The Best App for Anxious Kids
Parents and teachers of anxious, easily frustrated, and inflexible kids know - it's hard. Everything is hard. Let me say it again for the people in the back - every. single. thing. is. hard. Something as simple as an unexpected errand can be the thing that brings the entire day crashing down. A toppled lego tower can be the thing that sends your 5 year old crumpling to the floor, screaming and crying.
What causes kids to be so inflexible, so sensitive, so explosive? Well, there are so many answers to that question that a whole blog should be devoted to it. For my daughter, the causes are a communication delay, anxiety, and under-developed executive functioning skills, among other things.
I wish I had all the answers to make parenting and teaching these kids not hard, but I don't. I'm still in the thick of trying to raise a chronically inflexible, easily frustrated, sweet, silly 5 year old. Instead, I'm coming to you with an app that has helped. I'd go as far as to say it has changed the game in our home. I only wish I had stumbled upon it sooner because it would have changed the freaking game in my classroom, too. It's that good.
Without further ado, here it is. The Choiceworks App - AKA the best $6.99 I've ever spent.
Choiceworks App by Bee Visual
So why is it so great? Let me tell you. For the price of a venti latte at Starbucks, you get a completely customizable visual schedule. I've tried physical visual schedules in the past, but things would pop up unexpectedly and I'd be stuck with no visual and a screaming kid.
Above is an example of Annie's daily schedule. Some important things to note:
You can upload your own pictures and screenshots
Any event you upload can be saved for future schedules
YOU CAN ADD AUDIO to each event
YOU CAN ADD A VIDEO to each event of your child completing the task
A timer can be added to any task
My daughter struggles terribly with temporal concepts (first, next, last, today, tomorrow, tonight, later, etc) and this has helped her so much. Instead of me having to tell her what is coming next, she can check the schedule, tap the picture, and hear what is going to happen. It gives her a level of independence that she craves. After each event, she can drag it over to the "all done" side.
As if this wasn't enough, there are some great features within the app to help kids regulate emotion. Here are a few screenshots I grabbed:
With this feature you can use the images provided, or you can upload your own images that represent emotions the child struggles to regulate. Then, you can give them visual representations of some ways they can handle that feeling (audio files can also be attached to these images).
The last feature is one I haven't used much yet, but definitely should be using. First, you choose a behavior - some options include waiting, taking a turn, having quiet time, etc. Then, you set a timer for how long the behavior needs to last and give them visuals for what appropriate things they can be doing while they wait.
This app is so powerful, so customizable, and for $6.99, it's a steal. I hope you're able to find a use for this fantastic program within or outside of the classroom!
