Sesame Street Teams up with the National Park Service
America’s national parks are some of its greatest treasures. There is so much for young children to learn and explore when they visit them. Elmo, Murray and the rest of the Sesame Street gang have always loved spending time at national parks, and they think it’s about time more kids across the country joined in on the fun. That’s why Sesame Workshop, the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation have teamed up to create Sesame Street Explores National Parks, a multimedia parks experience for children ages 3-5, their families and educators. The project aims to help children learn more about science and the environment whether they are in a national park, a local park or even their own backyard.
“We’re very excited about this partnership between the National Park Service and Sesame Street,” said Maureen Oltrogge, Public Affairs Officer at Grand Canyon National Park. “It’s like two families blending the best of what they have together. Our hope is that, by working together, we’ll encourage more kids to learn about their environment, get outside and explore.”
The Sesame Street Explores National Parks experience includes six short videos featuring Sesame Street Muppets Elmo, Murray and real-life national park rangers exploring their environment and all it has to offer at both Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona and Gateway National Recreation Area in New York. Together they learn more about nature by making fun yet simple scientific inquiries. The kit also includes activities for parents, caregivers and educators, providing them with developmentally appropriate ways to help young children learn more about science and nature.
“At the Grand Canyon Elmo and Murray learn about the endangered California Condor and how a baby condor is raised by its parents,” said Maureen. “They learn about the seasons they might see or experience. They learn what type of trees and flowers might be blooming, how to view wildlife safely and what kind of habitat it takes for animals to live.”
“Our environment is so important to us,” she added. “There are so many marvelous things to learn about in our parks. That’s why we’re so excited to work with Sesame Street.”
To learn more about all the work Sesame Workshop does to educate children about national parks and the environment, click here. To learn more about the National Park Service and the wonderful work park rangers do to protect the environment and educate park visitors, click here.