Editable Sleeping in My Own Bed Social Story

What is included

• •One illustrated social story about staying in their own bed all night
• •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 sleeping in my own bed 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:

• how a pillow and blanket help the body feel safe and ready to rest
• waking in the dark and wanting to get out of bed
• night waking happening to lots of kids, and the bed still being a safe place
• staying in bed, hugging a stuffed animal and closing their eyes again
• slow breaths or holding the blanket when it feels scary
• waking up rested after a whole night in their own bed

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

When to read a sleeping in my own bed social story

Read it as part of the bedtime wind-down every night for the first two weeks of a change: moving out of your bed, a new room, a new sibling, or night waking that has turned into a habit. A daytime read helps as well, when nobody is tired and the bed is simply a place in the story.

How to read the sleeping in my own bed 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 it sitting on your child's own bed, so the story happens in the place it describes.
4. On the waking page, practise the plan together: lie down, hug the stuffed animal, close eyes.
5. Read it again the next morning, and name what went well in the night.

Sleeping in my own bed social story questions

What is a sleeping in my own bed social story?

A sleeping in my own bed social story is a short illustrated story, in the approach developed by Carol Gray, that walks a child through the night in their own bed: settling down, waking in the dark, and staying put until morning. Read at a calm time, it makes the routine predictable.

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

The gentle wording mostly describes what happens and how it feels, with only a few coaching sentences. The direct wording states the expectation plainly, for a child who does best with a clear rule. Both wordings are included, so you can pick the one that fits your child, or read both.

Can I personalize the story?

Yes. The guide prints a link and a QR code for each wording that opens the sleeping in my own bed social story in the free Social Story Maker. There you can add a child's name, put their own photos on the pages, change any sentence, then download and reprint it as often as you like.

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 [email protected] and Spectrum Unlocked will fix it.