Happy Tuesday, readers, writers, and shark fans!
As we’re getting back in the swing of regular posting, you’ll begin to notice that each day of the workweek has its own “theme” here at Lit Shark, including today’s very first Lit Pup Tuesday, geared toward children and teen writers, as well as professional writers who write children’s, middle-grade, and young adult books.
Sticking with that theme, we’re excited to share today the latest collaboration between Sesame Workshop (the home of Sesame Street) and HiHo Kids in their “Kids Meet” series on YouTube. Much like meeting an adult during Career Day and getting to ask them about their job, children get to accompany Elmo and ask various career people about what they do, from dancers to basketball players to now more natural fields!
In their latest two-episode series, HiHo Kids and Sesame Workshop’s collaboration focuses on the theme of conservation and environmentalism with “Kids Meet a Beekeeper” and “Kids Meet a Marine Biologist.” The two episodes help to introduce kids not only to the important roles that different insects and animals play in our various environmental settings but also to the role each of us can play to help support our planet.
Last week, Elmo and several of his friends interviewed Ryan the Beekeeper, who was wearing something that looked a lot like a floppy astronaut suit, also known as a bee suit! The pair of friends learned all kinds of interesting facts about bees, including their love for music and ability to dance, as well as Beekeeper Ryan’s important points about how gentle bees actually are. We’re all about destigmatizing animals here at Lit Shark, and we loved hearing Ryan talk about how people are often afraid of bees (himself included, a long time ago!), despite the fact that bees are gentle and generally only try to sting you if you bother their hive or endanger them. Even Elmo points out to his friend, “Don’t worry, they won’t sting you, they’re hard at work!”
Most importantly, Elmo asked Ryan, “How can we help the bees?” And the answer is simple—plant more flowers!
In less than eight minutes, children everywhere can access fascinating introductory information about bees and beekeeping, surely inspiring some future full-time and hobbyist beekeepers!
You can watch the episode here:
You might be wondering why we at Lit Shark are so interested in HiHo and Sesame Workshop’s ‘Kids Meet’ series, and the reasons are really two-fold. First, just like our Shark Dog issue we are working on, we believe that all animals on our shared planet matter, and all areas and mediums of our planet are connected. The ability of our little buzzing friends to pollinate flowers is not nearly as separated from the health of our coral reefs as one might think! Second, what we learn in childhood has a unique way of sticking when we are taught the information in a meaningful way. Beginning to learn this information at a young age can encourage them to be uniquely empathetic toward others, as well as insightful and innovative in how to practice green living and sustainability at home.
We loved having the opportunity to share more information about this episode and cannot wait for the follow-up episode, “Kids Meet a Marine Biologist,” coming on July 13, 2024. Stay tuned!
SESAME WORKSHOP is the global impact nonprofit behind Sesame Street and so much more. For over 50 years, we have worked at the intersection of education, media, and research, creating joyful experiences that enrich minds and expand hearts, all in service of empowering each generation to build a better world. Our beloved characters, iconic shows, outreach in communities, and more bring playful early learning to families in more than 150 countries and advance our mission to help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. Learn more at www.sesameworkshop.org and follow Sesame Workshop on Instagram, X, Facebook, and TikTok.
HIHO KIDS is part of Cut Media, a cutting-edge entertainment company and leader in digital media and games. HiHo’s goal is to promote empathy through play and set the tone for a generation of critical thinkers. With more than 6.4M fans across YouTube and social, HiHo’s co-watching content brings parents and kids together to drive awareness and in the process, activate a captive and loyal audience. To check out HiHo Kids content, please visit www.youtube.com/hihokids.
CUT MEDIA are the dynamic digital storytellers behind unscripted viral shows like Truth or Drink, The Button, and more. CUT’s programming has quietly exploded into one of the most popular and multifaceted entertainment platforms on the internet, bringing together major stars and brands for their viral content across CUT.com, YouTube, TikTok, and more. Today, CUT Media garners over 295M views per month, has over 29M followers across platforms, and comes in at #176 and #18 of YouTube’s and TikTok’s Top Companies, respectively.
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