The interactive series Play with Me Sesame brings children on a playdate with some of their favorite Sesame Street characters: Bert, Ernie, Grover, and Prairie Dawn. Each episode mixes classic Sesame Street footage with newly created games and activities where the Muppets invite children to join in. Play with Me Sesame extends Sesame Street‘s educational mission through opportunities for active learning. The participatory design encourages preschoolers to express themselves creatively, while the games and activities support such cornerstone cognitive concepts as "same" and "different". As an interactive experience, the program helps children cultivate skills and attitudes needed to succeed in the social environment of school.