What better way to teach children — those with autism and those who need to understand autistic children — than with beloved PBS KIDS characters?  Dear Elmo of Sesame Street knows how to love everyone, and doesn’t love follow understanding?  This video clip reveals how Sesame fans can lovingly learn about autism.

An equally powerful resource is Thomas & Friends.  Not long ago WGBY staff learned at a Thomas & Friends event just how much an autistic boy loved Thomas & Friends and how his teachers were using Thomas & Friends resources to motivate him to learn.

You can find PBS resources on autism for teachers and parents. 

For Sesame Street, you’ll find parent resources on autism by clicking here, and educator resources, including “The Amazing Song,” here.

The Thomas & Friends collection on PBS LearningMedia contains a range of activities designed for educators who work with children on the autism spectrum.  On the PBS Parents site, you will find a parent/child activity that helps children explore emotions.

And you’ll find still more autism resources at PBS LearningMedia.