Many of us have memories of Sesame Street from our childhood. The show, premiering in 1969, has been welcomed into homes for half a century. Sesame Street has constantly evolved over the past five decades, integrating educational with timely social issues. An article from Smithsonian Magazine explains, “For years the show’s creators have been spicing up their alluring, hand-held curriculum of ABC’s and 1,2,3’s with lessons about life as it is. There has been standout content on marriage and death, on the families of those in the military, on hunger in America and kids with incarcerated parents, and there was an HIV-positive Muppet on the South African series.” in 2010, the team at Sesame Street began extensive research around the topic of Autism. They created a character who was on the Autism Spectrum. Julia, arrived on Sesame Street in 2017.
By 2019, Sesame Street has tackled other important, and often tough topics including:
- Divorce
- Grief
- Parental incarceration
- Family homelessness
- Foster care
They now have a website dedicated to these issues called “Sesame Street in Communities.” Aimed at parents/caregivers and educators, the website offers countless resources about these topics and so much more. They have sections on math, language & literacy, self-care, and traumatic experiences. You can find videos, articles and printable activities. This is an invaluable resources for anyone that cares for children. We highly recommend you check it out!
Sources:
https://sesamestreetincommunities.org/
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/team-sesame-street-created-character-autism-180967218/