View, Do and Read

An old favorite takes a new approach
By Kate Cleveland Sesame Street

For 32 seasons, Sesame Street, seen weekdays at 6:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on WHYY TV12, has entertained and educated generations of children with delightful characters, catchy songs and gentle stories.

A new season of Sesame Street begins on Monday, February 4 with some brand-new features. New segments, such as "Journey to Ernie," in which Big Bird searches for Ernie in an interactive video game, join old favorites like "Elmo's World." The segments will air in the same order each day, creating a predictable sequence for young children, with plenty of surprises and a lot of joy and learning.

View
Watch Sesame Street daily at 6:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. beginning Monday, February 4.

Do
Make Your Own Puppets Children and adults love Elmo, Big Bird, Oscar and all of the Sesame Street Muppets. Young children can make their own puppets using common household materials and then create stories. Help your child create a favorite Sesame Street character or a character of his or her own.

What You'll Need:

Paper Bags
Yarn
Markers
Construction paper
Scissors (use adult guidance if necessary)
Glue

Instructions: Put a paper bag on your hand to show your child how it can be used as a puppet and then allow the child to try it. Next, help him create eyes, a nose and a mouth by using markers or cutting out pieces of construction paper and gluing them onto the bag. Glue on yarn or use markers to make hair and create clothing or fur for the puppet. He can use the finished puppet to tell stories or put on a puppet show.

Traveling Alphabet Sesame Street has helped children become familiar with the alphabet. Here is a simple activity that will help your child recognize letters and make car travel just a little bit easier.

What You'll Need:

A small magnet board
A set of magnetic letters

Instructions: Car trips are a perfect opportunity to help your child learn her letters. With your child, select several magnetic letters and put them on a magnet board. Choose letters that are meaningful, such as the first letter in your child's name or an "M" for mom. Ask your child to look for the letters you've chosen on signs as you are driving. Your child can play with the letters and practice letter recognition.

Read
The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone; illustrated by Michael Smollin On the first page of this classic Sesame Street book, readers encounter lovable, furry Grover, who is terrified by the book's title. He's scared of monsters and doesn't want to see the one at the end, so he pleads with the reader not to turn the pages. When Grover finally does get to the last page, he is quite surprised by what he discovers. Recommended for preschool-aged children.

Another Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone; ilustrated by Michael Smollin Grover once again trembles in anticipation of the monster at the end of the book. He is now accompanied by Elmo, who is curious, but not fearful. As Elmo eagerly encourages the reader to turn the pages, Grover creates obstacles to delay the inevitable conclusion. Young children will be delighted by the monster's antics and by what they actually find at the end. Recommended for preschool-aged children.

Wait for Elmo! by Molly Cross; illustrated by Joseph Mathieu Elmo loves to play with Ernie and Grover, but he feels hurt when they leave him behind or tell him he's too little. His spirits are brightened when he gets to do some great activities with Grover's grandfather. This is a great read for those who know all too well what it's like to be the youngest. Recommended for toddlers and preschoolers.

Kate Cleveland is WHYY's Children's Services manager.