Sesame Street workshop launches new initiative to help children and families prepare for and recover from extreme weather, beginning with Storm on Sesame Street Special with new special features celebrities Post Malone and Michelle Buteau

As extreme weather events grow more frequent and intense, Sesame Workshop today announced the launch of its new initiative to help children, families, and communities prepare for, cope with, and recover from extreme weather like hurricanes, floods, and bushfires. The new initiative debuts with a new storm-themed Sesame Street special that premiered on Netflix on Monday, August 3, and on YouTube in September, along with View-and-Do activities and trusted educational resources to help families navigate whatever weather comes their way.

A Brand New Special with Celebrity Guests

In the Storm on Sesame Street special, Elmo and his friends work together to get ready for a big storm, learning how to be prepared, have courage, and calm their bodies and minds when things feel scary. After the storm passes, Sesame Street looks different, and everyone pitches in to help their neighbours rebuild their homes. With the help of the neighbourhood, including celebrity guests Post Malone and Michelle Buteau, Elmo and Abby set out to make a difference, and discover that small acts of kindness, and support from friends, can make the biggest difference of all.

Storm on Sesame Street builds on the legacy and impact of the iconic Sesame Street Gets Through a Storm, which premiered in 2001 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina (2005) and Superstorm Sandy (2012) in the U.S. In this special episode, Big Bird’s nest was destroyed in a hurricane, and the community came together to help rebuild it.

Addressing a Growing Need

Extreme weather is affecting more families than ever. Children born in 2020 are projected to experience up to seven times more extreme weather events than those born in 1960. Such weather events can lead to displacement, home damage, increased utility bills, negative health impacts, and less time outside. It often leads to disruptions in school and childcare. Among parents who experienced extreme weather, the majority (78%) worried about the impact on their children.

“Extreme weather is now a reality for many families, and young children need support they can understand and trust,” said Joseph Giraldi, Chief Operating Officer, Sesame Workshop. “With our Extreme Weather response initiative, we’re using the power of Sesame Street to help children prepare for what’s ahead, cope with big emotions during moments of disruption, and begin to recover afterward. From our new storm special to year-round resources and community outreach, this initiative reflects our commitment to showing up for children and families when they need it most.”

Sesame Workshop’s Extreme Weather response initiative builds on the lessons in the special and will provide research-based resources to support families before, during, and after extreme weather events. The content, featuring Sesame Street friends, will help children understand what’s happening around them, manage big feelings, and take simple, empowering steps to stay safe like noticing helpers and being one, too.

Resources That Extend Beyond the Screen

New free resources in English and Spanish, available to parents, caregivers, and providers at sesame.org/emergencies will include:

• New Digital Content: Sesame Street videos with beloved characters offering timely advice and comfort. ​
• Refreshed Family Guides: Updated Let’s Get Ready and Here for Each Other guides to reflect changes in extreme weather intensity and frequency.​
• Shareable Activities: New printables and articles that support children and families’ overall well-being connected to environmental stressors, such as heat or air quality.
• A New Storybook: A printed and digital storybook, available later this fall, to help children find words for goodbye and healing when the things they love are lost.
• Sesame Care Kits: Child-friendly “go-bags” with familiar friends like Elmo and Abby that include comfort items and everyday essentials such as backpacks, blankets, and toothbrushes to support families during evacuations and periods of displacement.

The Extreme Weather response initiative is part of Sesame Workshop’s broader mission to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.