Emily Kingsley facts for kids

Emily Perl Kingsley is an American writer known for her work on the famous children's TV show Sesame Street. She joined the show's writing team in 1970 and continued to write for them until she retired in 2015.

Emily helped make Sesame Street a place where all kids could see themselves. She believed it was important to show people with different abilities on TV.

Making TV More Inclusive

Emily Perl Kingsley's son, Jason Kingsley, was born with Down syndrome in 1974. Her experiences as Jason's mom greatly inspired her work. She wanted to include people with disabilities in the Sesame Street cast.

Thanks to her, characters like Tarah Schaeffer, an actress who uses a wheelchair, appeared on the show. Her own son, Jason, also appeared on Sesame Street. Jason's life story was even featured in a special TV show called "This Is My Son" in 1977. Jason also co-wrote a book titled "Count Us In: Growing Up with Down Syndrome".

Famous Writings and Awards

In 1987, Emily wrote a very well-known piece called "Welcome to Holland". This writing helps explain what it's like for parents to learn their child has a disability. It compares it to planning a trip to Italy but ending up in Holland instead.

That same year, a TV movie she wrote, Kids Like These, was shown on CBS. This film was about a couple with a son who had Down syndrome. The movie won many awards for its important message.

Emily Perl Kingsley has written over 20 children's books. She also wrote two Sesame Street home videos. These include Kids' Guide to Life: Learning to Share and Elmo Says Boo!. She even wrote for other companies, including two video games for Disney Interactive.

Her amazing work has earned her many awards. She won 23 Daytime Emmys for her writing on Sesame Street. She also received awards from Easter Seals and the National Theatre of the Deaf.

Emily Kingsley's Work

Emily Perl Kingsley wrote for many different shows and projects. Here are some of her notable writing credits:

Television and Videos

• 1970–2015: Sesame Street – She was a writer for this long-running show.
• 1989: Richard Scarry's Best Counting Video Ever – She helped write this educational video.
• 1989: Richard Scarry's Best ABC Video Ever – She also wrote for this ABC video.
• 1996: Sesame Street - Kids' Guide to Life: Learning to Share – A Sesame Street video she wrote.
• 1997: Elmo Says Boo! – Another Sesame Street video she wrote.

See also

• "Welcome to Holland"