Musician, broadcaster and Place2Be Ambassador YolanDa Brown OBE DL and Sesame Street’s Elmo foster positivity and build sense of belonging in new video.

Following their ‘Mindfulness Moment’ virtual playdate together last year, YolanDa invited her Sesame Street friend Elmo to visit her in the UK. Together with young pupils from St John’s CE Primary School in East London, a Place2Be partner school, they enjoy a laughter-fuelled, giggle-filled playdate, sharing some of their favourite jokes.

Watch the new World Laughter Day video here

This sweet video highlights themes of friendship, connection, and finding the joy — all vital components of happy, healthy childhoods — that help establish good habits for life, from early on.

Learning the art and nuance of joke-telling is a creative process that supports children’s development. It promotes thought and reasoning, builds concentration, enhances communication skills, nurtures imagination, and encourages a playfulness that can aid creative problem-solving and a growth mindset. In turn, all of this helps children build up a positive sense of self. [1]

As YolanDa and Sesame Street mark World Laughter Day, they are also creating a sense of belonging, as together they encourage children — and adults around them— to embrace the enjoyment of laughing together.

Laughter can be a great way to relieve stress, lessen worry, and improve mood” says Dr Rebecca Kirkbride, Place2Be’s Clinical Director. “Whilst sharing a joke or funny story helps us connect with others and can help us feel happier, laughter can also make it easier to cope with difficult situations. This is particularly relevant in the current climate, where more and more children are struggling with anxiety and worry.”

Sesame Street is available to watch on Amazon Kids+ in the UK or you can watch clips on the Sesame YouTube channel.

[1] Source: https://www.theschoolrun.com/how-humour-helps-children-learn

About YolanDa Brown OBE DL
Double MOBO Award winning artist YolanDa became a Place2Be charity Ambassador in 2022.

Also a broadcaster, YolanDa works across TV and radio, including her eponymous series for CBeebies, ‘YolanDa’s Band Jam’, which won the Royal Television Society (RTS) Awards as ‘Best Children’s programme’. Amongst her writing, YolanDa has composed “I Am Somebody (Giant Song)” for Sesame Street, encouraging children to feel strong in their own skin. Other work includes animated series ‘Bea’s Block’ (produced by Sesame Workshop for Sky Kids) and ‘CocoMelon Lane’ (Netflix).

YolanDa is Chair of BPI (BRIT Awards, Mercury Prize), Chair of Youth Music,and Chancellor of the University of Kent. She’s a member of the Arts Council National Council and sits on the DfE advisory panel of the National Plan for Music Education. Additionally, YolanDa is an Ambassador for The King’s Trust and London Music Fund.

YolanDa was appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London in 2022 and awarded an OBE for Services to Music, Music Education and Broadcasting in the 2023 New Year Honours List.

Learn more at www.yolandabrown.co.uk and follow YolanDa on Instagram X Facebook and LinkedIn.

About Place2Be
Place2Be is a leading children’s mental health charity providing school-based support and in-depth training programmes to improve the emotional wellbeing of pupils, families, teachers and school staff. The charity currently provides mental health service in over 700 UK primary and secondary schools across the UK, supporting a school community of around 350,000 children and young people.

HRH The Princess of Wales became Patron of Place2Be in 2013, reflecting her personal interest in and commitment to improving children’s mental health.

Place2Be is also the charity behind the annual ‘Children’s Mental Health Week’ campaign, now in its 12^th year.

Learn more at www.place2be.org.uk, and follow Place2Be on Instagram, X, Facebook and LinkedIn.

About Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop is the global nonprofit behind Sesame Street and so much more.

For over 50 years, we have worked at the intersection of education, media, and research, creating joyful experiences that enrich minds and expand hearts, all in service of empowering each generation to build a better world.

Our beloved characters, iconic shows, outreach in communities, and more bring playful early learning to families in more than 150 countries and advance our mission to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.

Learn more at www.sesame.org and follow Sesame Workshop on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X. 