Sesame Street

When you think of preschool learning on screen, Sesame Street is still the gold standard many families measure against. This long-running children’s show from Sesame Workshop blends puppets, animation, and live action to introduce letters, numbers, social skills, and emotional literacy in short, catchy segments. Created by educators and child-development experts, it was one of the first TV shows designed from the ground up to teach as well as entertain, and it continues to evolve with new characters and themes. Parents appreciate that it models inclusion, kindness, and problem solving while still being genuinely funny. Episodes and clips are widely available on broadcast TV, streaming platforms, and the show’s own site, often at little or no additional cost beyond services you may already have. Because the catalog is huge, we recommend curating playlists around specific skills—like counting or friendship—so screen time stays intentional.