YouTube Now Has the Biggest ‘Sesame Street’ Free Library, With More Than 100 Full Episodes Available to Stream

More than 100 full “Sesame Street” episodes from previous seasons are now available on YouTube and the YouTube Kids app for the first time.

via: Variety

It’s a sunny day for “Sesame Street” fans: YouTube, under an agreement with Sesame Workshop, has become the largest digital library for content of the classic children’s show — offering more than 100 full episodes for free.

The 100-plus full “Sesame Street” episodes from previous seasons are now available on YouTube and the YouTube Kids app for the first time. The episodes, which are available via the Sesame Street and Sesame Street Classics channels, have been gradually added over the last several weeks.

The collection features episodes from recent seasons and includes some of the most iconic moments in “Sesame Street” history, many of which are now available for free on streaming for the first time.

Those include the 1969 series premiere “Welcome to Sesame Street” (available at this link), which marks the very first introduction of Big Bird, Bert, Ernie, Kermit the Frog and more; “Goodbye Mr. Hooper,” the groundbreaking 1983 episode after the death of the actor who played the neighborhood grocer, aimed at helping children navigate grief; “Snuffy Is Revealed,” in which Big Bird finally reveals that his friend Mr. Snuffleupagus isn’t imaginary at all; “Mr. Rogers Visits,” featuring guest star Fred Rogers; and “Maria & Luis Get Engaged.”

Of course, YouTube isn’t the only place to watch “Sesame Street.” Netflix has a deal with Sesame Workshop for global streaming rights to current-season episodes, as well as some library content. In the U.S., episodes of “Sesame Street” are available day-and-date on PBS stations and across PBS Kids digital platforms. In addition, HBO Max continues to offer a large collection of “Sesame Street” episodes to U.S. subscribers.

“Our Street just got a little longer,” Sesame Street tweeted Thursday. “@YouTube now has the largest digital library of Sesame Street content! For the first time ever, more than 100 full episodes of Sesame Street are available for free on YouTube. Watch everything from beloved, iconic episodes to recent season adventures across the Sesame Street and Sesame Street Classics channels. Whether you’re an old friend or a brand-new pal, we’re so excited to welcome you to our neighborhood on YouTube.”

In addition to full-length episodes, YouTube also now hosts an expanded library of “Sesame Street” content featuring YouTube Shorts starring the Sesame Street Muppets, as well as one- to two-hour compilations thematically curated by topic, including ABCs & 123s, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), adventure and imagination, friendship and play, holidays and animals.

“Families already enjoy ‘Sesame Street’ on the big screen, with over half of the official Sesame Street channel’s watch time happening on connected TVs,” Katie Kurtz, YouTube’s managing director of youth and learning partnerships, wrote in a blog post. “Now, they have even more to explore.