( ENSPIRE News ) Sesame Workshop and WarnerMedia Kids & Family Launch Star-Studded “Word of the Day” Video Series to Support Positive Identity-Building for Children
ENSPIRE Contributor: Naomi Stamps
For decades, Sesame Workshop and Sesame Street have devoted themselves to educating children and making learning fun. Many of us grew up watching characters like Elmo, Big Bird, and Grover a.k.a. Super Grover. Today, Sesame Workshop launched the next phase of its ongoing Coming Together initiative: a “Word of the Day” video series that harnesses the power of language to nurture children’s positive and healthy senses of self.
Produced in partnership with WarnerMedia Kids & Family and inspired by the iconic Sesame Street segment, the short-form series features the Sesame Street Muppets and celebrity friends learning about words like “Belonging,” “Fairness,” and “Proud.”
Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman kicked off the series, with the help of Grover and Gabrielle, by introducing the word “Upstander.” Celebrity guests for the new Sesame Workshop series include Samuel L. Jackson; Gabrielle Union; Brett Goldstein; Anna Cathcart; Zazie Beetz; Ava DuVernay; and First Lady Jill Biden. The videos will roll out simultaneously on Sesame Street’s YouTube channel and across Cartoon Network and Cartoonito’s social channels.
“Sesame Street is such a beloved institution and source of joy and understanding for children; when I was little it was absolutely one of my favorite shows,” said Gorman of her visit to the esteemed children’s series. “It was the honor of a lifetime to visit Sesame Street in person!” Sesame Street has always been a place where everyone is welcome, long heralded for its diverse cast and inclusive storylines; in 2020, more than fifty years after Sesame Street’s groundbreaking beginnings, the nonprofit organization behind the series saw an increased need and launched an initiative to help families talk about race, ethnicity, and culture with their children.
These new “Word of the Day” videos join a host of other Coming Together content that celebrates uplifting themes of racial, ethnic, and cultural identities in a developmentally appropriate way. Other videos will feature original songs, interviews, and inspiring messages for children and caregivers from the Sesame Street Muppets. Like the “Word of the Day” series, the other new videos will be available on Sesame Street’s YouTube channel and Cartoon Network and Cartoonito’s Instagram, Facebook and Twitter channels.
In addition to short-form content, Coming Together also includes a CNN Town Hall and two full-length specials – The Power of We and See Us Coming Together – that explore themes of community, fairness, and belonging. Newly introduced Sesame Street Muppets like Tamir and Ji-Young star in the content – and join Elmo, Cookie Monster, and friends in their playful learning adventures on the flagship series, too. Supporting videos, printable activities, and articles for caregivers roll out on Sesame Street’s digital and social media channels regularly. Beyond Sesame Street itself, the principles of Coming Together are woven throughout Sesame Workshop’s other series and initiatives.
Make sure the children in your life tune into this fun and educational series! You can also enjoy it yourself and relive your childhood memories (don’t worry, we’re not judging!).
About Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop is the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, the pioneering television show that has been reaching and teaching children since 1969. Today, Sesame Workshop is an innovative force for change, with a mission to help kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. We’re present in more than 150 countries, serving vulnerable children through a wide range of media, formal education, and philanthropically funded social impact programs, each grounded in rigorous research and tailored to the needs and cultures of the communities we serve. For more information, please visit www.sesameworkshop.org.
About WarnerMedia Kids & Family
WarnerMedia Kids & Family is the united group within the WarnerMedia enterprise that offers an expansive content slate on HBO Max and Cartoon Network. As the umbrella brand for all kids and family content, Cartoon Network re-energized its brand promise through its new tagline Redraw Your World, which empowers individuality and aims to be the place where kids are free to be themselves.
With hundreds of hours of original series, specials and acquisitions, the WarnerMedia Kids & Family portfolio features its Cartoonito preschool programming block; a roster of upcoming animation and live-action originals that appeal to kids of all ages; and ACME Night, a weekend entertainment destination for families to enjoy a line-up of library favorites and blockbuster hits as well as new originals that will include Batman: Caped Crusader, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, Unicorn: Warriors Eternal, and more.
A marquee collection of powerhouse brands and expertise marks WarnerMedia Kids & Family as a global leader wherever its brands live and engage with audiences all over the world.
View Amanda Gorman’s video here.
For more information on Sesame Workshop, click here.
Another article you might enjoy: Jamiyl Samuels and Tracy-Ann Samuels Co-Authored Children’s Books that Educates, Entertains, and Empowers Children With Autism
