If Your Kids Never Stop Asking ‘Why,’ Then You Need This New Series From SC Johnson And Sesame Workshop In Your Life

It takes about five minutes on the job as the parent of a preschooler to know that their absolute favorite question is “why?” “Why do we have two arms when we could do more with three or four?” “Why are the people on the TV small enough to fit inside?” “Why is it called COVID-19? Is this the 19th COVID?” “Why do we cry when we’re sad?”

The stream of “why” can be a bit much sometimes, but we love to see it. There’s nothing cuter than a kid who wants to learn everything. Still, if you’re not an evolutionary scientist, a public health expert, or the holder of a doctorate in STEM, the endless stream of questions our kids throw at us can be tricky to answer.

With the chaotic news cycle of the past year, along with lots and lots (and lots) of time together at home, our kids have more questions than ever. And even if we don’t have the answer to every one of their questions, we still want to do everything we can to encourage our kids’ curiosity about the world around them.

That’s why we’re so excited about a new partnership between Sesame Workshop and SC Johnson. SC Johnson, the maker of some of our favorite household products like Babyganics, Windex, OFF!, and Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day has joined with Sesame to produce a new series of educational tools and resources. The series, available in both English and Spanish, explores children’s curiosity through the “science of why.” The content is perfect for our miniature scientists, designed to foster their natural desire to learn and question and get them excited about exploring the wonders of science while building problem solving skills.

The video series is part of Sesame Workshop’s Caring for Each Other initiative, which was created during the COVID-19 pandemic as a resource for families facing uncertainty. The resources offer comfort and ease anxiety as they address issues that kids may have questions or uncertainty about; like how germs are spread, hygiene practices to keep them healthy, and the kinds of everyday actions they can take to create a flourishing and sustainable world.

Best of all, because it’s Sesame Street, it’s fun — relatively sophisticated concepts regarding personal health and environmental sustainability are so much easier to digest when they’re presented by Muppets. One minute you and your kid will be jamming out to Elmo and Louie’s Bathtime Bop (about staying germ-free) and the next you’ll be having a whole conversation about how germs spread and how your family’s hygiene routines keep your family and others healthy. Here are just a few of the resources parents and caregivers can share with kids:

• Just Ask!: a new music video with Elmo, Abby, and Julia’s dad and brother Sam to get kids excited about asking questions.
• What Are Germs?: a video featuring Julia’s dad teaching Abby and Sam about germs and how to stop them, giving an up-close and personal look at germs and how to get rid of the ones that make us sick.
• Reuse!: a video that showcases Ernie teaching Elmo how to turn recycled bottles into art — showing children how their amazing creations can actually help the planet.
• STEM and Levers: A video that teaches about simple machines, with Ernie and Abby learning about wheels and levers as they figure out how to move a very big pumpkin.

We hope our kids never stop asking “why.” They may not know it yet, but their everyday questions about the world around them are the building blocks for scientific inquiry and innovation. “Why” is the question that drives problem-solving and empowers kids to participate in and contribute to their communities, so let’s encourage it!

Sesame Workshop and SC Johnson have teamed up to offer a series of educational resources designed to equip our younger generations with the information and tools they need to create a safe, healthy, flourishing, and sustainable world.