“A magical gift”: Parents celebrate as Sesame Street’s archive will begin streaming on YouTube in 2026

After more than five decades on the air and countless reruns across networks and streamers, Sesame Street is finally building its biggest digital home yet—on YouTube.

Hundreds of episodes are joining the platform

In a post on the show’s official X account, Sesame Workshop confirmed that starting in January 2026, the beloved children’s series will upload hundreds of full episodes to its official YouTube channels.

The move will make YouTube the single largest hub for Sesame Street content online.

“Beginning in January 2026, YouTube will have the largest digital library of Sesame Street content, with hundreds of full episodes coming to the Sesame Street channels,” the post read, inviting families everywhere to “grow smarter, stronger, and kinder, one episode at a time.”

Katie Kurtz, YouTube’s managing director and global head of youth and learning, also addressed the news in a company blog post.

She said the expanded deal isn’t just about uploading past episodes—Sesame Workshop will continue creating original shorts for YouTube, and it plans to host workshops with YouTube creators to help them balance entertainment with educational value.

The numbers suggest the partnership makes sense. Sesame Street’s channels on YouTube have drawn over five billion views in the past year, a 130% jump compared to the year before.

Parents and educators worried that the series—originally designed to be accessible to all—was increasingly locked behind a paywall on platforms like Netflix and HBO.

By putting thousands of hours of content on YouTube, where it’s free to watch, Sesame Workshop is addressing long-standing concerns about accessibility.

Fans react with excitement

The announcement on X drew celebratory comments.

“Hope ya can throw some classic episodes from 1969-1994 in there too,” one fan wrote.

Another added, “It’s so dope how you guys keep the kids entertained and educated across generations. Sesame Street forever.”

Others responded with enthusiasm. “OH MY STARS!!! A whole, huge world of kindness, giggles, and friendship… it feels like the most wonderful, magical gift ever!” one person gushed.

Another thanked the team directly, saying, “My little nephew loves this.”

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