Editable Recess Social Story

What is included

• •One illustrated social story about recess: turns, joining a game, quiet choices and lining up
• •A gentle wording that describes far more than it instructs, and a firmer direct wording
• •Four child looks: a boy or a girl, with light or dark skin
• •Half-page booklets in wide and tall pages, in US Letter and A4
• •Blank write-in booklets in US Letter and A4, for the stories only you can write
• •A guide with a printed link and QR code for each wording that opens your copy in the free Social Story Maker

What the recess social story says

The gentle wording is eight pages long, one picture and one short sentence on each page, told in the child's own voice. The first two pages read:

The pages after that cover:

• taking turns on the swings and the slide
• a quiet game or a rest on a bench when recess feels loud
• walking over and asking "Can I play too?"
• the teacher on the playground who helps
• stopping and lining up when the whistle blows
• getting ready to learn, with another recess tomorrow

The direct wording says the same things in seven pages, with the expectation stated plainly.

When to read a recess social story

Read it at a calm time, a few days before school starts or before a new school, and again on the mornings recess has been hard. Read it once more after a recess that went well, a turn waited for or a game joined, so the story is tied to a real success.

How to read the recess social story with your child

1. Start with the gentle wording; switch to the direct one if your child does best with a plain rule.
2. Print the child look that matches your child, and write their name on the cover.
3. Read one page at a time, pointing to the picture before you read the sentence.
4. Practice "Can I play too?" at a park, and practice hearing "not right now" calmly as well.
5. Share a copy with the teacher, so the recess words at school match the words at home.

Recess social story questions

What is a recess social story?

A recess social story is a short illustrated story, in the approach developed by Carol Gray, that walks a child through playtime at school: taking turns, asking to join a game, choosing a quiet spot, getting help from the playground teacher, and lining up when recess ends.

What if my child would rather play alone?

That is fine, and the story says so. One page tells the child that recess can be loud and busy, and that a quiet game or a rest on a bench is okay. You can change that page in the editable copy to your child's own quiet choice.

What is the difference between the gentle and the direct wording?

The gentle wording mostly describes what happens and how it feels, with two coaching sentences. The direct wording states the expectation plainly: I take turns, and I stop and line up when the whistle blows. Both come in this recess social story, so you can choose the one that fits.

Can I personalize the story?

Yes. The guide prints a link and a QR code for each wording that opens the story in the free Social Story Maker. You can add your child's name, put in a photo of the real playground, and change the whistle to a bell if that is what your school uses.

What formats and paper sizes are included?

One ZIP with print-ready PDFs in US Letter and A4: the story in four child looks, each in wide and tall booklet pages and in both wordings, plus blank write-in booklets and the guide. Print at actual size, cut each sheet in half along the dashed line, stack the pages in order and staple the left edge.

How do I receive the files, and can I use them with my whole class?

Delivery is instant: checkout unlocks the download and emails you the link, and the pack stays in your My Resources library. It is licensed for personal and single-classroom use. Because it is a digital download, all sales are final; if a file will not open, email info@spectrumunlocked.com and Spectrum Unlocked will fix it.