- I am not in the military; can I still attend one of these shows?
The Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families is intended exclusively for military personnel and their families.
- Are there non-military Sesame Street performances?
Sesame Street Live is on tour all over the world! Check out the schedule here to buy tickets and see when Sesame Street will be in your town: http://sesamestreetlive.com.
- How is the Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families different from Sesame Street Live!?
The Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families is different in both content and audience from the Sesame Street Live show. The Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families was created specifically for military children and parents.
- Is my child old enough to see the show?
The educational content of the show has been specially designed for military children ages 1 to 6, but the singing, dancing, and fun of this live performance is perfect for your whole family to enjoy!
- How do I get tickets for the show, and is there a ticket limit?
The show is free to military personnel and their families. Please contact your Public Affairs Officer (PAO) or Services Representative for more information.
- What can I expect at the show?
The Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families is a free, fun, live performance specifically created to help military children understand changes in their lives. Katie, Elmo’s newest military friend, is sad because she is having to relocate to a new location with her family, but her Sesame friends are there to help through the difficult transition by seeing the upsides to relocating to a new post. Your children can sing and dance with Elmo, Katie and the rest of the Sesame Street characters as they learn good ways to express their emotions.
- Will the tour be going to more stops than are listed?
The only tour stops planned are the ones listed on the schedule.
- Will there be merchandise sold at the show?
No merchandise will be sold at these shows, but there will be giveaways such as Talk, Listen, Connect kits, USO brochures and bandannas among other resources and items for every family who attends.
- Can I bring a camera?
Absolutely! We want you to capture this special event with your children so you can share the fun with family wherever they may be. Please remember that video recording and professional photography are strictly forbidden. Remember that a group photo from each event will be available on the USO's Flickr account to download and print at home.
- How early should I arrive?
Doors generally open one half-hour before show time for seating. This may vary depending on location. Please contact your Public Affairs Officer (PAO) or Services Representative for more information.
- How long is the performance?
The show is 30 minutes long. There is no intermission.
- Is the performance space handicap-accessible?
This may vary depending on location. Please contact your Public Affairs Officer (PAO) or Services Representative for more information.
- What other resources do Sesame Workshop and the USO have for military families?
Sesame Workshop, in partnership with the DoD, has created a website to help families stay connected across the globe. www.SesameStreetFamilyConnections.org lets you record video, create pictures, and send audio messages to shorten the distance between family members. The site is loaded with resources and tools specifically designed for military families coping with issues like deployment and changes.
The USO has been lifting the spirits of troops and military families for more than 70 years and is continually adapting to meet the changing needs or our troops and their families. Today, the USO offers a variety of military family programs to help ease the stresses of military living on troops and their loved ones. With programs like the Sesame Street/USO Experience for Military Families, With You All The Way, United Through Reading®'s Military Program and new programs like Healing Adventure Camps and Camp Erin, the USO is helping military families share memorable experiences at home, stay connected during deployments and to heal when a parent is injured or makes the ultimate sacrifice.
- Who is Katie?
Katie is one of Elmo’s new friends. Katie is also a military child who is relocating to a new place with her family. She is being introduced as a new Muppet who can help children understand changes in their lives. Learn more about Katie on the Character Bios page.
- How is Phase 5 different from Phases 1-4?
Phase 5 is a new show with a new character named Katie. Where the show from Phases 1-4 focused on helping kids deal with their feelings when mommy or daddy are deployed and have to leave home for several months, Phase 5 helps children cope with change and make new friends.
- How many military families have been touched by Phases 1-4?
The USO and Sesame Street have brought the tour and its message to more than 192,600 troops and military families, performing 315 shows on 90 military bases in 33 different states and nine countries.
Additionally, the tour has logged more than 61,200 miles and distributed more than 1,455,000 giveaways, including TLC kits, twirly lights, USO brochures, bandanas, Post-it® Notes and Picture Me® Books, t-shirts, magnets and buttons.
- How did the idea of Phase 5 come about exactly?
Following three consecutive years of touring the globe and uplifting military families, the USO and Sesame Workshop decided to build upon the tour’s success by introducing a new character. Determined to create someone military children could relate to, they decided to introduce Katie - a Sesame Street Muppet who was relocating to a new location with her family and could identify with the sadness accompanied with leaving behind old friends, the anxiety of making new friends and the excitement of starting over. But, most importantly, a friendly face who would serve as a source of inspiration, hope and joy.
- Why is this tour important for military families?
The tour provides children and families an opportunity to not only be entertained, but to take the messages from the show and have those sometimes difficult discussions about the challenges of change, and in doing so give military children a voice to express their feelings and concerns.
- What tips do the USO and Sesame Workshop offer to military families relocating to a new duty station?
Before you move, continue your children's routines as much as possible. Around the time of the move, try to give children an opportunity to say good-bye to their extended family, close friends, or important adults in their lives. Also, give your children the job of packing their own backpacks or tote bags with special items such as a blanket, toys, favorite books, pajamas, or a few video games. They'll feel good about being an important part of your family team.
SPECIAL TO-DO LIST FOR RELOCATIONS
Moving from one place to another can be a tricky transition. Your children might be concerned about whether they may keep their toys and clothes. If the family is moving to a smaller space, they might wonder what it will be like to share a room. Young children might even think that you are not taking them with you! On the other hand, children may be resilient, taking cues from you on how to feel about living in a different place. You can help them with some simple strategies:
If you are in a temporary living situation, such as a shelter, a motel, or a friend's home, and need more information about your children's education while you are in transition, contact the National Center for Homeless Education (www.serve.org/NCHE).
If you will be moving to a smaller space, have a yard or community sale of those items that you no longer need or that won't fit into your new place. Start with clothes, toys, or furniture that your family has outgrown.
Once you get where you are going, involve everyone by unpacking together as a family and then taking a tour of your neighborhood. To help children adjust – and if they need to share a room or a bathroom – help them choose a place to call their own where they can keep their favorite things, such as some blocks, books or board games.
While getting settled, your children may have trouble accepting unfamiliar people or events. Let them know that this is OK. Try simple statements such as, "Everyone has feelings, just like you." To help them adjust, point out things about the new place that are similar to your previous place. Then help them understand and appreciate the things that are different.