Help kids speak up for themselves, communicate their needs, and practice setting boundaries with these assertive communication puppet role-play scenarios and self-advocacy activities! Designed for elementary school counseling and social-emotional learning (SEL), this hands-on resource helps students explore the differences between passive, aggressive, and assertive communication through playful, meaningful practice.

Students begin with a social story about assertiveness, then use puppets to act out relatable social situations, explore different responses, and practice communicating confidently and respectfully. Discussion dice and reflection worksheets help students connect the role plays to real-life situations involving friendships, problem-solving, boundaries, and asking for help.

📦 What's Included:

✔️ 25-Page Assertive Communication and Self-Advocacy Social Story (Digital + Print)
✔️ 25 Assertive Role-Play Scenarios for Practicing Assertive Responses (Digital + Print)
✔️ 4 People Paper Bag Puppets, 8 Animal Paper Bag Puppets, and 19 Popsicle Stick Puppets for Hands-On Dramatic Play
✔️ Discussion Dice to Encourage Reflection and Conversation
✔️ 7 No-Prep Self-Advocacy and Assertiveness Worksheets
✔️ Activities Exploring Passive, Aggressive, and Assertive Communication
✔️ Social Problem-Solving and Boundary-Setting Practice

🎒 Quick Details: Grades 1–5 | 👥 Individual, small group + classroom | 🎭 Puppet role plays + worksheets | 🎯 Assertiveness, self-advocacy + communication skills

🛍️ Bundle & Save:

This resource is also included in the Puppet Social Skills Role Play Scripts, Scenarios and Activities Growing Bundle on TPT.

The bundle brings together hands-on puppet role-play activities for flexible thinking, compromising, apologizing, assertive communication, and self-advocacy.

It's a great option if you want a collection of social skills lessons that use a consistent dramatic play approach to help children practice different ways of navigating everyday social situations.

🎯 Skills Addressed:

Assertive communication, self-advocacy, setting boundaries, expressing needs, asking for help, social problem-solving, conflict resolution, perspective-taking, communication styles, relationship skills, self-awareness, and social-emotional learning.

🎭 How the Puppet Role Plays Work:

✔️ Introduce assertive communication using the social story
✔️ Discuss differences between passive, aggressive, and assertive responses
✔️ Invite students to choose puppets and explore a role-play scenario
✔️ Practice different ways the characters might respond to the situation
✔️ Use the discussion dice to reflect on communication choices
✔️ Encourage students to identify words or actions that help communicate needs and boundaries
✔️ Reinforce learning with the assertiveness worksheets

💡 Ways to Use It:

• Teach students how to express their needs, feelings, and preferences respectfully
• Practice speaking up when they need help, support, or clarification
• Explore the differences between passive, aggressive, and assertive communication
• Help children practice setting and communicating personal boundaries
• Use puppet role plays to explore friendship conflicts and social problem-solving
• Encourage students to consider how different responses affect themselves and others
• Practice self-advocacy in situations involving peers, adults, and classroom expectations
• Incorporate the scenarios into friendship groups, social skills lessons, and individual counseling
• Adapt the activities to support students who communicate through speech, writing, gestures, or other methods

👩‍🏫 Who It's For:

Designed for school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, special education teachers, classroom teachers, and other professionals supporting elementary students' social-emotional development.

Especially useful for grades 1–5 when teaching assertive communication, self-advocacy, boundaries, conflict resolution, and friendship skills.

🖨️ Format & Download:

This digital resource includes an assertive communication social story, puppet role-play scenarios, discussion dice, and reflection worksheets. Use the materials for individual counseling, small group counseling, or classroom SEL lessons.

This is a digital download. No physical product will be shipped.

📌 Important Notes:

Assertiveness is about communicating needs, feelings, preferences, and boundaries clearly and respectfully. Students can practice self-advocacy in ways that are accessible and comfortable for them, including verbal and nonverbal communication.

This is a digital download. No refunds on digital purchases.