Let's Get Ready

Planning Together for Emergencies

The Project

Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street, introduces Let's Get Ready! Planning Together for Emergencies, a bilingual (English and Spanish) multiple media resource designed to help entire families, especially those with young children, to plan and prepare together for emergencies that may come their way. Through simple strategies and tips that can be incorporated into everyday routines, Let’s Get Ready! helps children, families, and caregivers to prepare ahead of time in age-appropriate and engaging ways.  

The Need

Families across the United States have experienced a wide range of disasters and emergencies including hurricanes, storms, floods, wildfires, and terrorist attacks. The aftermath of events like September 11th and Hurricane Katrina have emphasized the need for emergency readiness planning to assure that children are protected physically and psychologically in the event of a disaster. While there are many available resources that address the need for emergency preparedness, there are few that specifically include young children as active participants and/or address emergency preparedness as something that is for the support and well-being of the entire family. This may be why a recent national survey commissioned by the Children’s Health Fund indicates that approximately 65% of families in the U.S. do not have an emergency plan that all family members know about.

Overall Goals

  • To institute emergency preparedness into a family’s routines through play, hands-on investigation, and learning
  • To present emergency preparedness as a necessary part of the overall well-being of children and families
  • To show the roles of families and communities in developing safe strategies for dealing with emergencies 
  • To provide resources for family preparedness

Project Components

The project includes a kit with three main components:
  • Sesame Street DVD - features songs and activities to help children learn about getting ready for emergencies with their families — and help from Grover and Rosita!
  • Parent/Caregiver Magazine - provides easy steps and resources for the whole family to create an emergency plan and to reach out to the community.
  • Children’s Activity Book - invites children to sing songs, cut, and draw as they learn with Grover and Elmo important information to remember in an emergency and how families can get ready.

In addition, four public service messages, highlighting the importance of making a family kit and knowing your name, have been created.

Project Partners

  • Produced in partnership with and funded by American Greetings
  • Created in collaboration with Ready Kids and Ad Council
  • Additional support provided from The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation
  • Initial support provided by Bear Stearns Charitable Foundation
  • In consultation with the Department of Pediatrics of Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Distribution Plan

A total of 150,000 kits will be distributed, at no cost to families, by our partners starting in September (Emergency Preparedness month). All materials are also available for free online at www.sesamestreet.org/ready.




Press Kit Materials