How to make a social story video for kids
Quick answer: A social story is a short, plain story that explains a situation, such as going to the dentist, and what a child can do in it. SceneMixer can turn a story you write into a simple narrated video: a calm cartoon child or animal, a steady narrator, one idea per shot and the same opening and closing every time. It is a video maker, not a therapy or teaching programme, and nothing on this page promises any result for any child. Write the story with the child's parent, teacher or specialist, and watch every second before you show it.
Brief for AI Create: A one-minute story for a child who is nervous about the dentist: a bear cub called Bo goes to the dentist; what he sees, what the dentist does, what Bo can do if he feels worried, and a calm ending at home; a slow, warm narrator, simple sentences, nothing frightening.
What this page is, and what it is not
- It is a how-to for putting a short, simple story into pictures and a voice.
- It is not medical, therapeutic or educational advice, and it is not a substitute for the child's own teacher, therapist or doctor.
- It makes no claim that a video helps any particular child. Children differ, and the people who know this child decide what suits them.
- If a specialist already works with the child, ask them for the text. Some professionals use a specific writing method for social stories, with its own guidelines; this page does not teach or certify it. Use SceneMixer only to put their text into pictures and a voice.
Write the story first
Plain, literal and calm. These are common ways people write this kind of story; adapt them with whoever knows the child:
| Kind of sentence | What it does | Example (the dentist) |
|---|---|---|
| What happens | Describes the place and the people | The dentist's room has a big chair that goes up and down. |
| Who is there | Names the people and what they do | The dentist wears a mask. The mask keeps germs away. |
| How others may feel | Says that feelings differ | Some children feel a little worried. That is okay. |
| What I can do | Gives a choice or a signal | If Bo feels worried, he can raise his paw. Then the dentist stops. |
| What happens next | Closes the situation | When the check is finished, Bo goes home. |
- Short sentences, one idea each; say what usually happens, and use “usually” where it varies.
- Avoid sayings and jokes that are not meant literally.
- Say what to do rather than what not to do.
- Change the details to match what will really happen: the real room, the real order of events.
Choose how it looks and sounds
| Choice | Suggestion | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Look | Watercolor Storybook or 3D Toy Cartoon | Round, bright and slow; nothing frightening |
| Main character | An invented cartoon child or animal, drawn once and used in every story | The same friendly face each time; no real child's photo needed |
| Narrator | An Off-screen character with one calm voice, the same every time | A steady voice carries the story |
| Shots | 4 to 6 seconds, one idea each, still or a slow push-in, one place per segment | Time to take each picture in |
| Sound | Quiet ambient lines in the shots; turn the Music switch off for the version without the score | Nothing sudden |
| Language | The language spoken at home, from the 15 dialogue languages; subtitles on accounts that have made a purchase | Familiar words |
Visual Style: Watercolor Storybook
Visual Style: 3D Toy Cartoon
Character voices · Background music and the Music switch · Add subtitles · AI videos for your classroom · A kids bedtime story series.
A worked script: Bo goes to the dentist
Each narrator line is given enough seconds to be said calmly: SceneMixer plans English speech at about three words a second plus a pause at each sentence end. About 50 seconds in all.
| Beat | Shot |
|---|---|
| The waiting room | [Shot 1] 5s: Wide shot, still. A bright waiting room in soft watercolor, @Bo the bear cub on a small chair beside his mother's bag. @Narrator (voice-over, calm and slow): Today Bo goes to the dentist. |
| The fish tank | [Shot 2] 5s: Medium shot. @Bo looks at a fish tank. @Narrator (voice-over): The waiting room has a fish tank and some books. |
| The room | [Shot 3] 6s: Wide shot. The dentist's room, a big chair, a round lamp. @Narrator (voice-over): The dentist's room has a big chair that goes up and down. |
| The dentist | [Shot 4] 6s: Medium shot. @Dentist, a kind badger in a mask, waves gently. @Narrator (voice-over): The dentist wears a mask. The mask keeps germs away. |
| The check | [Shot 5] 5s: Close-up on a small mirror and a tiny light. @Narrator (voice-over): The dentist looks at Bo's teeth with a little mirror. |
| The feeling | [Shot 6] 5s: Close-up on @Bo's face, eyes wide. @Narrator (voice-over): Some children feel a little worried. That is okay. |
| What Bo can do | [Shot 7] 7s: Medium shot. @Bo raises his paw; @Dentist stops and nods. @Narrator (voice-over): If Bo feels worried, he can raise his paw. Then the dentist stops. |
| The end | [Shot 8] 5s: Medium shot. @Bo smiles and climbs down from the chair. @Narrator (voice-over): When the check is finished, Bo goes home. |
| Outside | [Shot 9] 4s: Wide shot. @Bo and his mother walk out into the sunlight. No dialogue. Ambient: birdsong. |
| Home | [Shot 10] 4s: Medium shot. @Bo plays on a rug at home. @Narrator (voice-over): Then Bo goes home and plays. |
Voice-over lines · Shot seconds and timing.
Situations to start with
| Situation | What the story shows | What the child can do |
|---|---|---|
| Going to the dentist | The room, the chair, the mask | Raise a paw to pause |
| Getting a haircut | The cape, the scissors, the noise of the clippers | Say “stop” or ask for a break |
| A fire drill | A loud bell, lining up, walking outside | Follow the teacher and walk |
| Waiting in line | Other people ahead, a turn that comes | Wait, count, ask how long |
| A loud place | The supermarket, the noises, the lights | Wear headphones or ask to step out |
| When the plan changes | A sign changes; a trip is cancelled | Ask what will happen instead |
| Saying hello | Someone waves; people say hello in different ways | Wave, or say hello |
| Sharing a toy | Two children and one toy | Take turns, ask for a turn |
| Riding the bus | Steps, seats, stops, a bell | Sit, hold on, press the bell |
| A visit to the doctor | The waiting room, the scale, the nurse | Ask a question or hold a grown-up's hand |
| The first day in a new classroom | A new room, new faces, a place to sit | Ask a teacher for help |
| Asking for help | Someone nearby who is able to help | Use words or a signal to ask |
Before you show it
- Watch every second with the sound on. Generated pictures can contain mistakes in hands, faces and objects, and a child may notice what you do not.
- Fix single shots, not the whole video. Edit one shot and regenerate.
- Use the free 5-second preview to check the look and the voice before you render. The free preview.
- Show it to the parent, teacher or specialist first.
- Use an invented character, not a photo of a real child. Uploads need your confirmation that every real person shown has agreed, and the video provider's face check can flag photos of real people. Why a photo can be flagged.
Make it in SceneMixer, start to finish
- Script: paste your own on Upload Script, or write the brief above in AI Create and let it draft the episodes.
- Step 1: Type Film; Scene Style Hospital Ward, Pastoral Healing; Costume Style Soft Everyday; Visual Style Watercolor Storybook, 3D Toy Cartoon; Target Region; dialogue language; 16:9 Landscape. Then read the script.
- Step 2: Draw Bo, the dentist and the dentist's room as locations; the narrator is an Off-screen character with a voice and no drawing. The first 15 setup images on an account are free.
- Storyboard: generate episode 1 first (free on your first drama) and read it before you render anything. One place per segment.
- Video: render on the default tier at 10 credits a second, fix single shots instead of whole episodes, then put the episode together and post.
| Words in a narrator line | Shot length it needs (one sentence) |
|---|---|
| 6 words | 3.5 seconds |
| 8 words | 4 seconds |
| 10 words | 5 seconds |
| 12 words | 5.5 seconds |
| 14 words | 6 seconds |
FAQ
What is a social story?
A short, plain story that explains a situation and what a child can do in it, usually written by or with a parent, teacher or specialist.
Can SceneMixer make a social story video?
It can turn a story you write into a simple narrated video with a cartoon cast and a calm voice. It is a video maker, not a therapy or teaching programme.
Does a video like this work for my child?
Nothing here promises any result for any child. Ask the child's teacher, therapist or doctor what suits them.
Should I use my child's photo as the main character?
We suggest an invented cartoon child or animal. Uploads need confirmation that every real person shown has agreed, and photos of real people can be flagged by the video provider.
Which look is calmest?
Watercolor Storybook or 3D Toy Cartoon: round, bright and slow.
How long should the video be?
About a minute for one situation, with one idea per shot.
Can it be in my child's home language?
Yes. Dialogue and narration can be in any of 15 languages.
Can I turn the music off?
Yes. The Music switch gives a version without the score.
Does a free account's video carry a label?
Yes. Videos on a free account carry a small AI label, and a video shared through a SceneMixer link always shows it.
Write the story, watch the preview
Read the free storyboard before you render anything.
Updated November 2, 2026