Can you tell me how to get to…tons of wonderful educational videos and games for preschoolers? Just like the neighborhood itself, the Sesame Street companion app (Sesame Workshop, 2014; iOS and Android) is the place to be: a free account gives a child access to a large selection of games as well as new and classic (ad-free) video clips from the television show.

The home screen offers a handful of featured videos and games. Below that, large icons link to additional videos organized by topic (ABCs, songs) and beloved characters (including Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Grover, Elmo, and more).





Open the navigation toolbar at the top left corner to search, revisit saved "favorites" or see what your child has watched in the dashboard feature, and choose what to watch or play next. An especially noteworthy feature of the app (accessed through the same toolbar) is the ability to browse by “Learning Area” categories: Arts, Emotional Development, Health, Literacy, Logic and Reasoning, Math, Science, and Social Development. This could be a very useful tool for an adult looking for content to support their child's development of specific skills or knowledge.

Most of the games are fairly simple and provide clear instructions, and there was a good deal of variety among them. A few of the games I played were a bit glitchy or didn’t work properly at all, but hopefully future updates will improve usability throughout. I had no problem accessing any of the videos I tried, and appreciated that after each video, related videos are listed for possible viewing. Overall, I was impressed with the sheer number and variety of games and videos to access via this one app — hours of quality learning and entertainment right at a child’s fingertips.

Available for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch (requires iOS 9.0 or later) and Android devices (requires Android 4.4 and up); free. Recommended for preschool users.

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