Your Kid Can Now Have a Playdate With Elmo & Anne Hathaway

Between virtual concerts with musicians and virtual storytimes with authors, there is so much digital entertainment right now to curb kid boredom at home (thank goodness). Self-isolation might be, well, isolating, but it doesn’t have to be lonely. And while kids are certainly feeling the lack of playdates with their friends these days (and the unique challenges of homeschooling), Sesame Streetdecided that not all playdates need to fall by the wayside simply because we’re social distancing; in fact, the Sesame Street folks are here to host playdates between Elmo and your little ones on Zoom. 

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“We hope Sesame Street: Elmo’s Playdate will entertain and inspire families at a moment when so many are feeling isolated and overwhelmed by current events,” Steve Youngwood, Sesame Workshop’s president, told People. 

In addition to keeping your kids occupied before their next meal (which turns out to be way more than three times a day at home!), this half-hour special will make your kids feel like they’re hanging out with their favorite stars. Lin-Manuel Miranda, Anne Hathaway, and Tracee Ellis Ross will be joining the red muppet on the big screen (aka Zoom) as part of Sesame Street‘s “Caring for Each Other” initiative, which hopes to bring people together even while we’re apart. The Elmo special will show kids how to learn online and teach them fun things to do with their family indoors. If your kid is already staring at a screen all day, why not have them stare at something educational and sweet?

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Plus, kids will get a chance to celebrate EMTs and others on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic. Hathaway will be singing “Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes” in between rounds of “Elmo Says” and “Old McDonald Had a Farm” led by Miranda. Honestly, sounds like a grand time for all involved.

Tune in Tuesday, April 14th at 7:00 PM EST on HBO, Cartoon Network, Boomerang, TBS, TNT, truTV or PBS KIDS to join the video conference.

These Sesame Street recipes are almost too cute to eat.