Hi reader,

Have you ever wondered what makes a “good” children’s show that leaves you feeling less guilty about screen time?

Intuitively as parents, childcare professionals or researchers, we can spot when a kids’ show sparks an extended imaginative play session, or a barrage of curious questions.

But is there a clear method for evaluating whether media is supporting healthy development for kids?

The short answer is yes.

This is what I have been dedicated to researching for the last two years, alongside the most incredible minds (more on that coming soon).

In this post, I share six lessons that I have drawn from one of the most beloved children’s shows of all time that are hallmarks of good quality, and can help you create, choose or screen media for yourself and the little ones in your world.

These lessons are drawn from the team at Sesame Workshop, the creators of Sesame Street. Their work remains the model of excellence in translating child development theory into the creation of high quality media for kids that supports their learning.

Now I grew up in the UK, where Sesame Street was not as popular, at least in our home, as the beloved Spot The Dog series (check out the video below if you want to indulge my British nostalgia).

But whether Big Bird or Spot graced your screen as a kid, public, nonprofit institutions like the BBC or Sesame Workshop created children’s shows that measurably supported better learning outcomes for kids. 

This was not by accident.

Sesame Workshop adopted a framework for informal learning that resulted in learning gains for kids.

Children’s media has become one of the most important sites of informal learning today, as children under five spend 2-3 hours per day on average consuming media.

But not every media creator considers the huge impact of this “hidden classroom” on children’s developing minds.

Informal Learning: The Hidden Classroom

Informal learning is powerful because it is woven into the fabric of daily life.

Unlike formal learning at school, informal learning is self-directed: children can start, stop, or return at any moment. There are no levels to pass, and the content often emerges through showing, doing, or simply being alongside others.

Think about a child picking up phrases in a second language at home (unconscious informal learning), learning about history from seeing Hamilton (incidental learning), or setting out to master chess after watching The Queen’s Gambit (intentional informal learning). Each is powerful, though unstructured, and they depend on a child’s awareness, agency, and curiosity.

Today, parents and child advocates alike still want content for kids that is safe, fun and educational, and supports informal learning.

But at a time when public media is being dramatically de-funded, and over 90% of kids watch content on YouTube, how do we know what actually makes screen time educational—and what is just masquerading as ‘kid-friendly’?

Six Lessons From The Sesame Street Playbook (and Why They Still Work)

Sesame Street remains an excellent example of informal learning, and the positive impact children’s media can have on a generation of kids.

In fact, decades of research on Sesame Street show that it measurably improved children’s early literacy, numeracy, and school readiness, with effects that last into adolescence.

That’s extraordinary for a television show. How did they do it?

The team behind the production treated television like a learning system, not a distraction.

Firstly, every episode is anchored in a detailed curriculum with clear objectives. Lessons are explicit and concrete—if you wanted to teach counting, you showed it directly, not through metaphor.

Secondly, content is embedded in children’s everyday worlds: sidewalks, playgrounds, kitchens—settings where learning felt natural and relevant.

Next, the show’s magazine-style format offered multiple short segments, repeating concepts across different contexts. A child who missed it the first time might catch it the second or third. This built in both reinforcement and variety.

Representation mattered too. Diverse characters allowed children to identify with someone “like me,” while also modeling curiosity, cooperation, and resilience. Crucially, the characters were often learning themselves—inviting children to join in, rehearse, and elaborate.

Behind the scenes at the Sesame Workshop, producers, educators, and researchers are working hand-in-hand. Developmental science is integrated into the creative workflow, not separate from it.

Finally, Sesame tests ideas with kids before shows air, and then follows up to see the long-term impact. Children’s learning isn’t an afterthought—it’s built into the process from the start.

The YouTube Problem (and the Opportunity)

Now consider YouTube, where 96% percent of content labeled as “kid-friendly” is not educational at all, according to a study from University of Michigan.

That is not really surprising give that YouTube content is largely user-generated content from creators who do not have the resources—financial or technical—to deliver high quality children’s programming.

Screens are already woven into children’s daily lives, but not all media is created equal.

Much of what’s on YouTube is fast, flashy, and designed to keep kids watching—not to help them grow. Frenetic pacing can chip away at attention spans, covert ads slip in where stories should be, and too often the underlying message is simply “consume more.”

But I don’t believe the answer is to eliminate screens altogether, or to police every minute a child spends with them. Instead, the real power lies in changing what fills those minutes.

Because good stories do more than entertain—they teach. They invite children to participate, they show characters learning and growing, and they repeat ideas until they stick. Shows like Ms. Rachel have become lifelines for families because they blend comfort with genuine developmental support.

That’s the direction I’m exploring: designing media that teaches the way children naturally learn—through repetition, modeling, and stories that feel both familiar and expansive.

Key Takeaways for Practice

• Choose YouTube playlists screened by child developmental researchers. Email me at [email protected] and I will send you our YouTube page with pre-screened content for kids!

• Prefer modeling over messaging. Look for characters who learn on screen—asking questions, pausing, repairing, trying again.

• Follow up with something active. After watching, invite one simple action: draw a scene, retell the story, count the steps, act it out. A little “do” locks in a lot of “know.”

Quick Poll: What Matters Most To You in “Educational” Media?

I’m building a simple framework for parents and would love your input if you are a parent of a child 0-8. Your responses will shape the model I’m building:

I’m listening—and building—with your answers in mind.

With gratitude,
Tanyella

P.S. I took a little break from writing as we’ve been evolving my voice to be warm, clear, and more assertive—inviting readers into the process while naming what matters. Thank you for the thoughtful feedback that’s helping me shape this newsletter.