Apps That Help Kids Just Do It
If your kid with ADD spends half her day glued to her smartphone, try installing these ADHD-friendly apps to help her use that time wisely.
Boximize
(iOS; free)
Recommended ages: 10 and up
This powerful app takes some of the room for error out of note-taking. Kids choose from a selection of pre-made templates including “Events,” “Notes,” and “Exercise Log.” Then, instead of writing a free-form note, they fill in fields like “location,” “list of items,” and “audio notes.” They can also customize templates or create their own from scratch. More than merely a stack-of-paper-notes-gone-digital, the easily searchable notes become a “personal database.”
Snapguide
(iOS; free)
Recommended ages: Six and up
This app gives users do-it-yourself guides for a variety of tasks and projects, complete with pictures, videos, and instructions generated by users from around the world. Students may search for specific guides, browse interesting categories, or craft their own guides for others to use. Snapguide is helpful for a child who wants to fix her bike, make a movie, or do other tasks.
Wunderlist
Recommended ages: Eight and up
Wunderlist is a free website and mobile app for managing tasks and creating lists. It is ideal for keeping track of homework assignments, long-term projects, and practice schedules. Users enter a task, and set a due date and a reminder to keep them on track. You can share lists with contacts (or even the app’s community of users), so family members can stay on the same page. The app ranks tasks in order of importance, so a child can easily prioritize his schedule.
[Free Guide: Teacher-Approved Apps and Tools for School]
myHomework
Recommended ages: Six and up
This useful scheduling and organization system is available online, and as an app for mobile devices. The home screen features three icons: one for calendar, another for homework, and the third for class profiles. Students can record their class information, build schedules, list assignments, and tie it all together with a calendar that marks due dates and class times.
Randy Kulman, Ph.D., is a member of the ADDitude ADHD Medical Review Panel.
