A New Sesame Street Special Tackles Big Feelings During Storms
Families looking for a way to help young children understand severe weather will soon have a new resource. Beginning August 3, 2026, Netflix will stream Storm on Sesame Street, a special designed to help children prepare for and recover from extreme weather events while managing the emotions that often accompany them.
The special follows Elmo, Abby Cadabby, and their friends as they experience a major storm that disrupts life on Sesame Street. Through age-appropriate storytelling, songs, and familiar characters, children learn practical lessons about preparedness, resilience, community support, and coping with uncertainty. According to Sesame Workshop, the initiative aims to help children “build resilience before, during and after extreme weather events.”
The special serves as the launch of a broader Sesame Workshop initiative focused on helping families navigate weather-related emergencies. As climate-related events become increasingly common, the organization hopes to provide children with tools that make frightening situations feel more understandable and manageable.
Helping Children Cope With Weather Emergencies
One of the key goals of Storm on Sesame Street is helping children understand that feeling scared, worried, or confused during a storm is normal. The special encourages kids to talk about their emotions, ask questions, and rely on trusted adults for support.
The accompanying resources are designed to help families create emergency plans and practice preparedness together before severe weather strikes. The organization notes that children cope better with stressful situations when they know what to expect and have opportunities to discuss their concerns in advance.
Parents can reinforce the lessons by involving children in age-appropriate emergency planning, practicing safety routines, and encouraging open conversations about fears or worries. By framing preparedness as something families do together, adults can help children feel more confident and secure during uncertain situations.
A New Chapter for Sesame Street on Netflix
The arrival of Storm on Sesame Street also reflects Sesame Street’s growing presence on Netflix. Earlier this year, the streaming platform became a new home for future Sesame Street programming, helping the iconic children’s franchise reach audiences across the globe.
Storm on Sesame Street combines entertainment with practical education, a formula that has defined Sesame Street for generations. Since its debut in 1969, the series has helped children learn everything from letters and numbers to emotional regulation and social skills, making it one of the most influential educational programs in television history.
With Storm on Sesame Street, the franchise continues that tradition—using beloved characters and engaging storytelling to help children understand the world around them, even when that world feels a little stormy.
