There are very few things in this world that bridge the gap between Generation X, Millennials, Gen Z, and now Generation Alpha. Technology changes, fashion evolves, and slang becomes unrecognizable, but one thing remains a constant comfort in the landscape of childhood: Sesame Street.
Let’s celebrate this evergreen classic today with some super fun Sesame Street crafts for kids! These activities are perfect for Sesame Street Day on November 10th, Elmo’s birthday on February 3rd, Cookie Monster’s birthday on November 2nd, or simply a rainy afternoon when you need to sweep the clouds away.
A Legacy of Laughter: The History of Sesame Street
Before we dive into the glue and glitter, it is worth understanding why this show is such a titan of television. Many childhood experiences are common among people of a certain generation—I know only my generation understands the struggle of a CD Walkman skipping! So, it is incredible that there is a show that has enthralled kids for over five decades.
How did it all begin? In the mid-60s, nearly every home in America had a TV, and young children were watching over 25 hours of television a week. Joan Ganz Cooney, a Channel 13 producer, noticed a gap. Most programs were merely entertaining (or violent), but none were utilizing the medium to teach. She wondered: Could TV be used to help children learn?
The original working title for the show was ‘123 Avenue B‘, but it was eventually changed. The word ‘Sesame‘ was chosen because the phrase ‘Open Sesame’ from Arabian Nights indicates entry to a place where magic happens. It was an apt choice!
The first episode aired on November 10, 1969. Since then, November 10th has been celebrated as Sesame Street Day. As we celebrate the show’s 55th anniversary, let’s bring that magic into our homes with these 15 adorable crafts.
1. Handprint Elmo & Cookie Monster
Character Focus: Elmo & Cookie Monster Skill Level: Toddler/Preschool
You know how the Sesame Street characters’ faces look, but have you noticed their hands? Apparently, all the main characters have only four fingers—except Cookie Monster who has five! This craft uses your child’s own handprint to create the fuzzy bodies of their favorite characters.
- How to make it: Paint your child’s hand with red paint (for Elmo) or blue paint (for Cookie Monster). Press it firmly onto white cardstock. Once dry, the fingers become the furry body/legs. Add a large pair of googly eyes and a black paper mouth. For Cookie Monster, glue a small real cookie (or a brown paper circle) near the mouth!
2. Paper Plate Big Bird
Character Focus: Big Bird Skill Level: Preschool
Big Bird has been teaching us that it’s okay not to know everything and that asking questions is how we learn. Capture his sunny disposition with a simple paper plate.
- How to make it: You will need a large paper plate, yellow paint, and yellow feathers. Paint the plate bright yellow. Once dry, glue yellow craft feathers all over the plate to give it that “fluffy” texture. Cut a beak out of orange construction paper and pink paper for eyelids. The sensory experience of the feathers makes this a hit with younger kids.
3. Oscar the Grouch’s Trash Can Pencil Holder
Character Focus: Oscar Skill Level: Elementary
“I love trash!” Oscar teaches kids that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. This craft doubles as a functional desk organizer.
- How to make it: Clean out an empty tin can (ensure there are no sharp edges). Have the kids paint it silver or wrap it in aluminum foil to look like a metal trash can. Use green yarn or green pom-poms to create Oscar peeking out of the top. Glue on a pair of bushy brown eyebrows (made of felt or yarn) to give him his signature grouchy expression.
4. Bert and Ernie Toilet Roll Buddies
Character Focus: Bert & Ernie Skill Level: Easy
You can’t have one without the other! These best friends teach us about getting along despite our differences.
- How to make it: Save your empty toilet paper rolls. Paint one yellow (Bert) and one orange (Ernie).
- For Bert: Add a unibrow using black marker and a piece of vertical black yarn for hair. Don’t forget his striped vertical shirt!
- For Ernie: Give him messy black yarn hair and a horizontally striped shirt.
- Activity: Use them as puppets to reenact funny scenes about rubber duckies or collecting bottle caps.
5. Cookie Monster’s Slime Sensory Play
Character Focus: Cookie Monster Skill Level: Sensory Play
Kids love slime, and Cookie Monster loves cookies. Combine them for the ultimate sensory bin.
- How to make it: Create a standard blue slime using clear glue, baking soda, contact lens solution, and blue food coloring. Mix in small brown pom-poms or foam circles to represent “chocolate chips.” Add large googly eyes into the slime. Kids can stretch the “blue monster” and hunt for the cookies hidden inside.
6. The Count’s Number Cape
Character Focus: Count von Count Skill Level: Medium
One craft! Two crafts! Ah ah ah! The Count makes math marvelous.
- How to make it: Use a piece of black fabric or a black garbage bag to cut out a simple cape shape. Let your child decorate the cape with numbers cut out of purple and green felt. You can also make a monocle using a pipe cleaner and a piece of string. This is great for a Halloween costume or just math playtime.
7. Abby Cadabby’s Magic Wand
Character Focus: Abby Cadabby Skill Level: Easy
Abby brings a touch of magic and fairy tales to the street.
- How to make it: Take a wooden dowel or a chopstick and paint it pink. Cut a star shape out of sparkly cardstock or foam. Glue the star to the top of the stick. Attach long ribbons of pink, purple, and blue to the base of the star so they flow when waved.
- The Lesson: Use the wand to play “rhyme time,” encouraging kids to come up with rhyming words just like Abby does.
8. Paper Bag Grover Puppet
Character Focus: Super Grover Skill Level: Easy
Grover is lovable, accident-prone, and always trying to help. A paper bag puppet is the classic way to bring him to life.
- How to make it: Use a standard blue or brown lunch bag. If brown, paint it blue. The bottom flap of the bag serves as the face. Add a pink pom-pom nose and a red mouth inside the flap so it looks like he is talking when you move your hand.
- Bonus: Make a foil helmet and a red paper cape to turn him into Super Grover!
9. Elmo’s Red Tissue Paper Collage
Character Focus: Elmo Skill Level: Toddler (Fine Motor Skills)
This is excellent for developing fine motor skills in very young children.
- How to make it: Draw a large outline of Elmo’s head on a piece of paper. Cut red tissue paper into small squares. Have the child scrunch the squares into balls and glue them onto the outline. The scrunched paper mimics Elmo’s fur perfectly. Add the orange nose and eyes at the end.
10. “Rubber Ducky” Soap Making
Character Focus: Ernie Skill Level: Adult Supervision Required
“Rubber Ducky, you’re the one!” Make bath time fun with this science-meets-craft activity.
- How to make it: Buy a clear melt-and-pour soap base. Melt it in the microwave. Pour a little bit into a soap mold, let it cool slightly, and then place a small (clean) rubber duck toy in the center. Pour the rest of the soap over it. Once it hardens, the kids have a bar of soap with a ducky trapped inside! They have to wash their hands to free him!
11. Yip Yip Martians Bookmarks
Character Focus: The Martians (Yip Yips) Skill Level: Easy
These aliens are hilarious and visually very simple, making them perfect for crafting.
- How to make it: These work best as “corner bookmarks.” Fold a square of blue or pink paper into a corner bookmark shape. The hanging triangle part becomes the tentacles of the alien. Add two large white circles for eyes and a black void for the mouth. When used in a book, it looks like the Yip Yip is eating the page!
12. Sesame Street Sign Ornament
Character Focus: The Iconic Sign Skill Level: Medium
Every kid wants to know how to get to Sesame Street. Now they can have the sign in their room.
- How to make it: Use green craft foam or popsicle sticks painted green. Create a rectangle with a semi-circle on top. Paint the border yellow. Use white foam letters or a white paint pen to write “SESAME STREET” or customize it with the child’s name (e.g., “NOAH’S STREET”). Attach a string to hang it on a doorknob.
13. Snuffleupagus Yarn Wrapping
Character Focus: Mr. Snuffleupagus Skill Level: Preschool
Big Bird’s best friend is known for his long, shaggy fur.
- How to make it: Cut a Snuffleupagus shape out of thick cardboard. Give the child a ball of brown yarn. Have them wrap the yarn around and around the cardboard body. This builds dexterity and results in a fuzzy, textured Snuffy.
14. Rosita’s Guitar
Character Focus: Rosita Skill Level: Medium
Rosita is the first turquoise bilingual monster on Sesame Street, and she loves music.
- How to make it: Upcycle an empty tissue box and a paper towel roll. Glue the roll to the short end of the box to make the neck of the guitar. Paint everything turquoise. Stretch rubber bands across the opening of the tissue box to create “strings” that actually make noise when plucked!
15. The “Sunny Days” Headband
Character Focus: General Theme Skill Level: Easy
Perfect for a Sesame Street-themed birthday party.
- How to make it: Cut a strip of cardstock to fit around the child’s head. Decorate the band with cutouts of all the characters—Elmo, Zoe, Cookie, and Big Bird. You can also add a yellow sun and fluffy white cotton ball clouds to reference the “Sunny Days” theme song.
Why Sesame Street Crafts Matter
Crafting with these characters is about more than just keeping kids busy. It taps into the educational philosophy of the show itself.
1. Emotional Intelligence: Making an “Oscar the Grouch” face helps kids identify and talk about feelings of anger or grumpiness. 2. Diversity and Inclusion: Characters like Julia (who has autism) or Rosita (who speaks Spanish) allow for conversations about how everyone is different and special while crafting. 3. The Power of “Yet”: Just like the show teaches, crafting requires patience. If a child says, “I can’t cut this circle,” you can remind them, “You can’t do it yet.”
Conclusion: Sweeping the Clouds Away
Whether you are Team Elmo or Team Grover, these crafts provide a wonderful opportunity to sit down with your children and share in the joy of a show that has likely touched your own life.
The genius of Sesame Street is that it never talks down to children; it lifts them up. It invites them into a neighborhood where monsters are friendly, counting is cool, and kindness is the most important currency. By engaging in these crafts, you are extending those lessons off the screen and into the real world.
