15 Super Fun Sesame Street Crafts for Kids: Celebrate the Neighborhood!

Whether it is Sesame Street Day on November 10th, Elmo’s birthday on February 3rd, or Cookie Monster’s birthday on November 2nd, there is always a reason to celebrate the most iconic street in television history.

For over 50 years, Sesame Street has been the gold standard for children’s programming. It is one of the rare cultural touchstones that connects Generation X (the first to watch it in 1969) all the way to Gen Alpha. While our technology has shifted from heavy tube TVs to tablets, the magic of a fuzzy red monster or a grouch in a trash can remains universal.

In this guide, we aren’t just making crafts; we’re celebrating a legacy of education and empathy. Let’s dive into 15 creative projects that bring your favorite Muppets to life!

The Vision of Joan Ganz Cooney: TV as a Teacher

In the mid-1960s, television was everywhere, but for children, it was often a “wasteland” of slapstick violence and loud commercials. Joan Ganz Cooney, a producer at Channel 13, asked a revolutionary question: “Could television be used to educate children, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds?”

Along with Lloyd Morrisett and the creative genius of Jim Henson, she launched the Children’s Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop). They treated the show like a laboratory, testing every segment to ensure it actually taught kids their ABCs and 123s. Today, research shows that children who watch Sesame Street are more likely to be kindergarten-ready and stay on grade-level throughout school. It truly is the “longest street in the world,” reaching 150 countries!

15 Creative Sesame Street Crafts for Kids

1. Paper Plate Elmo

Everyone’s favorite three-and-a-half-year-old monster is the perfect subject for a paper plate craft because of his bright, bold color.

• The Project: Paint a paper plate bright red. Glue on two large white paper circles for eyes and a large orange oval for his nose. Don’t forget a wide black semi-circle for that famous Elmo grin!

2. Cookie Monster “Feed Me” Box

Me want cookies! This craft doubles as a fun game for toddlers.

• The Project: Take an empty tissue box and paint it blue. Cut the opening slightly larger to look like a mouth. Add big “googly” eyes (one slightly higher than the other for that classic look). Kids can “feed” him brown cardboard cookies.

3. Oscar the Grouch Trash Can Craft

Oscar loves trash, so it’s only fitting to make him out of recycled materials.

• The Project: Use a silver-painted cardboard tube or a small metal tin. Create a green fuzzy face out of pom-poms or felt peeking out from the top. Add a small “Scram!” sign for extra personality.

4. Big Bird Handprint Art

At 8’2″, Big Bird is a giant, but your child’s handprint is the perfect size to recreate him.

• The Project: Paint the child’s hand yellow and press it onto paper with fingers spread (these are the feathers). Add a large yellow circle for the head and use pink and blue markers to detail his colorful eyelids.

5. Abby Cadabby’s Magic Wand

If your child loves “Zing, Zang, Zoom!”, they need Abby’s star wand.

• The Project: Cut a star out of cardboard and cover it in pink or purple glitter. Attach it to a wooden dowel or a sturdy straw, and tie colorful yarn “hair” to the base of the star to mimic Abby’s pom-pom pigtails.

6. Bert and Ernie “Best Friends” Stick Puppets

You can’t have one without the other! This duo teaches kids about the beauty of differing personalities.

• The Project: Use a long yellow oval for Bert and a wide orange oval for Ernie. Glue them to popsicle sticks. Use felt for Bert’s unibrow and Ernie’s messy black hair.

7. Count von Count “Counting” Wheel

One… two… three amazing crafts! Ah! Ah! Ah!

• The Project: Create a paper plate wheel divided into sections with numbers. Attach a purple paper Count in the center with a rotating arm. As kids turn the arm, they can count along with the world’s favorite vampire.

8. Grover’s “Near and Far” Viewer

Grover is famous for his “Near… Far!” sketches, which are perfect for teaching spatial concepts.

• The Project: Decorate two cardboard tubes to look like Grover (blue paint and pink noses). Join them together like binoculars. Kids can use them to focus on things that are—you guessed it—near and far.

9. Sesame Street Sign Post

Every playroom needs its own “123 Sesame Street” sign.

• The Project: Use a long green strip of paper for the sign and a yellow pole. Write the child’s name or “Sesame Street” in the classic font. Use a “123” circle at the top to match the modern show logo.

10. Rubber Duckie Soap Sensation

Ernie’s favorite bath time toy can be turned into a fun bathroom accessory.

• The Project: If you have a plain yellow soap dispenser, add two small black dots for eyes and an orange triangle for a beak. It makes hand-washing much more fun!

11. Snuffleupagus Paper Loop Craft

Snuffy is famous for his long “snuffle” (trunk) and thick eyelashes.

• The Project: Use brown construction paper loops to create his long, shaggy body. Use long strips of black paper, slightly curled at the ends, to create his signature long eyelashes.

12. Zoe’s Tutu Coffee Filter Craft

Zoe loves to dance, and her tutus are always vibrant.

• The Project: Dye coffee filters with orange and pink watercolors. Once dry, bunch them up to create a 3D skirt for a paper Zoe cutout.

13. Telly Monster’s Triangle Collage

Telly is obsessed with triangles, making this a perfect geometry lesson.

• The Project: Cut out dozens of triangles in different sizes and colors. Have the child glue them together to form the shape of Telly’s fuzzy purple face.

14. Rosita’s Bilingual Guitar

Rosita often shares her Mexican heritage through music.

• The Project: Use a small cereal box and rubber bands to create a functional “guitar.” Decorate it in bright turquoise to match Rosita’s fur.

15. Julia’s Sensory Painting

Julia, who has autism, often expresses herself through art.

• The Project: Use finger paints or sponges to create a textured “starry sky” or “rainbow” painting, focusing on the joy of the process rather than a perfect finished product.

Sesame Street Character Birthdays

Mark your calendars so you never miss a chance to craft!