Watch and Play: Elmo’s Toy Swap
Watch this episode and explore ways to extend the learning at home.
In the Sesame Street episode Elmo’s Toy Swap (available now on Netflix and PBSKIDS), Elmo and friends are swapping toys they no longer want or need. However, Elmo becomes angry when he watches his old toys played differently by his friends. Elmo thinks his flying disc should be used as racecar steering wheel, not a pretend shield and his football should be used as a spaceship, not a pretend dinosaur egg. Elmo’s insists his friends are playing with his toys all wrong so swaps them back.
When Elmo sees Charlie, he tells her what’s wrong. She reminds Elmo that there are many different ways to play. It can be fun to see your friends use your old things in new ways. After apologizing Elmo plays and sings with his Sesame friends.
Preschoolers often need help identifying what they are feeling and why. They can have big feelings but need support to put these emotions into words and connect the feeling with the moment.
Learning to label emotions also helps preschoolers better understand the feelings of others and look at a situation from more than one perspective. Charlie helped Elmo understand that there was more than one way to play and see the situation from another point of view. Next time your little one is having a big feeling talk about a real-life situation when your feelings changed after thinking about a situation differently. Remember building perspective taking takes time and practice. Check out the resources below:
Watch and Play Together Activities
Find this episode on Netflix, PBS Kids or Nationwide Public Television (Check local listings).
