The Impact of Sesame Street on Preschool Children: A Review and Synthesis of 30 Years' Research

Abstract

Thirty years after its broadcast premiere, Sesame Street continues to pursue its mission of entertaining and educating children around the world. This article assesses the impact of the U.S. Sesame Street and several international Sesame Street coproductions, through a review of research on the series' effects on children's academic skills and social behavior: Consistent patterns of data collected over 30 years indicate that Sesame Street holds significant positive effects for its viewers across a broad range of subject areas. Measurable effects can endure for as long as 10 to 12 years, and many have been found to be consistent across countries and cultures as well.