The resources are educational , supportive , fun , interactive , and engaging for both kids and the adults in their families :
• A new animated video . We all have fears , but don ’ t let them stand in your way of success ! This new video features Julia as she learns to tackle her fear of the dark by drawing what she ’ s afraid of during a backyard camping adventure – and helping her brother along the way . The digital short was created by Exceptional Minds , a school , and studio for young adults on the autism spectrum who are pursuing careers in animation and similar fields .
• Good-night routine cards . It can be hard getting enough Zzzz ’ s – especially during challenging times – but it is possible ! Kids who have trouble falling asleep will enjoy making a healthy and customized bedtime routine with the help of these crafty cards . Scissors , paste , and crayons are required .
• Multilingual digital storybook . Muppet friends Elmo and Abby Cadabby learn different ways to play with Julia and help her feel safe and comfortable in We ’ re Amazing 1 , 2 , 3 . Sesame Workshop partnered with Friends of Children with Special Needs to make the stories available in Mandarin and Cantonese to address the unique challenges Chinese-American children with autism face , including the cultural stigma sometimes associated with autistic children in the Chinese community .
The Sesame Street and Autism : See Amazing in All Children program was created in 2015 . Sesame Workshop designed it in collaboration with organizations and experts within the autism community . Exceptional Minds , which created the new animated video , has been one of those collaborators since the program ’ s start .
“ The Exceptional Minds team of artists on the spectrum continue to showcase their writing , producing , and animation talents on our latest Sesame Workshop short , Backyard Camping ,” says David Siegel , executive director of Exceptional Minds . “ This project amplifies the workplace skills of our amazing artists while shining a light on autism inclusion . Eighty percent of adults with autism are unemployed or underemployed , but with Sesame Workshop ’ s continued partnership , we are changing that .”
These new resources are just one more way Sesame Workshop has been helping families over the last few years , including its meditation and mindfulness shorts for kids and its racial literacy resources for families . #
For more information about the new resources for children on the spectrum , visit sesamestreet . org / autism , or follow Sesame Workshop on Facebook and Instagram .
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