{Review} Rainbow of Emotions

"Rainbow of Emotions" is an app that can be used with children, adolescents, and adults that have "emotional management difficulties".  According to the developer, it is specifically useful for children with autism, Down syndrome, acquired brain injury, and cerebral palsy.  Users can develop an understanding of various physical emotions that their bodies go through as well as cool vs. uncool emotions.

The app includes two choice areas including "rainbow of cool and physical emotions", as well as "rainbow of cool and uncool emotions".

It also includes three different levels - beginner, intermediate, and advanced.

Once a level is selected, the user must then select up to three emotions.

Next, the charge tool belt can be used.  CHARGE stands for "chat", "helpful thinking", "amusement", "relaxation", "good routine", and "exercise".

Chat
Examples of chat tools include "talk to a boy", "talk to a brother", "talk to a classmate", "talk to dad", "talk to a mother", etc and allow the child the opportunity to communicate who they would like to chat with.

Helpful Thinking
Examples of helpful thinking include, "I like the way I look", "I am strong", "I am healthy", and "It is smart to ask for help" which allow the student to use positive thinking.

Amusement
Examples of amusement include art, cards, checkers, chess, cooking, computer games, gardening, going to the beach, and joke telling.

Relaxation
Examples of relaxation include break time, brief nap, closing one's eyes, deep breathing, rocking on a rocking chair, and yoga.

Good Routine
This function allows the user to create a daily routine.  Activities can be edited or deleted and a start/end time for each activity can be created.

Exercise
Examples of exercise include aerobics, basketball, bike riding, dancing, football, gym, jumping, stretching, and walking.

The user can also use the rainbow of emotions to state how they are feeling.

What I like about this app:
- It suggests a lot of good tools to deal with difficult emotions.
- It includes a very nice schedule that can be used.
- Each activity in the schedule can have a start and an end time, creating structure.

What I would like to see in an update:
- It would be great to have a tutorial or some type of directions as to how to use the app.
- I work with elementary students and some of the terminology might be too high for them to understand (e.g. "amusement", "aromatherapy", etc).

This app is available on iTunes for $4.99.


Disclaimer: This app was given to me for review.  No other compensation was provided.