by Thinus Ferreira
The new star-studded 13th season of Takalani Sesame which will start on SABC2 on 6 June with new episodes on weekdays at 15:30 will feature guest appearances by Sho Madjozi, Prev Reddy, Holly and Mimi Rey, Farieda Metsileng, David Kau, the Goliath brothers and others, and help parents and kids to understand and talk about different feelings.
The new 13th season of Takalani Sesame will focus on helping people understand "big feelings" ranging from sadness and frustration, to recognising when you're scared and angry and what to do about it.
Takalani Sesame episodes are available in English on Mondays, isiZulu on Tuesdays, Sesotho on Wednesdays, isiNdebele on Thursdays and Afrikaans on Fridays.
Innocent Nkata, managing director of Sesame Workshop South Africa managing director, says the focus of the 13th season of Takalani Sesame is on helping children and parents recognise emotions and how to process them - especially when something feels overwhelming.
"The season's lessons will help children identify and name big feelings and provide strategies to manage these emotions."
"Big feelings can be difficult for young children to handle or overcome and that's why in the brand-new 13th season of Takalani Sesame, our beloved Muppets are focusing on what to do when your emotions feel like they're about to burst out of your body."
"The season's lessons will help children identify and name Big Feelings and provide strategies to manage these emotions, skills that are critical in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic."
"Kids learn best when they're playing and having fun. That's why Elmo, Zuzu, Moshe, Zikwe, Kami and animated friends like Basma, Jad and Grover come up with games and songs that let children explore different emotions and how to deal with them."
"This could be like feeling left out when someone else is chosen to play a game first or feeling frustrated if you don't get something right the first time, and the Takalani Sesame friends learn techniques to help them cope with big feelings, like belly breathing, counting to five or drawing it out."
Mari Payne, Sesame Workshop South Africa director of education and outreach, says "Recent developments have proved to us the importance of building resilience and overcoming trauma by developing critical social-emotional skills".
"By helping children build social-emotional skills, we're giving them the tools they need to thrive both in school and in life."
Danie Swart, SABC head of education, says "SABC2 and SABC Education have been long-standing champions of edutainment as part of our drive to entertain and inform our viewers and we are so happy to see a diverse contingent of South African celebrities joining a well-loved, proudly local show".
