Free And Cheap Apps To Help With ASD

It is worthwhile having a look at some free and cheap apps currently available to download for your iPhone or iPad. These types of games are a great way for kids to learn, especially those that use technology. Many ASD children learn better from a technology based tool than they do from a teacher. Here is a brief summary of some of the apps that may be of interest – plus I have included one at the end for parents:

• Lexico Cognition: This game was developed and tested by qualified speech therapists and helps to develop language understanding, vocabulary building, cognitive, memory and auditory skills. There are several levels where questions are asked that need to be answered with the use of images and text. For children with reading difficulties all questions can be read out aloud if needed or the sound can be turned off.

• Stewie the Duck Learns to Swim: This game provides your child with a guide to water safety and uses Stewie to help with the story. This app allows the story to be read out and also features a memory game, sounds effects and a sing along song. There is plenty of interaction with the characters and objects that adds to the fun and enhances the learning about water safety.

• Licking Letters: This is a fun game that allows your child to find letters with Hoppy the Frog to spell out and read words. It includes lots of interaction with great sounds and animations that assist with the education and learning for your child.

This following app is ideal for parents and is worth trying if you are having trouble sleeping. You need to make sure you are looking after yourself and getting enough sleep.

• Yoga for Insomnia: This app guides you through a series of yoga poses that aims to increase your mind’s ability to calm itself and assist with getting a good night’s sleep. Settings can be changed from beginner to advanced so you can have a more effective session. Insomnia can be extremely taxing so being able to manage and address it becomes critical.

There is an ever increasing range of apps on offer through iTunes and other places now. Keep your eyes open for what you can see and please share your finds with us here.

Balancing Donkey Game

If you are looking for a balancing game with a bit of difference then have a look at our Balancing Donkey Game. This is a recent addition to our range of toys and is sure to bring a lot of fun and mayhem as it is played.

This game can be played between 1 and 4 players where each one takes a turn to load up the donkey and see who can go the highest before the load comes tumbling down. The game comes in a solid wooden presentation box that makes it easier for storing all the pieces as well as easy to take when going out and visiting friends.

This game is not only great for coordination but as the wooden balancing blocks come in different colours, a range of fun patterns can be made. It’s a fun way for children to practice their fine motor skills as they learn to manipulate the little pieces. The smoother their movements, the better the results will be. They also learn to pick up and start all over again when the pieces fall, and that’s a good lesson for life.

This game is suitable for anyone aged 5+ and with plenty in stock this is great value at $12.95.

April Is World Autism Awareness Month

With April being World Autism Awareness Month it provides an opportunity to discuss, learn and highlight issues with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). This can result in a greater appreciation and understanding of ways we can assist children and adults who suffer from an ASD to improve and lead a more meaningful life.

With one in 100 people estimated to have an ASD, the awareness month also provides an excellent opportunity for people who don’t suffer from any ASDs to be made more aware of this neurological condition.

ASDs can affect interpersonal skills, communications, motor skills, concentration as well as a number of other developmental conditions and can relate to people with Asperger’s syndrome and high functioning autism. It has been the raising of the awareness that has led to many of these conditions being recognised in the last 10 to 15 years where previously they may have been misdiagnosed. The importance of this is that with early intervention, better support and understanding occurs to assist with managing the ASD.

As part of the World Autism Awareness Month, in 2007 the United Nations General Assembly declared 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day in perpetuity. Autism organisations around the world use this day to promote fundraising and awareness events. This also includes the Light It Up Blue campaign and this year thousands of building and landmarks in 45 countries and over 600 cities were coloured by blue lights.

The other important issue with World Autism Awareness Month is that it provides an opportunity to value the role of autistic people in the world, how they can make a positive contribution and that they can be proud of themselves.

As part of our involvement with World Autism Awareness Month we would like to encourage you to share your thoughts and stories on our Facebook page.

Light It Up Blue

This year’s Light It Up Blue event saw some of the world’s major buildings turning blue in support of people with autism.


Japan


Australia


Brazil


Canada

Sometimes people say that these ‘special days’ don’t achieve anything and that they are a waste of time. Then you see results like these. Right across the world major buildings and landmarks turned blue. If that doesn’t bring attention to the topic, what will?

I hope you turned blue on Monday night. It’s a magical experience in many ways, isn’t it?