Health & Safety
Emotions
Free Social Stories for Understanding Emotions
Many children with autism, ADHD, or anxiety struggle to identify and manage their emotions. Social stories help by naming feelings, explaining what they feel like in the body, and offering calm-down strategies — giving children the vocabulary and tools to handle big emotions.
Emotions
When My Pet Goes to Heaven
6 min read
Social Skills
Waiting My Turn in Line
5 min read
Health & Safety
Emma Goes to the Dentist
6 min read
Daily Routines
Madden's Morning Adventure
6 min read
Daily Routines
Madden's Quiet Voice
5 min read
Ages 3–5
Emotions
Amir Calms Down When Frustrated
6 min read
Ages 6–9
Emotions
Understanding My Emotions at School
6 min read
Ages 10–12
Emotions
When Plans Change
8 min read
Ages 6–9
School
Asking Mr. Patel for Help
6 min read
Ages 10–12
Social Skills
When My Friend Needs Help
9 min read
Ages 10–12
Emotions
When I Lose at Games
8 min read
Ages 10–12
Emotions
My Feelings Throughout the Day
8 min readFrequently Asked Questions
Social stories name specific emotions, describe how they feel physically (e.g., "my face feels hot when I'm angry"), validate the feeling, and then present coping strategies step by step. This gives children a predictable framework for managing overwhelming emotions.
Yes. While social stories work best as a preventive tool (read before a challenging situation), they help children recognize early signs of overwhelm and use learned coping strategies. Over time, this can reduce the frequency and intensity of meltdowns.
GrowTale offers stories about anger, sadness, frustration, anxiety, excitement, jealousy, disappointment, and more. Each story helps children identify the emotion and learn healthy ways to express it.
Want a personalized story for your child?
GrowTale creates custom social stories featuring your child's name, appearance, and specific situation. Start for free.
Start Creating — Free