15 Best Sesame Street VHS Videos of All Time

Sesame Street on VHS holds a special place in the memories of many families. These tapes collected the show's best sketches, songs, and heartwarming moments, making them easy to rewatch and share across generations. Whether you grew up with Big Bird and Kermit or are introducing the classics to a new child, this guide highlights the top Sesame Street VHS releases and explains where to watch and how to restore older tapes for modern screens.
Part 1. Top 15 Sesame Street Videos to Watch & Enjoy
The Sesame Street VHS catalog includes a mix of classic sketches, musical numbers, holiday specials, and character-focused collections that still resonate today. Many tapes are compilations that spotlight the show's strengths: clever educational bits, memorable songs, and emotional stories that both children and adults appreciate. Below are the top selections to seek out, each with a short guide to what makes the video worth watching and any small caveats to consider.
1. Best of Ernie and Bert
Ernie and Bert remain the strongest staple of the older Sesame Street sketches, showing the duo chemistry that made the series timeless. This Best of Ernie and Bert collection gathers classic routines that highlight their opposites-attract dynamic, comic timing, and gentle lessons about friendship and compromise. The compilation is only slightly hindered by the weak performance of a teenage subplot featuring Gina in one segment, but the bulk of the material still charms.

2. Christmas Eve on Sesame Street
This holiday classic balances touching subplots with memorable music and delightful cameos, making it a family favorite each winter. The storylines focus on kindness, giving, and the importance of community, all woven into the show's signature mix of humor and heart. While it is excellent for the season, its holiday specificity can reduce year-round watchability compared to more evergreen compilations.

3. Elmo's World: Wild Wild West
Elmo's World: Wild, Wild West is a 2001 direct-to-video film where Elmo learns about the American frontier and tall tales. Released on VHS and DVD, the special explores frontier life with guest stars, skits, and original musical segments that combine education with playful imagination. The production is kid friendly and introduces historical themes in a bright, approachable way.

4. Big Bird's Story Time
This tape is a lovely compilation that includes many of Kermit's "Sesame Street News" skits and other character-driven stories. It celebrates storytelling and features strong puppet performances, clever staging, and musical interludes. The only notable slow point is the long section where Maria reads Goldilocks while Big Bird and Snuffy slowly fall asleep, which some viewers might prefer be swapped for an extra Kermit sketch.

5. Elmo's Musical Adventure: Peter and the Wolf
This special is an excellent introduction to the orchestra and the majesty of Peter and the Wolf for young audiences. It translates classical music into a narrative kids can follow and pairs Elmo's curiosity with educational sequences. The production is mostly engaging, though a few acting moments by conductor Keith Lockhart feel awkward, and action briefly drags after the wolf is captured.

6. Elmo Visits the Firehouse
Elmo Visits the Firehouse sensitively explores common childhood fears about fires, while teaching safety and respect for firefighters. The video blends interviews, songs, and simple demonstrations to help children understand fire safety tools, routines, and emotions. It is practical and reassuring, and many families find this tape becomes a helpful daily or repeated resource when discussing safety.

7. Kids' Favorite Songs 2
This compilation showcases the newer era of Sesame Street with flashy graphics, fun interviews of real children, and a collection of singalong favorites. The production quality makes it highly watchable and it stands out for its upbeat pacing and memorable musical sequencing. This tape represents the refreshed Sesame Street formula that kept the show relevant for modern preschool audiences.

8. Sleepytime Songs and Stories
Focused on bedtime themes, this calming compilation samples sketches and songs that soothe young viewers toward sleep. It includes a reworked version of "Everybody Sleeps" and several gentle narratives that emphasize routines and the comfort of predictable rituals. Parents often keep this tape on rotation in evening routines because of its soft tone and reassuring messages.

9. Learning About Numbers
Framed as a parody of a late night talk show, Learning About Numbers brings classic numeric sketches together in an entertaining package. The Numbers Show format provides humor for adults while reinforcing counting concepts for kids. The tape's clever assembly of older number sketches is hilarious and effective, and while some fans think it should rank higher, it is included here with fair balance against more modern entries.

10. Sing, Hoot, and Howl
This collection is a tribute to the show's best animal-themed songs, bringing together upbeat tunes and character performances that highlight animals and nature. The tape includes playful choreography and creative puppet moments, making it a joy for children who love animals and for adults who appreciate nostalgic songwriting.
11. Learning About Letters
This compilation focuses on letter recognition and phonics with a mix of classic skits, catchy songs, and fun puppet interactions. It pulls from many of the show's most memorable alphabet bits, and presents them in a way that reinforces literacy skills while keeping the tone light and entertaining.

12. Elmo Says Boo
Elmo Says Boo is a Halloween friendly collection that balances playful spooks with reassuring messages about imaginary fears. The tape features seasonal songs and skits that allow little viewers to engage with costumes, pumpkins, and make believe in a safe, lighthearted way.
13. Alphabet Jungle Game
The Alphabet Jungle Game places letters in a game show style format where characters solve puzzles and sing songs about letters. This collection's high energy and imaginative staging make it especially effective for toddlers learning the alphabet, and it includes several repeatable segments perfect for preschool attention spans.
14. Kids' Guide to Life: Telling the Truth
Part of the Kids' Guide to Life series, this tape tackles honesty, consequences, and the social value of truth in a kid friendly manner. Through role play, sketches, and songs, children learn simple strategies for telling the truth and handling mistakes, guided by characters they trust.

15. Get Up and Dance
Get Up and Dance is a motion friendly compilation of danceable songs intended to move kids physically while teaching rhythm and coordination. The tape's selection encourages activity, gross motor skills, and joyful participation, making it an excellent choice for short indoor exercise sessions with preschoolers.
Part 2. Where Can I Stream Sesame Street Videos?
If you want to watch Sesame Street content beyond your old VHS collection, there are several official and legal places to stream episodes, clips, and curated playlists. Availability varies by country and by platform licensing, but the official sources below are reliable starting points to find both new episodes and classic segments.
Sesame Street YouTube Channel: Find playlists and many full episodes or clips on the official Sesame Street YouTube channel.
- org: The official website offers curated videos, games, printable activities, and themed collections for young learners.
PBS KIDS: Watch full episodes and short clips on the PBS KIDS website and their official YouTube channel, subject to regional availability.
- Netflix: Newer seasons and selected past content may be available on Netflix depending on your region and current licensing.
- Sesame Street App: Download the official app to watch favorite clips and episodes, play games, and save content to a child profile.
Part 3. Enhance Old Sesame Street VHS Videos with AI for Better Enjoyments
Old Sesame Street VHS tapes often show their age with tracking lines, color fade, or soft detail loss. Modern AI upscalers and video enhancers can restore clarity, improve color, and remove noise so these classic moments shine on today's HDTVs. HitPaw VikPea offers user friendly tools that combine multiple AI models to sharpen faces, repair damaged frames, and upscale resolution while maintaining the original charm of the puppetry and sets. Below are top features, clear steps to enhance a tape conversion, and tips for export.
- AI upscaling to 4K or 8K preserving original textures and puppet detail.
- Noise reduction that removes grain while keeping important fine detail.
- Motion stable frame interpolation for smoother playback on modern displays.
- Color restoration that corrects fading and brings back original hues.
- Face and puppet detail enhancement for sharper character expressions.
- Automatic flicker removal to fix interlaced or unstable VHS artifacts.
- Batch processing to restore multiple clips or entire tape rips quickly.
- Intelligent deblocking that repairs compression blocks without softening edges.
Step 1.Download and Launch HitPaw VikPea on your computer. Import your video by clicking on "Choose file". The drag and drop method also works for importing video to the software menu.
Step 2.This software offers multiple AI models such as General Model, Sharpen Model, Portrait Model and Video Quality Repair Model. Select a suitable model based on your needs.
Step 3.Under Export Settings, choose your desired resolution. VikPea supports upscaling up to 4K or 8K. Click on "Preview" to see your video. If satisfied, press the "Export" option to save your video.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sesame Street VHS Videos
The best episodes mix timeless education and emotional storytelling. Classics include holiday specials, character retrospectives, and musical episodes that highlight core lessons. Many fans recommend episodes that spotlight Ernie and Bert, Big Bird milestones, and Elmo centric specials as essential viewing.
Popularity varies by generation, but Big Bird and Elmo consistently rank at the top due to broad emotional appeal and decades of central roles. Other iconic favorites like Cookie Monster and Bert and Ernie also enjoy lasting popularity among adults and children alike.
There are multiple Sesame Street feature length films and specials released across decades, including theatrical and direct to video titles. Counting all official specials, direct to video releases, and theatrical features yields more than a half dozen core films and many shorter specials.
Complete official episode libraries are rarely available in a single place due to licensing; check the official SesameStreet.org catalog, streaming platforms like Netflix depending on region, the PBS KIDS archives, and the official YouTube channel for many classic clips and curated episodes.
Sesame Street has appeared on Netflix and similar streaming platforms in various regions, but availability changes with licensing deals. Check your local Netflix catalog and Prime Video offerings, or use the official Sesame Street website and PBS KIDS for more consistent access.
Conclusion
Sesame Street VHS compilations are more than nostalgia; they are a useful way to revisit effective educational moments, memorable songs, and timeless characters. From the classic Ernie and Bert sketches to Elmo adventures and calming bedtime compilations, these tapes offer variety for every mood. If you have old VHS copies, consider digitizing and enhancing them with modern tools like HitPaw VikPea TV Show Enhancer to preserve and enjoy these treasures on today's screens. Happy watching and rediscovering the magic of Sesame Street.
Leave a Comment
Create your review for HitPaw articles