I'm super excited to share something amazing with you! I have said it before. When I first started teaching everyone said the students need to learn social skills, but it always seemed like no one wanted to take on the work of doing that. And…if they did, there were no social skills lessons autism classroom teachers could just pick up and run with. Luckily, that is all changed now! These are the Social Skills Printables for Students with Autism and Similar Special Needs, especially designed for students with significant delays, autism and similar special needs. Trust me, these aren't just any ordinary worksheets; they provide meaningful and practical tools for students. They do so in quick, short, social skills worksheet activities.
Let's take a look! There are 4 main sections to this set of social skills worksheets.
Self-Management
The first part of these awesome printables focuses on Self-Management. It's all about helping kids begin to learn to manage their movements and actions. This vital skill set can eventually enable students to regulate their behaviors, a crucial aspect of interacting with others. The activities in this section, ranging from matching exercises to cutting and pasting tasks, are designed to help students identify and think about managing their own actions effectively.
This is more than just a worksheet; it's a step towards independence and self-regulation. The activities are super fun – think matching exercises, choice making and understanding mistakes. Starting the conversation about handling their own actions and their own behaviors through these social skills worksheets is a stepping stone to each student’s independence.
Emotions
Emotions can be tricky, right? But the Emotions section in these printables makes understanding and expressing feelings a whole lot easier. Kids get to circle, match, and connect with different emotions. It's like giving them a map to understand their own feelings and those of others.
Understanding and expressing emotions is a challenge for many students with autism. The Emotions section of these printables provides a safe and clear way for students to learn about different emotions. Activities like circling the correct emotion and matching facial expressions to feelings, not only enhance their emotional vocabulary, but also aid in empathizing with others. These worksheets serve as a bridge, connecting students with their own emotions and those of people around them.
Communicating With Others
Communication is key, and the Communicating with Others section of the social skills worksheets is all about that. It's filled with activities that teach kids some rules for communicating with others in social situations. It starts with some basics and as the adult, you can build or add to the worksheet to create a longer or more detailed lesson.
Some examples of the communication pages include:
Social Skills Vocabulary
Saying Thank you
When to Say Thank You
Class Rules Narrative
Self-Awareness
Another pretty important piece of the worksheets is Self-Awareness. Print out those pages, grab a marker and see yourself helping kids understand themselves in the context of the social world. The activities here encourage them to think about who they are and how they fit into the bigger picture. It’s a starting process to the journey of self-discovery. We want to help students understand their own identity, preferences, and how they relate to the social world. By using social skills lessons autism classroom teams can encourage students to reflect and respond to questions about their likes, dislikes, coping skills and more. The goal is to have students develop a stronger sense of self. The idea of self-awareness is a key factor in navigating social landscapes more effectively.
Building a Complete Social Skills Experience
And here’s something extra cool – you can pair these printables with Behavior Skills Printables or Imitation Skills Printables for a more comprehensive approach to social skills instruction. I personally think that this is the type of homework parents would want to see since they want to help build skills in their child and these are some of the skills they are looking to build. There’s even a Teen's Edition for older students. If you are deciding that you want to build out a plan for the whole year using some short, manageable social skills activities, check out the Social Skills Center Targets or Language Skills Center Targets.
Ok, so here we are! These Social Skills Printables are not just about learning; they’re about experiencing, exploring, and growing. I'm so thrilled to share this with you and can't wait to hear about the wonderful journeys your kids will embark on with these tools. (You can tag me on Instagram or email me if you want share. I would love to hear from you.) Let's make learning social skills an exciting adventure! 
