Sesame Street is an educational children’s television series.  Creators Joan Ganz Cooney and Llyod Morrisett wanted to develop a show that could take television’s addictive qualities and use that towards a positive goal.  The show communicates educational goals to children through Muppets, humor, cultural references, animation, and short films.

It was on this day, November 10, 1969, that Sesame Street first premiered on PBS TV.  It was the first time a show used educational goals and curriculum to shape its content and was targeted specifically at preschool age children.  Since then, it has expanded its curriculum to include topics such as ethics, emotions, and relationships.

In 1996, a survey found that by the time they were three years old, 95% of all American preschoolers had watched the show.  Sesame Street set records by winning 118 Emmy Awards as well as eight Grammy Awards, more than any other children’s show.  Studies have shown that the educational program has had a positive effect on its young audience.