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Elmo to host virtual playdate to comfort kids and families during pandemic

"Elmo's Playdate" airs at 7 p.m. ET on April 14.
Credit: Sesame Workshop

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Kids can't go to Sesame Street or hang out with their friends right now, but the organization behind the show is bringing the fun right into their homes.

Sesame Workshop announced Wednesday it will host "Sesame Street: Elmo's Playdate" at 7 p.m. ET on April 14. The virtual playdate will air on HBO, HBO Latino, TBS, TNT, Cartoon Network, Boomerang, truTV and PBS Kids.

The next day, the virtual playdate will head to the United Kingdom, Mexico, Singapore and Canada.

"We hope 'Sesame Street: Elmo's Playdate' will entertain and inspire families at a moment when so many are feeling isolated and overwhelmed by current events," COO Steve Youngwood said in a release.

The half-hour special will feature Sesame Street favorites like Elmo, Grover, Cookie Monster and Abby Cadabby. Joining them will be celebrity guests Anne Hathaway, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Tracee Ellis Ross.

The show said the special will celebrate medical workers and "everyday heroes" and also "simple pleasures" like baking cookies at home. 

Ross will play a game of "Elmo Says," Miranda pops into the video call for "Old McDonald Had a Farm" and Hathaway and Elmo play "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes."

The special is part of Sesame Workshop's Caring for Each Other Initiative, which provides resources for family and children to navigate the challenges of the pandemic, manage anxiety and show ways to keep kids physically mentally healthy. 

Beyond "Elmo's Playdate," Sesame Street has free episodes on PBSKids.org and in the app and more than 110 free e-books on all major ebook platforms.

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