Social story topics
Social story: Personal space
Personal space is invisible and different for everyone, and nobody explains where the line is. Many autistic and neurodivergent students stand too close, hug without asking or, just as often, cannot bear anyone near them, and both get read as rude when the rule was never taught.
This story makes the invisible visible: an arm’s length as a guide, how to tell if someone is uncomfortable, what to do when someone is too close to you, and asking before a hug. Read it before group work and practise the arm’s-length check in a game.
A sample story
How Close Is Close Enough
- 1When I stand near someone, I leave an arm's length of space.
- 2My friend feels safe and comfortable when I leave that space.
- 3Before I move closer for a hug, I stop and ask: 'Can I have a hug?'
- 4When my friend says yes, I step forward and we hug, and I feel warm and happy.
A sample made with HandsOnTop. Yours is written for your student.
Make this story for your student
The situation is filled in. Add a name and what they love, then click Make it — the first one is free.
Free to try · no card needed.
Tips for using it
- Teach the arm’s-length check and practise it as a game, not a correction.
- Give the student words for when someone is too close to them, too.
- Agree the hug rule with the family so home and school match.
Common questions
Does the story cover both too close and needing space?
Yes. Many students need both halves: how not to crowd others and how to ask for room themselves. The story can lean toward whichever matters more if you edit it.
What about hugging teachers?
Put your school’s rule into the topic, for example "a high five instead of a hug at school", and the story will describe that rule in a kind way.
Is it suitable for older students?
Yes, and it matters more as students get older. Set the age so the reading level and the tone suit them.