Using & Saving Money A Social Story About Basic Money Concepts app for iPhone and iPad

This app includes two social stories about basic money concepts. The first story focuses on what money is and how you use it. The second story is about saving and earning money.

The app opens up to a menu that lets the user choose to either read the story “What is Money?” or “Saving Money.”

“What is Money?” describes what money is and what it is used for. The second story “Saving Money” talks about why to save money, and how people earn money. These social stories use simple text and descriptive pictures to describe basic money concepts.

Understanding the value and use of money is a critical developmental skill that all children need to learn. Since money is a conceptual idea it may be a particularly difficult skill to teach children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder or other special need.

Some children may develop an understanding of money and how and why it is used on their own or from peers. This makes it is easy to forget that this may not be the case for everyone. Certain individuals, particularly those with social or communication delays, like someone diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, may need more direct instruction in this important skill.

Teaching important skills such as money concepts to any child may be easier and less stressful when visual supports, like social stories are used. Social stories are an important type of visual support often used with children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, ADHD or other special need.

Social stories were first defined by Carol Gray in 1991 and are commonly used to break down a task or social situation into small and easy to understand steps, often accompanied by descriptive pictures. Social stories are easy to implement and are used by many professionals for a wide range of behaviors and skills.