Are you preparing your child for a trip to the movie theater? Maybe it's even their first time going.
Well, social stories can be a great tool to help them learn about what to expect and what some of the unspoken rules of theaters are.
Below you will find a variety of free social stories about going to the movies.
Honestly, I'm surprised that there were so few social stories that were free. You would think big movie theater chains (e.g., Landmark or Cineplex) would have something to offer, especially the ones that offer sensory friendly screenings, but, alas, they do not. Such a missed opportunity!
Anyway, let's take a look at the social story options that I did find. They'll help your child learn more about what it's like to go to a movie theater or cinema.
Free Social Stories About Going to the Movies
Have you been looking for a social story about going to the cinema or movie theater? Then look no further than these free printable movie theater social stories. Some require you to have a Teachers Pay Teachers account (which is free!) before you can download them.
I've rounded up some options for you to explore. That way you find the best movie theater related social story for yourself or your child. Or you can simply use ideas from different stories below to write your own custom story (free social story templates here to help).
Please note that just because a social story is listed here does not mean I endorse its content. After all, many social stories tend to be poorly written and/or teach autistic masking. Besides, I haven't read all of these stories word for word myself. So please read through the stories carefully before using them.
1. Going to the Movies Social Story from Children's Specialized Hospital - This story looks pretty detailed and uses full color photos throughout.
2. Going to the Movies Social Story from Social Stories: Power Tool for Autism - This story is mostly text based. It includes two images, one clipart and one photo.
3. Going to the Movie Theater Social Story from Elementary and Special Education Destination on TPT - Here's a story all about going to the movie theater for a class field trip. It uses simple text and full color photos.
4. Social Story About Going to the Movie Theater from InfiniTeach - This social story looks pretty detailed. It uses full color photos throughout.
5. Social Story: Going to the Movie Theater from Pathfinders for Autism - This story looks pretty basic, but it includes photos and clipart throughout. However, the photos look kind of blurry and have this weird grey bar behind it.
6. Going to the Movies Social Story from Family Network on Disabilities - This story focuses on going to the movies with a mom and uses icon style clipart. There are blanks to fill in and it does factor in some sensory challenges, which is nice.
7. Movie Outing Social Story from Family Network on Disabilities - Here's a one page social story that's super basic. It uses icon style clipart and focuses on going to the movies as part of a class field trip. Please note that this story does mention a specific movie, which will obviously not be the same one you are preparing for.
Video Social Stories About Going to the Movie Theater or Cinema
Here are some video social stories that talk about different aspects of going to the movies. You can use these in teletherapy sessions, social skills groups, at home, and/or classroom settings. Videos are always a great alternative to printing off a story.
Like the stories above, some of the wording in these videos aren't always great. But I wanted to make sure you had lots of different options for helping your child learn about movie theater etiquette, rules, and expectations.
There are, of course, lots of other specific aspects of going to the movie theater that you could write social stories about, such as buying snacks, buying tickets, theater etiquette, and/or finding your assigned seat.
But the free social stories about going to the movies above should give you a good overview of the movie theater experience as a whole. Hopefully you find these stories helpful!
