Sesame Street and Autism: An AMAZING New Resource for Families

Sesame Workshop just announced the “See Amazing in All Children” campaign – a major autism initiative to help de-stigmatize autism, which affects one in 68 American children.

Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children

See Amazing, available at www.SesameStreet.org/Autism, will provide resources to families, teachers and caregivers around the country to educate them about autism, and tools to help families touched by autism with everyday activities. It includes guides to simplify activities and overcome common challenges such as washing hands, brushing teeth, going to the supermarket, and bedtime routines.

The content of See Amazing includes:

• An iPad app Sesame and Autism (available on iTunes)
• A responsive website at www.SesameStreet.org/Autism designed with adaptations such as larger buttons, audio-off options, and the ability for children to customize content
• New videos, including a music video, “Amazing”, with Elmo, Abby, Grover and their friends
• Digital and printed story books, We’re Amazing 1,2,3!, featuring Elmo, Abby and Julia
• Digital family routine cards that support everyday activities
• Tips for parents, and activities for siblings
• Powerful videos of families with autistic children, produced by the Sesame Street production team with editing assistance by students at Exceptional Minds, a non-profit animation studio for young adults on the autism spectrum

Meet Julia! The newest Sesame friend is a preschool girl with autism

The digital content includes a new Sesame friend, Julia, a preschool girl with autism who does things a little differently when playing with her friends, the loveable Elmo, Abby Cadabby and Grover.

(And wouldn’t it be cool to meet Julia at Sesame Place next year?!) 

My Thoughts on Sesame Street and Autism

See Amazing in All Children may be geared towards communities with children ages 2 to 5 old, but it will still be helpful to Norrin. At 9 years-old, Norrin still watches Sesame Street videos, he loves the Sesame characters, he still plays with his Sesame Street preschool toys and one of his favorite books/apps is The Monster at the End of This Book.

As we are working on life/self-help skills the Routine Cards will be helpful. I haven’t downloaded the app yet. But I will and then I’ll share more – how we use it, what works for us, etc.

Sesame Street has always been about celebrating diversity and culture. I love that they’ve embraced the autism community and they launched an initiative that promotes awareness and provides resources for families. When Norrin was first diagnosed with autism, I was scrambling to find resources and tools to help my child. See Amazing will make the journey just a little bit easier for parents, caregivers and children. And I cannot wait to see how it evolves.

But what I really love is The “Amazing” Song. Not only was it written by Christopher Jackson – an autism dad from The Bronx – but it features kids that look like mine. I love the message and this is how I want Norrin to feel. I want him to feel as amazing as I know he is!