The Sunny Streets of Sesame Get a Stormy Reality Check

As the summer of 2023 continues to scorch the globe, it’s no surprise that even the most beloved children’s show, Sesame Street, can’t escape the fury of extreme weather. A new special, Storm on Sesame Street, aired in early August, tackling this pressing issue head-on.

The creators of Sesame Street have long used education as a tool for social change, addressing topics like diversity, inclusion, and empathy to shape young minds with valuable lessons that last a lifetime. Now, they’re turning their attention to one of the most pressing issues of our time: extreme weather. By focusing on preparedness rather than just reacting to disasters, Sesame Street sends an important message to children and parents alike.

Elmo and his friends work together to prepare for the storm, distributing food and water to neighbors, talking through big emotions, and finding ways to help their community in need. This proactive approach also acknowledges the emotional toll of extreme weather events on families. As Samantha Harrington, director of audience experience for Yale Climate Connections, notes, emergency planning can be daunting when people are stressed or in crisis mode.

Sesame Street’s historical context is marked by its first foray into extreme weather back in 2001 with an episode called Sesame Street Gets Through a Storm. This timely premiere coincided with the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy. Since then, climate-related disasters have only increased in frequency and severity.

The show’s creators are committed to providing resources for families affected by extreme weather, including a printed and digital storybook to help children heal when they lose loved ones or experience trauma. They’re also distributing “go bags” with essentials like food, water, and first aid kits to support families during evacuations.

While Storm on Sesame Street is an important step in the right direction, some experts feel that it’s just scratching the surface of a much broader issue: climate change itself. Tina Grotzer, principal research scientist at Harvard University, hopes future episodes will explicitly draw connections between extreme weather and human activity. This would help children understand that the extreme weather they’re experiencing is not just a natural phenomenon but also a symptom of our planet’s changing climate.

As we move forward in this new era of extreme weather, it’s essential to have open and honest conversations with our children about what’s happening to our planet. Sesame Street’s Storm on Sesame Street offers a valuable starting point for these discussions, providing both entertainment and education in equal measure.