Sesame Street Just Released 100+ Episodes on YouTube—Starting With the Very First One

Sesame Street fans are in for a joyful trip down memory lane. More than 100 full episodes of the beloved children’s series are now available to stream on YouTube and the YouTube Kids app, giving families unprecedented access to decades of classic content.

In fact, YouTube is now home to the largest digital collection of Sesame Street episodes ever assembled. Alongside newer seasons, parents can also find some of the most iconic moments from the show’s long and influential history—episodes that shaped generations of children through humor, kindness, and thoughtful storytelling.

What Can Families Expect from Sesame Street on YouTube?

For more than 56 years, Sesame Street has been a trusted presence in homes around the world. Parents who grew up alongside Big Bird, Bert and Ernie, Elmo, and Cookie Monster are now sharing those same characters with their own children. Over the decades, the show has continued to evolve, introducing new characters and storylines that reflect changing times, including themes centered on social-emotional learning, inclusion, and mental health.

With this expanded digital library, families can revisit pivotal moments from Sesame Street history, including:

• Welcome to Sesame Street (1969): The very first episode, where audiences were introduced to Big Bird, Bert and Ernie, Kermit the Frog, and the vibrant neighborhood that would become a cultural landmark.

• Snuffy’s Reveal (1971): A groundbreaking episode in which Big Bird discovers that Snuffleupagus is real—not imaginary—marking an important shift in how the show addressed children’s perspectives.

• Mr. Rogers’ Visit (1981): A memorable crossover moment when Fred Rogers stepped onto Sesame Street, uniting two beloved worlds of children’s television.

• Maria and Luis’ Engagement: A joyful late-1980s storyline that celebrated love and community as two long-time characters took a major life step together.

• Saying Goodbye to Mr. Hooper (1983): One of the most emotional episodes in the show’s history, helping children understand loss and grief with honesty and compassion.

Beyond full-length episodes, families will also find short-form videos featuring favorite characters, as well as longer themed compilations that run up to two hours. These collections are organized by topic—perfect for children learning letters and numbers, exploring animals, or enjoying music and movement.

Where Families Are Watching

A significant portion of Sesame Street viewing on YouTube now happens on connected televisions, reflecting how families increasingly watch together on larger screens. The platform has already become a major destination for the series, with billions of views generated in the past year alone.

All of this content is available through the official Sesame Street and Sesame Street Classics YouTube channels, with the library fully accessible as of January 15, 2026.

For families looking for the newest episodes, the current season of Sesame Street is still available through streaming platforms like Netflix, as well as on traditional PBS stations—ensuring that both timeless classics and modern stories remain within reach.

Why Sesame Street Still Matters — and Why Parents Are Rediscovering It on YouTube

If you’ve ever caught yourself humming the Sesame Street theme song while your child watches an episode, you’re not alone. For many parents, introducing their kids to Sesame Street feels like sharing a piece of childhood—one rooted in kindness, curiosity, and lessons that quietly shaped who we became.

Now, that shared experience is easier than ever. More than 100 full episodes of the classic children’s series are available on YouTube and the YouTube Kids app, opening the door for families to revisit familiar moments and introduce a new generation to the neighborhood that has defined educational television for more than half a century.

A Living Library of Sesame Street History

YouTube is now home to the largest digital collection of Sesame Street content ever assembled. Alongside episodes from more recent seasons, parents can also find some of the most iconic moments from the show’s long history—stories that helped children understand friendship, fairness, loss, and joy long before those topics were openly discussed elsewhere.

For more than 56 years, Sesame Street has been a steady presence in family homes. Generations of children have grown up with Big Bird, Bert and Ernie, Elmo, Cookie Monster, and countless others who modeled empathy and emotional intelligence in simple, relatable ways. As society changed, the show changed with it—introducing new characters and storylines that reflect social-emotional learning, inclusion, and mental health awareness.

Episodes That Shaped a Generation

With this expanded digital library, families can revisit pivotal moments from Sesame Street history, including:

• Welcome to Sesame Street (1969): The very first episode, where viewers met Big Bird, Bert and Ernie, Kermit the Frog, and the diverse neighborhood that would become a cultural touchstone.

• Snuffy’s Reveal (1971): A groundbreaking moment when Big Bird learned that Snuffleupagus was real, reinforcing the importance of believing children and validating their experiences.

• Mr. Rogers’ Visit (1981): A historic crossover that united two of the most trusted voices in children’s television.

• Maria and Luis’ Engagement: A celebratory storyline from the late 1980s that reflected love, commitment, and community.

• Saying Goodbye to Mr. Hooper (1983): A deeply emotional episode that gently helped children understand death and grief—handled with honesty and compassion rarely seen in children’s programming.

These episodes don’t just entertain; they invite meaningful conversations between parents and children, offering moments to pause, explain, and connect.

More Than Episodes: Learning for Today’s Kids

Beyond full-length episodes, families will also find short-form videos featuring favorite Sesame Street characters, along with longer curated compilations organized by topic. Whether a child is learning letters and numbers, exploring animals, or enjoying music and movement, there’s content designed to meet them right where they are.

For parents navigating screen time, this flexibility matters. The ability to choose educational, age-appropriate content—while also sharing something familiar—makes Sesame Street a rare example of media that truly works for both generations.

Why Families Are Watching Together Again

Today, a large portion of Sesame Street viewing on YouTube happens on connected televisions, reflecting a shift toward shared family viewing. With billions of views in the past year alone, the series continues to prove that thoughtful, values-driven children’s programming still has a place in modern family life.

All classic content is available through the official Sesame Street and Sesame Street Classics YouTube channels as of January 15, 2026. Newer seasons remain available through streaming platforms and traditional public television—ensuring that both nostalgia and new storytelling continue to live side by side.

A Family Perspective

In a world where children’s content moves quickly and trends change overnight, Sesame Street endures because it respects its audience—both young and old. For parents, revisiting these episodes isn’t just about nostalgia. It’s about slowing down, sitting together, and remembering that some of the most important lessons are taught gently, over time, by familiar faces on a quiet street we all once called home.