Sesame Street Crisis - Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street?

"Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street?"
"No. No, I cannot."

My Sesame Street Crisis

It was the end of the day. I had just picked up the kids from pre-school. Little did I know someone was thinking about Sesame Street. As we were headed home, stopped at a stop sign, waiting for traffic to pass, my youngest daughter asks:

"Where are we going?"
"We are going home." I replied.
"I don't want to go home."
"You don't?" I questioned, looking at her in the rearview mirror. "Where do you want to go?"
"Sesame Street."

How do I get out of this one?

"Honey, we can't get to Sesame Street."
"I want to go to Sesame Street." She repeated.
"I'm sorry, I am not sure how to get there."

The car became quiet. We continued to drive home, and I forgot about the conversation. As I pulled into the driveway. I heard a wimper in the backseat.

"What's the matter?" I asked.
"I did not want to go home. I want to go to Sesame Street."
I pulled the car into the garage and shut off the engine.
"I am sorry honey. We cannot go to Sesame Street."
"Why not?"

Now I was in a full blown Sesame Street crisis. There was no graceful exit. I cannot tell my four year old that Sesame Street is all pretend. And most certainly, even if I did figure something out, we would not be going to Sesame Street today. After all, the Sesame Street studios were no where near where we lived.

I wanted to console her, but all I could come up with was the truth. "Honey, I don't know to get to Sesame Street." I felt two inches tall.

"Can you tell me how to get,
How to get to Sesame street,
How to get to Sesame Street
How to get to... "

You Can Get to Sesame Street

How do I get to Sesame Street? Do I try to go to the studio? Where in the heck is the studio? Do they do tours? I really did not find out anything about the studio, but I found two other Sesame streets: one is in Langhome, Pennsylvania and the other is in Rochester, New York.

Sesame Place is a theme park owned by Anheuser-Bush. It is northeast of Philadelphia, and west of Trenton, New Jersey. The theme park features characters from the Sesame Street television program along with a variety of rides, shows and water attractions. The park is suited to very young children. Twice a day, there is a parade featuring all of the Sesame Place characters with music, large floats and dancers. You can also schedule dining experiences with the characters.

At Sesame Place you can see the following Sesame Street characters: Elmo, Big Bird, Ernie, Bert, Grover, Super Grover, Abby Cadabby, Rosita, Zoe, Cookie Monster, Count Von Count, Telly Monster, Baby Bear, Oscar the Grouch and Prairie Dawn.

The other place to find Sesame Street is at the Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York. The Strong Museum is a combination of a children's museum and a history museum. The theme is based on the history of play in American culture. The museum is home to the National Toy Hall of Fame and the National Center for the History of Electronic Games. And, it has a Sesame Street exhibit.

The Sesame Street exhibit provides hands-on experience with activities that you see on television. You can sit on the famous 123 Sesame Street stoop. In Elmo's World, you can visit Mr. Noodle along with Elmo. You can see yourself on television with the Muppets and video tape it. And, of course, you will find Big Bird. Big Bird is looking out the window onto Sesame Street. The big yellow taxicab is also there.

Overall, the exhibit features three decades on Sesame Street. Interactive components allow children to explore concepts about letters, words, numbers, and diversity.

Epilogue

So where did we end up? At the museum. It was closer, and well worth the experience. The theme park would have to await another day.

When we left the museum, I asked the children, "Well, did we get to Sesame Street?"
"Yes." was the answer.

"Sunny day - Sweepin' the clouds away,
On my way to where the air is sweet.
Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street?"

Yes. Yes, I can.

Sesame Street Theme Song Lyrics

Sunny day - Sweepin' the clouds away,
On my way to where the air is sweet.
Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street

Come and play, everything's A-OK
Friendly neighbors there that's where we meet
Can you tell me how to get
How to get to Sesame Street

It's a magic carpet ride. Every door will open wide.
To Happy people like you. Happy people who.

What a beautiful sunny day sweepin' the clouds away
On my way to where the air is sweet
Can you tell me how to get,
How to get to Sesame street,
How to get to Sesame Street,
How to get to...