Most families have aspirations of starting a new school year organized and prepared for academic success. For many, that simply involves a basic paper planner or digital calendar. For school-aged kids who have trouble with executive functions—whether they're neurodivergent with a diagnosis of ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, or something else—it can be harder to set them up for success. In an increasingly digitized world, it can be difficult to find the right tools to help kids thrive, especially if they struggle with planning or follow-through.
There's Still a Place for Paper
While many adults can use solely digital means for task completion and management, mapping things out in writing is an important skill kids need to develop executive functioning, says Emily King. As a former school psychologist who now educates families about neurodiversity and education through her newsletter and podcast, Learn with Dr. Emily, she regularly helps kids manage school and life tasks. “Our kids' generation, I don't think, can learn on these apps alone. I think they need to learn to use apps and timers for notifications, but I think they need to learn to map out executive functioning tasks on paper.”
One Size Doesn't Fit All
At the same time, King says she knows there is no one-size-fits-all answer. For some kids who struggle with organization, losing papers makes mapping things out in a notebook pointless. “I disagree with anything that says ‘this is better for every brain’ because every single brain is different, and you have to find what works for you,” says King. She adds that for many kids, apps help them remember when to do things, but drawing or mapping those tasks out by hand can help kids figure out how to do things. Thankfully, some programs and tools allow kids to do all of these things in a manner that increases their chances of success.
Requesting Accommodation
When adults are looking for apps to help neurodivergent kids manage their workload and expectations, there are a few key things to note. Apps that show progression and have rewards—even seemingly silly rewards like a new digital pet—can motivate kids through non-preferred tasks. It’s also important for kids to have apps that serve a variety of purposes. Some apps are necessary for organization while others are more geared towards emotional regulation. Both end goals are important, though. Kids who are well-regulated are more likely to be more organized and able to function in school.
For children with 504 plans and IEPs, caregivers can ask that access to these programs be provided to their child as a reasonable accommodation under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [IDEA]. These apps are flexible, adaptable, and designed to meet some of the most common needs of neurodiverse learners.
Reinforcement Through Digital Handwriting
Writing things down helps our brains. "The use of pen and paper gives the brain more 'hooks' to hang your memories on," according to Norwegian professor Audrey Van der Meer, who published two studies on the effects of handwriting on learning. For students who struggle to keep track of paper and notebooks, digital writing is a wonderful alternative.
Smart styluses like the Logitech Crayon, Adonit Dash, Apple Pencil—and even models under $30 such as the JamJake Stylus Pen—help kids build some of those executive function skills in a way similar to how they would with paper and ink. Kids can use a stylus to write due dates, doodle, or draw visual representations to map out a project strategy on an iPad or a lower-tech tablet, such as the ReMarkable 2, which uses E Ink much as ebook rreaders do. There are also smart paper notebooks, like the Rocketbook, which allows kids to write as they would on any paper and then quickly and easily upload the image into an app. All these options help kids visually plan out executive functioning tasks in a digital world.
A Note-Taking App That Lets You Draw
Notability
Notability is the rockstar of apps for taking notes with a smart stylus. Draw charts, annotate PDFs, collaborate with classmates...Notability is essentially a very smart notebook. There is a calendar/daily planner that students can add stickers to, draw or write on, and share with adults. When taking notes in class, students can add drawings, text, and audio recordings of the speaker to the same board. For brains that need a creative break to regulate, Notability’s digital art options are exciting.
Turn Habit-Building Into a Game
Habitica
Habitica is a mobile app that makes games out of habit-forming activities. External motivation is important for kids, and Habitica knows that. Kids and their grownups can set to-dos and tasks such as brushing their teeth, leaving for school on time, and completing assignments. When kids complete tasks, they earn gear for their avatars and defeat monsters. Habitica calls itself a “gamified task manager” and uses its multiple task-tracking features to encourage follow-through. It syncs across devices so users can see their tasks wherever they are.
A Motivating Task-Management App
Joon
"Finishing tasks" sounds so boring. What if a child had daily quests to complete instead? In Joon, that’s exactly what happens. This video game-like task management app, which works best for kids ages 6 to 12, essentially gives your child an app-based pet that grows and thrives as they complete quests. When a kid completes an item on their list, parents receive a notification. Once the parent approves the quest, kids receive rewards for their pets. Joon allows families to add any quest they want, though it also suggests quests that are research-backed and can improve executive functioning overall.
Process Text Differently By Hearing It Read Aloud
Speechify
Speechify is the opposite of a transcription app. It takes text and reads it out loud. You can choose from more than 100 voices, including Snoop Dogg’s. Kids can take a photo of a book, ask Speechify to read a website via a browser extension, or even upload a photo of a handwritten document that will be read back to them. Many neurodiverse kids struggle with reading comprehension, especially for non-preferred tasks, and this app lets them turn any written word into audio.
Unwind, Meditate, and Regulate
Calm
The Calm app doesn’t keep track of tasks or achievements—it’s about self-regulation. Within the app or website is a specific subsection for young people called Calm Kids. Calm teaches mindfulness and meditation skills that can recenter kids amidst schoolwork and tasks that might be stressful. Having the Calm app on their phone or tablet gives kids an opportunity to learn regulation skills at their own pace. There are short meditations, or adults can create longer calming routines for kids within the app. There is a free education version of the app, so entire schools can give students access to Calm.