The “Elmo’s World” segment was developed in 1998, long after Big Bird had become bigger than Jesus Christ himself to preschoolers. The idea was a stream-of-consciousness break from the realism of the show, a segment where toddlers could be led through an experience by a monster who was also three years old and discovering the world. Elmo’s World—both in show and segment form—is entirely designed to empower toddlers’ learning.
Elmo is thinking about a single topic—the beach, violins, jumping—and he explores that single topic through a million different mediums. There’s a part where Elmo asks other kids to show him how they jump, and then it cuts to like three different toddlers jumping. Seeing other kids do a thing the main character sincerely asked how to do empowers the kid watching at home to think about how they would do the thing. There’s also a segment where Elmo asks intentionally leading/stupid questions, while an unseen audience of kids answers for him. For instance, this clip of Elmo learning that a violin has strings and makes music:
Elmo: Does a flute have strings and make music?
Kids: A flute doesn’t have strings. But you can make music with it.
Elmo: Does cheese have strings and make music?
Kids: No, it doesn’t have strings. And you can’t make music with it.
Elmo: What about string cheese?
Kids: You can’t make music with it, but it tastes good.
Elmo empowers kids to think for themselves and learn along with him. And then there’s Mr. Noodle.
I can’t believe I’m writing this, but a man in a grotesque clown suit going by the name “Mr. Noodle” is one of the most underrated characters in all of television. He’s the best.
PBS
Mr. Noodle and his vast extended family are clowns in time-honored tradition: sweet, bumbling idiots who make comical mistakes and get corrected by toddler voiceovers, which empowers the kids to believe they can be as smart as/smarter than adults. If Elmo’s thinking about bells today, Mr. Noodle will try to play dress-up with a bell, prompting kids to call him on his ridiculousness until he figures out how to ring a bell … which the kids already knew how to do. They get to help Mr. Noodle goofball his way through figuring something out, which teaches them to be not only capable, but also kind and patient. Mr. Noodle rules.
What I Think:
Look, I get it. Elmo is shrill, Elmo is irritating, Elmo’s humor is not designed to secretly appeal to adults. But the amount he resonates with toddlers and how quickly they pick up on educational cues … man, you’re missing out if you overlook Elmo. Steel yourself against the annoying bits and find the pleasures in watching your kid learn and laugh along with a literal monster. It’s either genuinely fun, or I belong on Shutter Island. And what is parenting without constantly wondering if you belong on a reality-bending insane asylum, questioning every thought and perception you have? To find out more about if it’s time for a lobotomy, Elmo will ask Mr. Noodle. Oh Mr. Nooooooddddllle …
Chris Corlew is begging you not to share this article with his child’s pediatrician. He will happily tell you about his theory that Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood is a socialist paradise and that The Neighborhood of Make Believe is a model society for the real world on Twitter.
Top image: Nickelodeon
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Source: Pinoy Daily News
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