Many childhood experiences are specific to a certain era. For instance, children growing up today might never understand the struggle of a CD Walkman skipping or the patience required to rewind a VHS tape. However, there is one incredible phenomenon that has enthralled children across generations—from Generation X all the way to Gen Alpha. We are, of course, talking about the magic of Sesame Street.
As one of the world’s longest-running children’s television shows, Sesame Street has evolved with the times while keeping its core mission intact. Whether you are a fan of the enthusiastic Elmo, the snack-obsessed Cookie Monster, the inquisitive Big Bird, or even the delightfully grumpy Oscar the Grouch, these characters are more than just puppets—they are childhood icons.
With Sesame Street Day celebrated on November 10th, Elmo’s birthday on February 3rd, and Cookie Monster’s birthday on November 2nd, there are plenty of reasons to get creative. Today, we’re sharing 15 super fun Sesame Street crafts to bring the magic of the most famous street in the world into your home.
Did you know that Sesame Street was born out of a desire to make television better for children? In the mid-1960s, American children were watching over 25 hours of TV a week, but much of the programming was inappropriate or mindless. This led producer Joan Ganz Cooney to wonder: Could a TV show entertain and educate at the same time?
The show was originally going to be titled “123 Avenue B,” but the creators eventually settled on Sesame Street. They chose the word “Sesame” because of the classic phrase “Open Sesame,” which suggests a gateway to a place where magic happens. Since its first episode aired on November 10, 1969, the show has become a global gold standard for early childhood education.
Fun Facts to Share While Crafting
Before you break out the glue and construction paper, share these fun tidbits with your little artists:
- The Finger Mystery: Have you ever looked closely at a Muppet’s hand? Almost all Sesame Street characters have only four fingers. The big exception? Cookie Monster, who has five!
- Big Bird’s Height: Big Bird is a whopping 8 feet 2 inches tall!
- Oscar’s Original Color: In the very first season, Oscar the Grouch was actually orange, not green.
1. Cookie Monster Handprint Craft
Since Cookie Monster has five fingers, your child’s hand is the perfect template!
- The Craft: Paint your child’s palm and fingers bright blue and press it onto white cardstock.
- The Detail: Once dry, add two large “googly” eyes at the base of the palm and draw a black “mouth” full of chocolate chip cookie drawings.
2. Paper Plate Elmo
Elmo is arguably the most recognizable face on the street, and he’s very easy to recreate with kitchen staples.
- The Craft: Paint a paper plate bright red.
- The Detail: Cut a large orange oval for his nose and two white circles for his eyes. Use a black marker to draw his wide, friendly smile.
3. Oscar the Grouch “Trash Can” Craft
Everyone’s favorite curmudgeon loves his trash can, and now your kids can make one too.
- The Craft: Use a silver cupcake liner or a piece of grey construction paper folded into a cylinder to represent the can.
- The Detail: Use green pom-poms or green felt to create Oscar peeking out from the top. Don’t forget his signature bushy brown eyebrows!
4. Paper Bag Grover Puppet
Grover is a “monster of all trades”—a waiter, a bus driver, and even a superhero (Super Grover!).
- The Craft: Take a blue paper lunch bag and use the bottom flap as the mouth.
- The Detail: Add a large pink pom-pom for the nose and white paper circles for the eyes. Kids can dress their Grover puppet in different “outfits” depending on what job he’s doing today.
5. Big Bird Yellow Feather Collage
Big Bird is all about texture and bright colors.
- The Craft: Cut a large “B” shape or a bird silhouette out of yellow cardstock.
- The Detail: Provide your child with yellow craft feathers, yellow tissue paper, and yellow buttons. Let them glue these down to create a “feathery” masterpiece.
6. Bert and Ernie Best Friend Portraits
You can’t have one without the other! This craft teaches kids about different face shapes.
- The Craft: Use a long, thin yellow rectangle for Bert and a wide, horizontal orange oval for Ernie.
- The Detail: Give Bert his iconic “unibrow” using a strip of black felt, and Ernie his messy black hair using yarn or black paper scraps.
7. Abby Cadabby’s Magic Wand
For fans of the fairy-in-training, a magic wand is a must.
- The Craft: Use a popsicle stick as the handle and a star-shaped cutout at the top.
- The Detail: Decorate with pink and purple glitter, and tie some colorful yarn “hair” to the base of the star to match Abby’s pigtails.
8. Count von Count Number Cards
The Count makes learning math fun. Use his likeness to help your child practice their numbers.
- The Craft: Create flashcards featuring the Count’s face.
- The Detail: Have your child glue the corresponding number of “bats” or purple sequins onto each card. Ah-ah-ah!
9. Snuffleupagus Paper Plate Art
Big Bird’s best friend “Snuffy” is a favorite for his long trunk and thick eyelashes.
- The Craft: Paint a paper plate brown.
- The Detail: Cut a long trunk from brown construction paper. Use long strips of black paper to create his famously long eyelashes.
10. Sesame Street Signpost Bookmark
This is a practical craft for young readers that pays homage to the show’s famous logo.
- The Craft: Cut a long green rectangle from cardstock.
- The Detail: Create a yellow border and write “Sesame Street” (or your child’s name + “Street”) in the classic font.
11. Cookie Monster “Feed the Monster” Game
- The Craft: Cut a large mouth hole in a cardboard box and decorate the front to look like Cookie Monster.
- The Detail: Have kids “feed” him brown cardboard circles (cookies) to practice their aim and motor skills.
12. Zoe’s Tutu Suncatcher
Zoe loves to dance! Recreate her vibrant energy with a window decoration.
- The Craft: Create an orange tissue paper suncatcher in the shape of Zoe’s face.
- The Detail: Add a “tutu” border around the bottom using pink tissue paper or real tulle fabric.
13. Telly Monster Triangle Art
Telly Monster is famous for his love of triangles.
- The Craft: Provide kids with dozens of colorful paper triangles.
- The Detail: Challenge them to arrange the triangles to create Telly’s face and fur.
14. Julia’s Rainbow Painting
Julia is a wonderful character who helps teach children about autism and uniqueness.
- The Craft: Julia loves art! Encourage your child to paint a bright rainbow using her favorite colors.
- The Detail: Add a small cutout of Julia at the end of the rainbow to show her enjoying the colors.
15. The “Rubber Duckie” Bath Toy Craft
Inspired by Ernie’s favorite toy, this is a fun water-safe craft.
- The Craft: Use yellow craft foam (which floats!) to cut out duck shapes.
- The Detail: Use permanent markers to draw the eyes and orange beak. These can actually be taken into the tub for a “Rubber Duckie” sing-along!
Why Crafting is Important for Early Development
When kids engage in Sesame Street crafts, they aren’t just making “stuff.” They are developing fine motor skills through cutting and glueing, practicing color recognition, and building emotional intelligence by discussing the different personalities of the characters.
Sesame Street was built on the idea that learning should be a joy. By bringing these characters to life through art, you are continuing that legacy in your own home.