- Price: $7.99
- Category: Education
- Updated: Nov 25, 2013
- Version: 1.1
- Size: 139 MB
- Language: English
- Rated 4+
- Seller: The Developmental Garden LLC
- © 2013 The Developmental Garden
- Compatibility: Requires iOS 5.1 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5.
“The Developmental Garden was developed out of the passion to help children succeed in becoming all that they can be. This means that parents, teachers, and therapists need as many resources and tools as they can get to meet the specific needs of each child that they are helping. It is the ultimate goal of this company to create games, books, and Apps to assist in the learning process.”
Short Description from the Developer: Give Me 5 is a social skills learning app. It helps children learn about eight different sub-domains of social skills by answering questions about social situations seen in short video clips. The beautiful children in these videos are not actors, and represent kids with diverse abilities, some of whom are on the autism spectrum.
App Review:
I am always on the hunt for a good social skills app to use with the children that I work with and Give Me 5!!!! more than fits the bill! This app is very practical and user friendly. The app is designed in a game-like format that children can easily relate to and facilitates their engagement.
Let’s take a tour through the app to see how it works!
Start Screen:
The user can begin to play the game, choose to set up their profile or access the guide for detailed instructions on how to use the app.
Guide:
This is a screenshot of the easy to follow app instructions.
Profile Page:
The user sets up a profile page that includes their name and picture. They then select a virtual “friend” who will help them to play the game. Verbal praise is provided for correct responses and the user can record their own voice or use the prerecorded voice in the app.
Pachinko Game:
This is where the fun begins! The user taps the multi-colored disc which falls through the maze into one of the categories at the bottom. The disc is guided by the user by tilting the device. Extra points are given if the user can guide the disc to a slot that is highlighted.
Playing the Game:
The user watches a short video that depicts a common social situation and then responds to a question about what transpired in the video by selecting “yes” or ‘no”.
If they choose the correct answer, they receive verbal reinforcement and the commentator explains why the answer was correct.
If they make an incorrect choice, the user hears, “Almost, let’s try that again” and the video goes back into the queue for a future try.
Forty videos cover the following social skills sub domains:
- Manners
- Words
- Without Words
- Understanding Me
- Understanding Others
- Big Picture
- People & Places
- Calming Feelings
Successful completion of all eight categories results in fireworks and progression to the next level.
Overall Impressions:
This is one of the best social skills apps that I have used. In addition to being fun, children appear to make steady progress in their social skills. I have used it with several children that I work with over a three month period and their responses have been overwhelmingly positive. They appear to enjoy “playing the game” and seem to identify with the individuals and situations that are portrayed in the videos. If an incorrect answer is chosen, each child has been motivated to continue and get it right the next time. Seeing the social interaction, and hearing the explanation really seems to reinforce their understanding and learning.
I have been in touch with the developer regarding plans for this app and she has indicated to me that there are some in the works. The addition of multiuser profiles and being able to track user progress were going to be on my wish list but will be provided in a future update. Plans also include providing additional videos and apps to address the needs of both younger and older children. The Developmental Garden also offers a fun board game to develop social skills.
I highly recommend this app for teachers, therapists and parents who have children who struggle with understanding social skills.
To find out more about The Developmental Garden:
Giveaway:
We have two giveaways! The Developmental Garden has generously provided app codes and a Give Me 5!!!!! board game for a giveaway. For your chance to win, enter the Rafflecopters below:
