Watch and Play: Grover's Super Suitycase

In the Sesame Street episode Grover’s Super Suitycase (available now on Netflix and PBSKIDS), Grover notices that Elmo is feeling sad after his dad leaves for a work trip. He wants to cheer him up and tries everything to make his friend feel better, from telling jokes to singing with chickens…but nothing helps.

It is only when Grover sees Abby and Cookie Monster that he realizes he never asked Elmo how he could help. Grover just assumed that what makes him feel better would make Elmo feel better too. Grover apologizes and when he asks Elmo what he needs, he finds out that Elmo just needs a friend to just hold his hand.

Preschoolers develop social and emotional skills, like perspective-taking though play and relationships with others.

Through social situations, children begin to understand that each person has feelings and thoughts that are different from their own. However, just like Grover little ones often confuse their own perspective with others.

For example, a child may give a friend who is sad a favorite stuffed animal because the child knows it would make them feel better if they had it themself. It is important to help children notice other’s feelings and ask questions such as,

“Why do you think he felt that way?”
Or “What do you think made her feel sad?”

Figuring out how to help address the feeling is an important building block in developing empathy (the ability to care and understand how someone is feeling) and perspective-taking. Building these skills takes time and practice but they are critical in helping children develop caring relationships, navigate friendships, and be a good friend to others—just like Grover was to Elmo.

Check out the resources below to help your little one build these lifelong skills.