Apps for Kids
My boys use a few different apps to support learning, communication, and regulation. Here are three that have been especially helpful for us:
- Social Stories Creator: This app lets you create personalized stories to prepare your child for new situations, teach social skills, or walk them through upcoming events. We’ve used it for everything from doctor visits to teaching expected behaviors.
- Choiceworks : A lifesaver on tough transition days. With this app, you can build visual schedules that give structure and predictability to your child’s day.
- Sensory Light Box: Since my boys are sensory seekers, this app has been wonderful for calming and regulating, especially when we’re in the car or out in busy places like the mall.
Apps for Parents
Of course, as parents we need tools too, things that help us stay on top of appointments, communication, and the endless paperwork that comes with raising kids with special needs. These three have made a big difference for us:
- MyChart and Cloud Storage: We use MyChart to communicate with our healthcare team, then download important visit notes and save them to our cloud so everything is organized and easy to find.
- TimeTree: A shared calendar app that works on any phone. It keeps my husband and me on the same page with appointments, meetings, and family events.
- Document Scanner App: I keep a scanning app on my phone so I can instantly digitize school notes, insurance papers, or forms from extracurricular activities. Having everything saved electronically has been a game-changer.
Honorable mention goes to Teacher Pay Teachers where I get a lot of free and affordable printables for the home and school.
Final Thoughts
I hope some of these tools are helpful for you and your family. I’m always on the lookout for new ways to stay organized and help my kids build skills. Parenting kids with special needs comes with unique challenges, but with the right tools, we can make the journey a little easier and a lot more manageable.
