“Sesame Street” Offers Resources on COVID-19 for Children with Autism

Fluffster and Julia show off their masks on a video call with Julia’s dad.

Photo taken from “Fluffster Wears a Mask.”

The loveable, furry Muppets of Sesame Street have captivated children for half a century, and this year they’re helping families cope with changes to daily routines necessitated by COVID-19. Children with autism can learn alongside Julia, a 4-year-old Muppet with autism, who is introduced to new safety measures and strategies for flexibility in videos, storybooks and other resources.

These media are part of the Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children initiative, whose main goals are to spread awareness and understanding of autism and to support families using free, bilingual resources. 

“We know that children with autism and their families are experiencing unique challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that schedules, routines, and guidelines can change with little warning,” said Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, Senior Vice President of U.S. Social Impact at Sesame Workshop, the educational organization behind Sesame Street. “The new resources are designed to help families manage unexpected circumstances, familiarize children with important new behaviors like wearing masks, and incorporate practical strategies into their day-to-day lives—all with a little help from Julia.”

In "Fluffster Wears a Mask," Julia works through her initial hesitation and discomfort while practicing wearing a face mask with her dad and her stuffed bunny. She learns to play with friends over video calls in "Julia and Elmo's Video Playdate." An animation called "A Park Problem" shows how Julia and her family adapt to a change in plans when an outing to the park doesn’t go their way. And "No Matter What" reminds us that, even with so much change around us, there are some things that always stay the same. 

These are the latest additions to Julia’s series, which already boasts several resources about autism and features Julia with her family and friends. The Sesame Street and Autism website is also home to several videos and articles geared toward parents, such as a guide on maintaining comfort, routines and safety for autism families during COVID-19. 

Both COVID-specific resources and Julia’s past adventures, all of which are fun and informative, are available for free online in English and Spanish.