Going on an Airplane Social Story

Airplane travel can be an exciting adventure, but also filled with uncertainty for many children. For kids on the autism spectrum especially, the unfamiliar surroundings and procedures can heighten confusion and anxiety without proper preparation. This social story resource aims to walk children through air travel from start to finish in a detailed yet reassuring way.

The story covers every phase, using simple language and visual supports. It explains what to expect when getting tickets, packing bags, and arriving at the airport. Going through security, waiting at the gate, boarding, and taking off are all described in concrete terms. While seated on the plane, appropriate behaviors are outlined along with various occupying activities for the flight like reading books, listening to music, or watching movies. finally, the story describes the sensations of descending and landing as well as exiting the plane and airport.

Common emotions a child may experience throughout are validated and labeled, like feeling eager, nervous, bored, or impatient at different points. Suggestions for coping strategies are woven in, like asking for hugs, taking deep breaths, requesting snacks, or stretching. The consistency of the narrative and matter-of-fact tone provide stability children can hold onto. By naming specific sites, sounds, procedures and feelings to expect, uncertainty is diminished.

Walking through the entire airport/airplane experience start to finish, this social story is an ideal method for preparing autistic children for airplane travel. It allows them to fully understand and participate in this immersive real-world activity that requires certain social-emotional skills - exactly what social stories are designed for.

These books should be used over and over to reinforce the point so I would suggest either putting the pages into a display book or laminating and binding them.

Clipart images courtesy of Kari Bolt ClipArt