Building Healthy Minds and Hearts Early: Sesame Workshop Expands Emotional Well-Being Initiative

NEW YORK, May 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sesame Workshop, the global nonprofit behind Sesame Street, is expanding its suite of emotional well-being resources designed to help young children and the caring adults in their lives navigate everyday challenges and strengthen resilience and social problem-solving skills. Building on Sesame Workshop's multi-year commitment to children's mental health, the new videos and digital content feature the beloved Sesame Street characters and offer practical tools that meet families where they are and support communication between parents and providers.

"When children are given the tools to navigate challenges, they gain the confidence to learn, grow, and thrive," said Rocio Galarza, Vice President, U.S. Educational Programs, Sesame Workshop. "Love and support through everyday moments are the first and most important building blocks in helping children overcome whatever comes their way. But parents and providers need support, too, especially when it comes to talking about children's emotional well-being. We know that developing a healthy mind, body, and heart starts early and that caring, trusted adults make a world of difference. Through these resources, we're giving families simple, research-based ways to help children understand their feelings, build resilience, and know they can ask for help."

New and existing resources on sesame.org/mentalhealth, available free of charge and in both English and Spanish, help to normalize conversations about feelings and give caregivers simple, actionable ways to support children's emotional well-being every day.

Philanthropic Support from MetLife Foundation and Morgan Stanley Expands Global Impact
New resources funded by MetLife Foundation will empower children and their caregivers with practical knowledge and strategies to strengthen social connections and nurture relationships. Sesame Workshop will collaborate with key community partners to distribute the resources in select regions including Brazil, India, Mexico, the Middle East and the United States. Digital content featuring Elmo, Abby Cadabby, and their Sesame Street friends emphasizes core messages such as the value of taking others' perspectives, doing kind things, and cooperating. These themes are also woven into select Tales from 123 segments, supported by MetLife Foundation as part of this global collaboration, in Sesame Street's current 56^th season on Netflix and PBS KIDS.

New resources supported by the Morgan Stanley Alliance for Children's Mental Health are designed to help parents and caregivers foster emotional well-being and resilience in their children and the family. Videos, including a new song called "We Can Do Hard Things," and articles featuring Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Rosita, and Grover highlight strategies such as developing a growth mindset, perspective-taking, community-building, collaborative problem-solving, and active listening.

"At a time when leading pediatric organizations have identified children's mental health as a national concern, Sesame Workshop's emotional well-being initiative focuses on reaching children early, with the support of like-minded organizations," said Lesley Bourns, Senior Vice President, Impact Programs, Sesame Workshop. "Our emotional well-being videos and books emphasize nurturing relationships and compassion for oneself and others, helping children build a strong foundation for lifelong emotional health." 

New Books from Random House Children's Books, Chronicle Books, Lerner Publishing Group, and Mayo Clinic Press Kids
Random House Children's Books is launching a new Little Golden Book, Elmo's Day with Rocco, illustrated in the signature Funko Pop! style. Available May 5, this hilarious storybook stars Elmo, Zoe, and of course, Zoe's pet rock. Young readers will delight in the funny dynamic friendship between Elmo and Rocco. Will Elmo find a healthy way to express and manage his big feelings?

Chronicle Books releases Elmo Checks In: How Is Everybody Doing? inspired by Elmo's viral post, this fall. The furry red monster brings his affirmations and trademark insight and comfort to anyone in need of a little reassurance.

Lerner Publishing Group will be introducing Building Relationships with Sesame Street^® this fall. This new six-book series explores key social and emotional learning topics. Readers can also look forward to additional mindfulness-focused Sesame Street titles later this year.

Mayo Clinic Press Kids is debuting its "Everyday Feelings with Sesame Street" series, starting with Get the Wiggles Out: Playful Ways to Embrace Every Feeling. This playful and empowering picture book helps kids find ways to manage their feelings, one movement at a time — from nervous wiggles to excited jumps. When Elmo feels nervous at the doctor's office and Abby bursts with excitement at the library, Get the Wiggles Out shows children fun, simple ways to handle big feelings. Additional titles will roll out later this year.

About Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop is the global nonprofit behind Sesame Street and so much more. For over 50 years, we have worked at the intersection of education, media, and research, creating joyful experiences that enrich minds and expand hearts, all in service of empowering each generation to build a better world. Our beloved characters, iconic shows, outreach in communities, and more bring playful early learning to families in more than 190 countries and advance our mission to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. Learn more at www.sesame.org and follow Sesame Workshop on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X.

SOURCE Sesame Workshop