Friends Programs App

We are excited to announce the FRIENDS Programs app. The game app is available on Android phones and tablets as well as iPhone and iPad. It can be downloaded from the Google Play Store right now.

Description

The FRIENDS game is based on the FRIENDS social coaching and development programs, written by Professor Paula Barrett. This game covers content suitable for children participating in Friends For Life and Fun Friends and is designed to reinforce the concepts learnt in the FRIENDS program through a fun, interactive electronic medium.

The countless different activities in the FRIENDS game reinforces many different aspects of the FRIENDS program as you can see listed below:

Feelings

• Helps identify facial expressions with emotions using the “Emotion Match Game”
• Helps identify vocal expressions with emotions using the “Watermelon Game”
• Teaches children about nurturing and what a tree needs to grow which helps them develop empathy towards nature and identify their own needs to be healthy and strong.
• Asks children to draw and express helping to reiterate lessons about feelings
• Encourages children to have a break from the device and move around

Relax

• Interactively shows children the concept of “Milkshake Breathing”
• Helps children identify “Body Clues” with the “Body Clue Match Game”
• Helps children get in touch with their bodies and relaxation by playing the “Robots, Jellyfish, Towers game”
• Encourages children to move around while playing the “Robots, Jellyfish, Towers game”

I Can Try

• Encourages awareness and helps children get in touch with their senses and surroundings
• Helps children to identify “Red and Green thoughts” using the “Red & Green Thought game”
• Reinforces body clue concepts from earlier in the game through the “Red & Green Thought game”

Explores Solutions

• Encourages children to take small steps using fun examples
• Children can learn and practice step plans using the “Step Plan Game”

Now Reward Yourself

• Expands on the “Step Plan Game” and encourages children to choose rewards after each step
• Encourages children to reward themselves for trying their best and completing a step
• Encourages children to think of rewards that they would like for trying their best

Do It Everyday

• Encourages children to practice FRIENDS skills everyday
• Enforces and revises concepts from the FRIENDS program

Smile

• Reminds children to smile, stay strong and look to their support networks
• Encourages children to identify who is in their support network and who makes them feel good

Extra Features

• Text to speech (android version only) allows children who are too young to read or children with reading difficulties to use the App.
• Regular intervals of Drawing, Voice recognition and Moving around help the Game move away from the usual “App Paradigm” and help children learn and interact in a variety of different ways.
• Offers the ability to go back and do “Favourite Games” once complete, in particular “Robots Jellyfish and Towers” can be played by the whole family. This allows the app to become a tool in helping families to practice the FRIENDS program every day.