Thomas & Friends has been chugging into the homes and hearts of children around the world since the mid 1940s, and now the fictional track stars are part of an Australian online initiative aimed at Autism.
has been chugging into the homes and hearts of children around the world since the mid 1940s, and now the fictional track stars are part of an Australian online initiative aimed at Autism.
Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect), a not-for-profit organization that provides autism-specific services for children and adults, partnered with HIT Entertainment to develop a game where children can identify emotions.
Each time a child plays the game, he must recognize a different sequence of faces including mad, sad, surprised, happy and more as a way to develop social and communication skills.
A study conducted by the United Kingdom’s National Autistic Society concluded that the clear expressions, predictable storylines and quick pace of the popular television program especially appeals to autistic children.
