See Amazing! — Free “Sesame Street” and Autism App
Every kid is an original, and that’s what we and “Sesame Street” are here to celebrate! With the “Sesame Street” and Autism App, find free resources are for all families, with or without children with autism. They’ll help build understanding, reduce stigma and provide support with everyday routines.
The “Sesame Street” and Autism: See Amazing in All Children app is designed to provide tools to help families with preschool children with autism, as well as help those just learning about autism celebrate differences and build fridges of acceptance. To help kids understand and engage, the app features new “Sesame Street” character Julia, a young child special needs child with autism.
Generally geared toward young children and their parents, the app provides awareness and basic strategies and tools to support individuals with autism. It takes a well-balanced view of autism and addresses its positives and challenges for real life applications.
Routine flash cards are intended to help autistic children and their families and friends practice daily tasks and chores. Each of the eight series — including “Brushing Your Teeth,” “Going to a Restaurant,” “Morning Routine,” “Crossing the Street,” “Going to the Store,” “Bedtime Routine,” “Trying a New Food” and “Washing Hands” — is narrated by Abby Cadabby and reads as a semi-customized social stories featuring “Sesame Street” characters like Julia, Big Bird, Cookie Monster and Elmo.
Featuring Julia, Elmo and Abby Caddabby, this digital storybook introduces Julia and highlights how she interacts with other people, fairies and furry red monsters! As she plays with Elmo and Abby, the story introduces how inclusion can work among preschoolers and recognizes the importance of everyone’s differences. The story is written by Leslie Kimmelman whose son was diagnosed with autism more than 20 years ago. Read more about her family’s story here.
Videos featuring real families and children with autism
The video series is diverse and describes some the characteristics of children with autism and strategies for interacting with them. Highlighting real life stories of children with autism and their families, these videos provide a great way to help others understand the special characteristics of autism from a family perspective.
The videos introduce a wide variety of children and families with autism, which allows users to see how autism spectrum disorder manifests itself differently in different people. By illustrating what autism looks like in situations ranging from mild to more severe difficulties, the videos demonstrate that while some habits and sensory issues may be similar, each autistic person is an individual.
This feature is especially helpful for friends and extended family members of an individual with autism and does an excellent job of explaining autistic individuals’ unique characteristics and interventions. In addition to demonstrating what autism really looks like, these features also help others learn how to be friends to someone with autism.