On November 5, Sesame Street and The Electric Company unveiled a new collection of resources for military families. Produced by Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street and The Electric Company, these innovative resources are designed to military families stay connected and communicate during times of tremendous change and uncertainty.
Provided in cooperation with the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, these new resources include:
- FamiliesNearAndFar.org – a free bilingual website designed for military families
- Feel Electric! – a free mobile app, available on the App Store, that encourages children to explore and express their emotions
- The Electric Company Magazine Special Edition for Military Families
- The Electric Company Extended Learning Program – afterschool tools for educators, filled with literacy and math-based lesson plans, games, activities and tips.
While Sesame Street is generally associated with toddlers and preschool age children, there are also resources designed for school-age children. They recognize that school-age kids need support in handling the challenges of being part of a military family, especially the added stress of having a parent deployed. The Electric Company is giving these older kids a way to express themselves. Using the website, children (young and old) can create art, make a video, record an audio message, create a greeting card and customize a family page, including adding Sesame Street characters as friends.
Content will be distributed through multiple military channels, including Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA), Boys and Girls Club of America and other programs that support military families. CompuChild will also promote the initiative to its centers, parents and students.
