Social Skills: Guides

This series of videos on YouTube focus on a puppet named Buddy. Buddy needs help learning how to have proper table manners, eating in a restaurant, and overcoming other social challenges.

The series is geared for younger children.

This app has self-directed learning sessions for 40 important skills necessary for living independently and accessing the community based on proven content. Anyone who needs support learning and maintaining skills necessary for daily living, learning context appropriate social skills and skills necessary for accessing the community can benefit from the simplicity of Everyday Skills.

If you believe this app would be effective for your family (or student) but find it is too costly, there are opportunities available for financial assistance, including your local Board of Developmental Disabilities. Contact our Helpdesk for more information.

9th Planet produces engaging social skill modeling videos and ready-to-use teaching plans for ASD teens and young adults. Lessons use a story thread about a young man (Tad Shy) from the 9th Planet who is learning social skills on this planet.

Teaching plans include include role play, improvisation, social stories and student production activities. Lessons may be used in individual or small group formats.

A young man on the Spectrum is the key actor and editor on the videos. Topics include a wide range of social skills, including personal space, empathetic listening and recognizing false friends.

Videos are produced by a creative team of teaching, animation and production professionals.

Autism Core Skills is an educational platform built by autism experts, teaching academic, social, and communication skills that are interactive and engaging for verbal or nonverbal learners.

This is a yearly subscription program. If you believe this app would be effective for your family (or student) but find it is too costly, there are opportunities available for financial assistance, including your local Board of Developmental Disabilities. Contact our Helpdesk for more information.

This app helps to practice following directions and answering simple “Wh” questions related to the animals’ responses; Inspires curiosity as youngsters explore cause & effect relationships; Builds language as parents help children put names to the many emotions and physical reactions displayed; and develops empathy by connecting the animals’ emotions both positive and negative to their causes.

This manual is to help people with disabilities increase community membership and belonging and for promoting relationships
with community members. It is written for agency staff but can be used by anyone such as individuals receiving services, families, and support coordinators, etc.

Many strategies were developed with people with intellectual/developmental disabilities, but the strategies are useful for anyone.

Three apps that are targeted specifically for the tween/teen, displayed in a graphic novel format. The apps focus on self-esteem, confidence, good friends vs. bad friends and family life.

A series of free apps that help teach kids situational behaviors and emotions through video modeling.

A website that offers social skills training videos that can be used by parents or professionals. Worksheets are also available to download and correspond with the videos. There is a smartphone app available as well.

This site requires a membership fee to receive access to all of their videos.

This app teaches kids aged 3-12 necessary social skills and everyday life skills by simplifying the tasks into steps with corresponding pictures and checklists.

Purchasing the initial app is free. There is a minimal fee to purchase additional life skills.

Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children is a nationwide initiative aimed at communities with children ages 2 to 5. Developed with input from parents, people who serve the autism community, and people with autism, See Amazing in All Children offers families ways to overcome common challenges and simplify everyday activities.

This guide was published to help older teens and young adults gain more self-determination putting them on their way to becoming self-advocates.

The guide covers several subjects like discovering good leisure activities, finding strengths and challenges and how to use them effectively, managing health care, and independent living skills.

To read the guide, click here.

This app can create custom social stories for a student on the go. The stories can be locked, so they can’t be changed. The user can add their own photos and videos.

Children and young adults who struggle with social skills can learn and practice skills needed to help them develop meaningful relationships and successfully navigate our social world. Subjects include attentive listening, conflict resolution, conversations, critical thinking, group participation, non-verbal communication, relationship management, and self-management.

It is a membership program, and works on either a computer or portable device. There are several interactive webisodes that help the student solve social problems.

If you believe this app would be effective for your family (or student) but find it is too costly, there are opportunities available for financial assistance, including your local Board of Developmental Disabilities. Contact our Helpdesk for more information.