A Sesame Street Muppet with autism is helping families create new routines and build flexibility.
Sesame Workshop has expanded its Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children initiative.
New resources featuring Julia, a 4-year-old Sesame Street Muppet with autism, are designed to help families cope with change during turbulent times.
Exceptional Minds prepares young adults on the autism spectrum for careers in animation and beyond, and partnered with Sesame Workshop on a new animated video featuring Julia.
She learns how to handle her fear of the dark by drawing what she’s afraid of – helping her brother along the way.
A team of artists on the autism spectrum wrote, produced and animated the video.
New printables and colouring and activity sheets accompany the video, including Good Night routine cards to help children develop a healthy bedtime routine.
Sesame Workshop’s social impact senior vice president Dr Jeanette Betancourt said autistic children and their families were facing unprecedented challenges.
“And Sesame Workshop is here to help kids create healthy routines, develop self-regulation and calming strategies, and build resilience,” she said.
The Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children initiative aims to increase public awareness of autism, foster greater empathy and understanding, and support families with free resources.
It was developed in consultation with more than 250 organisations and experts within the autism community.
With one in 70 Australians diagnosed with autism, this initiative is designed to show that all children – autistic and neurotypical alike – are amazing in their own ways.
Sesame Workshop is the non-profit behind the television show that has been reaching and teaching children since 1969.
Visit www.sesameworkshop.org for more information.
