A comprehensive guide to help parents use life skills videos effectively for their children’s social, emotional, and behavioral development
Follow this step-by-step guide to make the most of our life skills videos and materials and support your child’s development in an engaging way.
There are different options to choose from when subscribing. For parents, it is recommended to choose the “Core Videos” subscription, which will give you access to all of the life skills videos. If you would like, you can also subscribe to the “Complete Toolkit” bundle, which gives you access to all of the life skills videos plus the companion activities. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions on which subscription would be a best fit for you and your child!
Browse through the library of video-based life skills videos. These videos cover various topics, including social interactions, emotional regulation, handling difficult situations, and building daily life skills.
Example: Suppose your child has difficulty taking turns with you and others, and often becomes frustrated when they have to wait. You might select a life skills video “Taking Turns” from the video library, which teaches the importance of waiting for your turn, how to ask for a turn, and how to be patient while waiting.
Choose videos that align with your child’s current developmental needs or challenges. For instance, if your child struggles with transitions, there are videos designed to help with that.
Example: Since your child is currently working on improving their patience and social skills in group settings, “Taking Turns” is a perfect fit. Your child needs support in managing the frustration that arises when they don’t immediately get their way or when it’s someone else’s turn to play with a toy.
Watch the videos together with your child, making sure to engage them in discussions about what they’re seeing. Ask questions or highlight key points after the video to reinforce understanding.
Example: You and your child sit together to watch “Taking Turns.” The video shows a child waiting for their turn on a swing at the playground, asking politely to play, and feeling proud when they get their turn. As the video plays, you pause to ask, “What did the child do while waiting for their turn?” and “How did they feel when it was finally their turn?”
After watching a life skills video, encourage your child to talk about how they would apply the skills in real life. You can practice specific social situations or create role-playing scenarios to deepen their understanding.
Example: After watching the video about “Taking Turns,” you can reinforce learning by playing a game where your child has to practice taking turns, such as a board game or a toy-sharing activity. You might say, “Remember, we learned that it’s important to wait your turn—how do we do that in this game?”
Use the life skills videos consistently to build positive habits. You can revisit videos regularly to reinforce lessons, especially when facing a specific challenge.
Example: Over the next week, you consistently use the “Taking Turns” video whenever your child is in a situation where they need to wait for a turn. For example, when playing a board game or when two children want to use the same toy, you can refer back to the video, saying, “Remember how the child in the video waited their turn? Let’s do the same thing.”
These videos can be incorporated into daily routines at home, during school activities, or even in therapy sessions to provide structured learning and social guidance.
Example: You watch “Taking Turns” at home, and your child’s teacher at school also uses the same life skills video to reinforce the lesson during group activities. If the teacher notices a child struggling to wait, they might remind them, “What did the child in the video do when it was time to take turns?” This consistency across environments helps your child understand the concept of taking turns in different settings.
Pay attention to how your child responds to the videos. Over time, observe if their behavior or social interactions improve, and consider introducing more complex life skills videos as they master simpler ones.
Example: After a few weeks of watching “Taking Turns” and practicing the skills, you notice that your child is becoming more patient during playtime. They are able to ask for a turn more calmly and wait their turn without becoming upset. You celebrate this progress with your child by saying, “I noticed you waited so well for your turn today, just like in the video!”
By making life skills videos a part of your child’s regular routine, you can help them develop important skills in a positive and supportive way.
