
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Disclaimer: The info here is for educational purposes only and shouldn't be seen as any kind of legal advice.