A heartwarming social story that helps children navigate big emotions and social cues. Follow Leo as he learns how to transform overwhelming laughter into calm moments through the power of breathing and empathy, making it a perfect tool for emotional regulation.
Leo finds a silly yellow duck in the garden and starts to giggle. The sun is shining brightly, and his eyes sparkle with joy as he points at the funny toy.
Soon, Leo is laughing so hard that his face turns pink and his tummy wobbles. He is having so much fun, but the laughter is getting louder and louder.
As his friends try to build a block tower nearby, Leo’s loud laughing accidentally knocks it over. He keeps laughing even though his friends look startled and a little bit sad.
One of his friends looks like they might cry because their hard work was ruined. Leo is still caught in his giggle storm and doesn't notice that the mood has changed.
Leo’s mom walks over quietly and kneels down so she is right at his eye level. She wears a kind and patient expression, waiting for a moment to speak.
She gently holds Leo’s hands and says it is time to find his calm center. She whispers softly that they should try to take some deep, slow breaths together.
Leo mimics his mom, taking a very deep breath in through his nose and feeling his chest rise. He focuses on the quiet air moving inside him, away from the loud noises.
He breathes out slowly through his mouth, imagining the wild giggles floating away like tiny clouds. His shoulders drop and his body begins to feel relaxed and still.
Leo looks around the room and finally sees the fallen blocks and his friends' sad faces. He realizes that his big laughter was too much for the moment and feels a quiet calm.
Walking over to his friends, Leo says he is sorry for being too loud and helps them start a new tower. Everyone smiles again, feeling happy and peaceful in the bright playroom.
A simple child-friendly social story storyboard in 6 panels, bright soft colors, cartoon style. Panel 1: a young child laughing happily because something is funny. Panel 2: the child continues laughing loudly and cannot stop, while others nearby look sad and hurt. Panel 3: the mother gently kneels beside the child and says, “Let’s take deep breaths together.” Panel 4: the child sits calmly and takes deep breaths in and out, with arrows showing breathing. Panel 5: the child becomes calm and the laughter becomes smaller. Panel 6: the child says, “I’m sorry,” and the other children smile again. Warm, gentle expressions, therapy-friendly educational poster style, easy for kids to understand.
