The Role of Digital Resources in Developing Social Skills in Children with Down Syndrome
- Tatyana Nechaeva
Correspondence: tatyana.nechaeva@downsyndrome.digital
Inclusion plays a crucial role in personal development. Parents and experts note that, due to developmental specifics, children with Down syndrome need substantial support in mastering social skills such as communication, memory and rule-following, behavior regulation, respecting others' boundaries while protecting their own, and expressing their attitudes toward events.
Real- life practice is the best way to learn these. But it's important to organize, review, and practice experiences too. Parents and kids need simple tools they can use on their own to make skills stick. We want to share our experience of creating and using the 321 Playsy game for children with Down syndrome. In sections like "Home", "Playground", "Shop", "Countryside", "Theatre, Cinema, Zoo", the child learns lots of useful things with the game characters. He/she discover how to solve tough situations, care for loved ones, and express themselves.
The learning program uses short lessons with tasks that can be personalized. Parents track their child's progress, control playtime, and select activities themselves – all with content made by expert professionals with real-world experience.
A digital educational game provides training in social skills in the most accessible, safe, and engaging format. The child will master using digital resources, helping them stay "on the same page" with peers. They will feel more confident both in the digital environment and in the real world, which cannot be imagined without digital tools.
A key aspect of creating the digital resource is combining the expertise of the product lead, educational specialists, and parents. Incorporating insights and feedback from all three perspectives – along with direct observations and hands-on experience with the children – is crucial for developing a truly useful and effective product.
