Elmo and Friends will Continue Sharing Lessons in ‘Sesame Street’ Season 54

Sesame Street is back! Elmo and all of his friends are returning for a total of 35 episodes starting next month. Season 54 will follow the same template as those before it, teaching children new skills and refreshing old ones. 

Sesame Street aims to celebrate friendship, diversity, and community. The series includes stories of belonging and teaches children how to feel confident and connect with their neighbors. 

In the new season, several episodes will touch on topics and stories that young viewers can learn from and relate to. Featured episodes include “Proud of My Name,” airing on Nov. 23, which discusses emotions, anger, and finding the confidence to speak up. In the episode, Rosita is frustrated when her basketball coach shortens her name, and her friends help her find the courage to tell her coach that she wants to be called Rosita, as she is proud of her name. 

In “The Sign Language ABC’S,” airing on April 11, Elmo learns that sign language has an alphabet. Elmo celebrates Alphabet Day by singing the ABC song while his friend Mathis, a deaf character, signs the song using American Sign Language. Another episode, “Brave Bessie by Brave Gabrielle,” follows Gabrielle as she performs a show about Bessie Coleman, the first African American and Native American woman who found the courage to learn to fly an airplane. The episode will be released on May 23. 

Other episodes in the new season include “Sesame Street Song Day,” premiering on Jan. 18, in which Mia learns how to sing fun children’s songs in Spanish, and “Tamir Learns Tagalog,” streaming on May 16, which features Tamir as he learns Tagalog to speak with his favorite comic book artist and make him feel welcome in the community. 

Kids can also discover and understand the importance of different holidays and cultural celebrations, such as Lunar New Year and Shabbat. Elmo and Tango will return to discuss the gift of friendship in the annual airing of “The Nutcracker: Starring Elmo and Tango” on Dec. 2. 

The new season will feature several celebrity and special guests, each helping Elmo and friends learn in new ways. Ariana DeBose, Quinta Brunson, Brandi Carlile, Dan Levy, Kal Penn, and Eugene Cordero are among those who will join the characters and children on Sesame Street for segments, songs, and Street Stories. 

In addition, Elmo, Tango, Cookie Monster, and Oscar the Grouch will leave the neighborhood to help others in unscripted special features. The Sesame Street crew will give back to the community with celebrity friends Eddie Jackson, Sunny Anderson, and Jasmine Roth and find fun solutions to common problems. Join the characters on their journey as they build community ties!

Cookie Monster-loving kids and families can watch new episodes every Thursday on Max starting Nov. 9. The season will also be available for streaming on PBS Kids.