Parents' Guide to

Sesame Street: Ready for School!

By Nancy Davis Kho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 3+

Elmo makes starting school look like a blast.

Movie NR 2007 45 minutes
Sesame Street: Ready for School! Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

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

Community Reviews

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age 7+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Lebron12James3
Lebron12James3 Parent
December 19, 2021
age 10+

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Iliana W.
Iliana W. Parent of 3 and 6-year-old
September 14, 2016
age 3+

Sesame Street: Ready For School!

My 3yo watched this before preschool. Where was Cookie Monster? My 3yo missed him a lot. It didn't have anything accurate about preschool. Elmo didn't learn his letters, have a nap, or have to deal with the fact that he would lose his morning nap. I prefer Lily and Tad's getting ready for school.
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

SESAME STREET: READY FOR SCHOOL is a sweet musical that helps kids understand what to expect on their first day of school. Every toddler's favorite Muppet, Elmo (voiced by Kevin Clash), talks with his friends up and down Sesame Street about their school experiences, and begins to form a picture of what the future holds for him. His excitement may be enough to help a shy or reluctant toddler overcome his or her own fears about school. Familiar faces include Gabi (Desiree Casado) and Miles (Olamide Faison), all grown up and ready to graduate from high school. As always with Sesame Street there are cameos -- in this case, Shirley Jones plays Mrs. (Mother) Goose, teacher at the Storybook Community School. The video also includes a special feature starring one of Sesame Street's newest residents, Abby Cadabra.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (3):

Scenes at the school, with its bevy of storybook characters like Jack and Jill and Peter Piper, include the usual delightful Sesame Street humor aimed equally at adults and kids. While Elmo is extremely enthusiastic about starting school, not everyone else is; Baby Bear (David Rudman) worries about what his family is doing without him, and Gabi reminds Miles how shy he was in kindergarten. It's nice that the DVD acknowledges that not everyone will be as happy as Elmo on their first day, in a way that will make such kids feel understood.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what kids are expecting when they go to school. What do they think they'll like the most? What worries or concerns do they have, or, as a parent, what do you remember worrying about on your first day? Families might play school like Mr. Alan does with Elmo, letting kids decide which activities to do.

Movie Details

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