KudoKids vs Sesame Workshop SEL
Sesame is the world's best preschool calming tool. KudoKids is what parents need next — a complete platform that keeps growing with the whole child.
Growth areas covered
5/8
Sesame Workshop SEL covers 5 areas · KudoKids covers all 8
Price
Free tier
KudoKids: Free to start; Premium $11.99/mo, $99.99/yr, or $249.99 lifetime
Public rating
★ 3.5 / 5
Google Play · 1,300 reviews · as of June 2026
KudoKids grows with kids from ages 3 to 12 — covering emotions AND responsibility, money thinking, learning, social skills, and more. Sesame leaves kids behind the moment they start kindergarten.
Everything we found on Sesame Workshop SEL
Open any section below for the detail — pricing, real reviews, the eight growth areas, and our sources.
THE REAL DIFFERENCEWhat Sesame Workshop SEL does vs. what KudoKids does
What Sesame Workshop SEL does best
The most trusted name in children's media — Elmo and friends teach toddlers to calm down and solve problems. Completely free, no ads, backed by decades of real research.
Where it stops short
Stops at age 5. The app has only five scenarios, crashes regularly, and has not been updated in years. No mood tracking, no daily habit loop, nothing for school-age kids.
See our sourcesWhere KudoKids wins
KudoKids grows with kids from ages 3 to 12 — covering emotions AND responsibility, money thinking, learning, social skills, and more. Sesame leaves kids behind the moment they start kindergarten.
When a child turns 5 or 6 and Breathe Think Do stops holding their attention, that is the natural moment to move to KudoKids.
THE EIGHT WAYS KIDS GROWGrowth coverage, side by side
KudoKids — the whole child
Sesame Workshop SEL — focused on its lane
Coverage reflects each app's focus as of June 2026. ✓ = covered · ½ = partly · · = not a focus.
AT A GLANCEKudoKids vs Sesame Workshop SEL, side by side
Sesame Workshop SEL details reflect public information as of June 2026 and may change — check their site for current plans.
WHAT PARENTS SAYWhat public reviews say about Sesame Workshop SEL
What people say about KudoKids
Recommended by child-development experts. Early families say it's become their kids' favorite.
Our summary of public reviews of Sesame Workshop SEL as of June 2026 — from app-store, Trustpilot, and editorial reviews, in our words unless quoted. We show the good and the bad.
Parents like
- Kids actually use the Breathe-Think-Do technique in real life — parents see it working
- Bilingual English/Spanish support praised by Spanish-speaking families
- Truly free with no ads and no in-app purchases
- Beloved Sesame Street characters make emotional learning feel safe and familiar
Common complaints
- App crashes and freezes frequently — major reliability problem reported across both platforms
- Only five scenarios — kids exhaust all content in a single session
- No updates in years; content feels dated and repetitive
- Ages out fast — nothing engaging for kids past age 5 or 6
“A child-friendly, research-based app that could be very useful for a variety of settings. Recommended for preschool and primary users.” — The Horn Book
PRICINGSesame Workshop SEL pricing vs KudoKids
KudoKids plans
| Explorer (Free) | $0 | 10 child profiles, unlimited routines & rewards, one themed world, wellness tools (meditation, affirmations, check-ins), stories, games, speech-sound and learn-to-read practice you switch on, the drawing & art studio, and the full parent dashboard — no credit card required. |
| Premium | $11.99/mo · $99.99/yr · $249.99 lifetime | Everything in Explorer, plus every themed world, the full companion roster with skins and customization, exclusive backgrounds and music, and KudoKids AI (the parent-only setup assistant — it drafts, you approve). |
Sesame Workshop SEL plans
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame | $0/free | Full app — all scenarios, bilingual English/Spanish toggle, all emotion content. No paywall, no ads, no in-app purchases. |
| Learn with Sesame Street (BEGiN partnership) | —/unknown | Full SEL + academic curriculum app for ages 2-5, includes Grown-Up Guide for caregivers. 30-day free trial. Pricing conflicting across sources ($4.99/mo, $39.99 one-time, $39.99/mo) — could not verify as of mid-2026. |
Sesame Workshop SEL paid plan prices as of June 2026 — check their site for current plans.
One KudoKids subscription covers chores, routines, rewards, learning, and play — not just kids' wellness.
WHICH IS RIGHT FOR YOUWho should choose which
Choose KudoKids if…
- You want screen time your kids earn, not screen time that just keeps them busy.
- Your child is 3–12 and you want one app, not a pile of apps.
- You want to try it free before paying anything.
- An app that never shows ads in the app or sells child data matters to you.
Choose Sesame Workshop SEL if…
- Teaching a child to calm down, name feelings, and work through everyday challenges using the Breathe-Think-Do three-step strategy
- You want what Sesame Workshop SEL is best at: The most trusted name in children's media — Elmo and friends teach toddlers to calm down and solve problems. Completely free, no ads, backed by decades of real research.
THE WHOLE-CHILD OPTIONWhat you get with KudoKids
One app for ages 3–12 where kids earn coins for chores and routines, then spend them on games, rewards, and the screen time you price — recommended by child-development experts.
- Responsibility and good habits
- Money sense — earn, save, and spend with virtual Kudo Coins
- Emotional skills — calm-down tools, mood check-ins
- Curiosity and learning through a growing library of games, plus practice saying sounds and learning to read
- Kindness and social skills
- Online safety built in
- Imagination across themed worlds, animated companions, and a full drawing studio
- Active, playful screen time — companion-led movement sessions and device time kids earn
See full plans on our pricing page, or compare more tools on our comparison hub.
We wrote this comparison about our own product, so judge the source too — who builds KudoKids and why.
OUR SOURCESWhere this Sesame Workshop SEL research comes from
Public reviews, official policies, and news coverage as of June 2026. Some details above (marked in our research as unconfirmed or disputed) may have changed — check Sesame Workshop SEL's own site for the current word.
- Sesame Workshop About Us
- Sesame Workshop 2024 Financial Statements
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer — Sesame Workshop
- Breathe Think Do — Google Play
- Breathe Think Do — AppBrain (rating aggregation)
- ZoomInfo — Sesame Workshop employee count
- App Store listing — Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame
- Common Sense Media app review
- Common Sense Education teacher reviews
- Kids App Review
- Children and Media Australia app review
- Kidslox review
- BridgingApps listing
- Sesame Workshop — Social Emotional Skills topic page
- Sesame Workshop — Breathe, Think, Do resource page
- BEGiN and Sesame Workshop launch Learn with Sesame SEL app (PR Newswire)
- Sesame Workshop expands Emotional Well-Being Initiative 2026 (Morningstar/PR Newswire)
- New Sesame Workshop Resources Make Dealing with Emotions Easier (Toy Book)
- Sesame Workshop — Emotional Well-Being topic page
- Sesame Learning — professional development courses for educators
- Sesame Workshop — Communities In Schools SEL program (Dept. of Education narrative)
- Common Sense Privacy Report — Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame
- Mozilla Foundation Privacy Not Included — Breathe Think Do
- Sesame Workshop Privacy Policy
- Learn with Sesame Street — App Store
- Sesame Workshop Digital Well-Being Initiative (Google partnership)
- The Horn Book — Breathe, Think, Do app review
- License Global — BEGiN x Sesame Workshop launch
Questions parents ask
Is KudoKids a good alternative to Sesame Workshop SEL?
KudoKids grows with kids from ages 3 to 12 — covering emotions AND responsibility, money thinking, learning, social skills, and more. Sesame leaves kids behind the moment they start kindergarten. It is free to start and built for ages 3–12.
What does Sesame Workshop SEL do that KudoKids doesn't?
The most trusted name in children's media — Elmo and friends teach toddlers to calm down and solve problems. Completely free, no ads, backed by decades of real research.
Should I use KudoKids or Sesame Workshop SEL?
When a child turns 5 or 6 and Breathe Think Do stops holding their attention, that is the natural moment to move to KudoKids.
What does KudoKids cost compared to Sesame Workshop SEL?
KudoKids is free to start; premium $11.99/mo, $99.99/yr, or $249.99 lifetime. Sesame Workshop SEL: Free tier (public pricing as of June 2026 — check their site for current plans).
Screen time your kids earn — beyond what Sesame Workshop SEL does
KudoKids is free to start, no credit card required. One app for ages 3–12 where chores and routines earn coins, and coins buy the games, rewards, and screen time you price.
No credit card required. Set up in five minutes.