Whether you’re a parent or guardian of a autistic child, or you’re a caregiver or teacher to children on the autism spectrum, finding fun and insightful ways to help them overcome communication barriers can help them improve their behavior and social skills.
Today, the digital landscape makes it easier than ever to find activities for children with developmental conditions; certain websites and applications are designed specifically for autistic children spectrum disorder (ASD) and can provide support for picking up visual cues, making transitions easier, and adding more consistency in a day-to-day agenda.
Below are some of our favorite autism apps for toddlers and children.
Best Apps for Autistic Toddlers
1. Endless Reader
Endless Reader is the perfect app for setting the foundation for children getting ready to begin diving into the world of reading. Before kids can pick up a book and understand the story, they need to have a firm grasp on sight words, the most common words used in children’s books.
This app takes a deep dive into sight words and how to use them in context as they show up in textbooks and other learning materials. Using colorful monsters and interesting sounds through each lesson, Endless Reader wants to create a learning environment your child will be excited to return to.
This app is free with in-app purchases and is available on iOS and Android devices.
2. ABC Autismo
Created with the TEACCH (Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communications Handicapped Children) methodology in mind, ABC Autismo is an educational app designed to help children with ASD develop skills in verbal communication and language development.
With an easy-to-use interface, bright colors, and fun graphics, this app offers a wide range of fun and useful activities that can help children work on their developmental skills in an exciting and pleasant setting. What’s more, the app uses artificial intelligence to monitor activity and change levels of difficulty as your child begins to show improvements.
This app is free with in-app purchases and is available on iOS and Android devices.
3. Thisissand
Children who have a difficult time communicating on a verbal level may be more inclined to display the way they feel through creative outlets. Thisissand is an app that encourages children to explore their creativity in a relaxing and approachable way.
It’s as simple as the name suggests; Thisissand is specifically for making and sharing pictures of sand. It’s interactive in a way that allows you to pile and listen to beautiful layers of sand form, allowing for a creative, yet therapeutic process. And once your child has created a masterpiece of sand artwork, they can share their creations with other users or family members outside of the app.
You may not consider this an educational app for autistic children, but it can stand as a problem-solving alternative for inclined behaviors. Introduce This is sand to children who love to let their creative juices flow, and find peace in the serenity of “pouring” sand art.
This app is free with in-app purchases and is available on iOS and Android devices.
4. Proloquo2Go
As one of the best communication apps you can get your hands on, Proloquo2Go is specifically designed for people who are nonverbal in search of language therapy and development activities. This augmentative and alternative communication tool supports children of all ages and can even help adults develop language skills and cross over communication barriers.
Proloquo2Go’s research-based Crescendo™ vocabulary encourages readers to better understand single core words displaying simple, interactive images that they can tap and move around to develop full sentences. The AAC app’s built-in library of images contains nearly 25,000 different symbols (with an option to take and use your own photos) to help kids learn daily communication and beyond.
This app is available for $249.99 on iOS devices.
5. I Create… Social Skills Stories
Another useful app for showcasing creativity, I Create…Social Skills Stories was designed with the intention of teaching children with developmental delays how to bring their thoughts to life and work on problem-solving and social skills. Children can create and customize the steps of the storyline and bring them together to make unlimited personalized social skill storybooks.
Children can add text, photos, audio, and other media to tell their unique stories. This makes a great intervention for understanding independence and creating confidence, all while practicing identification, and receptive and expressive labeling.
This app is available for $4.99 on iOS devices.
Early Intervention for autistic children
Beyond useful apps for autistic children, there are other interventions designed to help children feel more comfortable and confident as they navigate the social world.
At Blossom Children’s Center, we provide Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy services to help autistic children better understand how behavior works in real-life situations.
Our tried-and-true methodology is designed with the intention of improving language and communication, enhancing motor and social skills, and building independence and academic improvement. We want to help your child feel more confident reaching these goals while reducing time spent dedicated to inappropriate behavior.
Having a variety of resources at your disposal can allow you to feel supported while caring for a child with ASD, and we can provide you with everything you need to feel confident in the process. Learn about our ABA therapy methods and programs today.
Related Stories
