Sesamstraat uses engaging live action, animation, and colourful characters in an effort to meet the educational needs of young children (ages 3-6) in the Netherlands - through an entertaining medium. The series features "a dynamic studio set, animation, live-action films, music composition, a warm cast of characters, and celebrity appearances." It presents a range of topics of interest to children with the understanding that viewers at different levels can benefit from whatever they are ready for at that time. Sesamstraat is also designed to prepare adults to be good educators by modeling adult-child interactions such as reading to children. The idea is that stories help children think about social and emotional topics through elements of their daily lives with which they identify. The content is cheerful and informative and connects with the young children's environment.

On Sesamstraat, learning takes place in context. Through the daily life activities of the characters, children are presented with a range of learning opportunities that introduce basic cognitive, literary, critical thinking, problem solving and other concepts. The programme includes a strong literacy component, with each episode concluding with a bedtime story read aloud to a group of children by adults.

Locally-developed characters include Pino, a tall blue feathered bird with a bright orange beak who has a lot to learn and always asks a lot of questions. Purk is a pink female baby pig who is learning to speak and often communicates in non-verbal ways.

Sesamstraat is broadcast two times a day on Zappelin (Nederland 3). Each season includes 120 15-minute episodes. The television show is supplemented by a variety of products and processes designed to engage children, such as several brightly coloured websites featuring the Muppet characters (both of which are in Dutch language only; visit the Sesamstraat website, for instance).

Early Childhood Development, Education.

Sesamstraat reaches 6.5 million television households.