Parents' Guide to

Kinect Sesame Street TV

By Chad Sapieha, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 3+

Excellent example of educational interactive television.

Game Xbox 360 2012
Kinect Sesame Street TV Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

  • Kinect Sesame Street TV Game: Screenshot #1
  • Kinect Sesame Street TV Game: Screenshot #2
  • Kinect Sesame Street TV Game: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

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age 3+

Based on 2 parent reviews

ResponsibleParentOf9
ResponsibleParentOf9 Parent of 1, 3, 4, 6, 6 and 12-year-old
June 24, 2013
age 2+

Terrific!

Best Xbox game ever! I went out and bought an Xbox just for this game! MY CHILDREN LOVE IT. Thank you, PBS, for creating ONE video game I can say "yes" to. HOWEVER, it may lead children to seek out more from the TV show, but that's ok, it's educational.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Too much consumerism
Easy to play/use
mamamolly
mamamolly Parent of 3 and 3-year-old
April 26, 2013
age 3+

A big hit with my 4-year-olds

We recently downloaded this for my (just turned) 4-year-olds and they've really enjoyed it. It was a little less game-like than I had imagined. It's basically watching a half hour episode of sesame street, but with many interactive elements integrated into it (e.g., throwing something at the screen, jumping up and down, and their favorite element is getting to see themselves on the screen with elmo is a variety of goofy backgrounds and situations). But still, it's amazing how different that makes the viewing experience. Rather than lounging around on the sofa as they do with regular shows, they're on their feet, actively engaged the whole time. And that's a great thing in my book. The educational aspect skews more toward the lower end of the group (basic counting, recognizing letters and shapes), but the interactivity is excellent regardless of content.

This title has:

Great messages
Easy to play/use
See all 2 parent reviews

What’s It About?

KINECT SESAME STREET TV is a collection of eight interactive 30-minute episodes of PBS's long-running educational series. Kids watch familiar clips from the show -- Feist singing \"1, 2, 3, 4,\" Elmo learning how to make a boat for a rock, a parody of the show Glee about the letter G -- as well as content created specifically for the software. This game even introduces a new Muppet named Cooper. Some of these segments require direct interaction, such as clapping to identify the letter of the day or standing still for as many seconds as the number of the day, while others include optional interactions, like pointing and saying \"picture!\" whenever you see a specific object in the background of clip. A handful of segments are passive, allowing kids the chance to sit back and rest. The software also comes with a season pass to the Kinect Sesame Street app, providing access to countless streaming segments spanning the show's 30-plus year history.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (4):

You're unlikely to find any Xbox 360 software more suitable for young children -- or more educational. Kinect Sesame Street TV stays true to the show's philosophy, featuring content that is proudly educational and unabashedly geared for preschooler sensibilities. Important lessons about social interactions and numbers and letters play out in entertaining little stories filled with colorful characters and genuine humor. This is edutainment done right.

Perhaps the only stumbling block is a dearth of activity diversity. Each show follows a very strict formula with similar activities repeating across episodes. Some kids may find this reiteration comforting, but others -- especially those skewing toward the older range of the game's target audience -- are likely to find it a tad boring. Still, there's little denying this is a terrific title for kids that may represent the future of children's educational programming.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about sharing. Why is it important to share? With whom do you frequently share? How do you feel if your friends don't share with you?

  • Families can also discuss what it means to be a family. What makes brothers and sisters different than friends? What makes moms and dads different than teachers and nannies?

Game Details

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