Sixty years ago, Joan Ganz Cooney asked whether television could do more than capture children’s attention—could it help them learn how to think? That idea became a hallmark of Sesame Street, where children were invited to sing along, answer back, and go make things. Today, children are not just watching media; they’re creating, designing, and shaping it.
This week, our contributors explore what it means to move from making media for children to making it with them—and why engagement and learning are not the same.
Since our founding in 1996, we’ve strived to create experiences that help all kids reach their full potential. From books to board games, animation to apps, we’ve always had our feet in two worlds: the digital and the physical.
When I read Joan Ganz Cooney’s original report, I had a surprising sense of familiarity. In countless ways, her work and perspective paved the path that our industry now travels. The path is now wider, perhaps closer to a major highway, but the destination we aim to reach is the same: to create media that helps kids lead rich, healthy futures.
Her ability to advocate for multiple mediums was ahead of its time. Varying entry points promote equity, delight, and engagement. Her pedagogy signals a “leaning in” for learners, not a passive sit-by. This type of thinking acknowledges that kids aren’t just containers that can be filled with ideas. They’re active participants in their own learning, creating their own worlds and identities as they grow and become more themselves.
Similarly, she challenged the idea that work and play are opposites. Rather than seeing them as separate, she believed they exist on a spectrum – that learning can happen through play, and work can be deeply enjoyable. While culture often frames them as a binary, she viewed them as interconnected, with each enriching the other.
As much as Mrs. Cooney wanted to use the television as a method for putting good-quality content in front of young people, she wanted just as much for viewers to create interactive, engaging experiences, for them to go outside, to find their curiosity out in the real world.
That’s something I can believe in too. We can believe in that together.
As president and co-founder of FableVision, Gary Goldberger oversees the production of FableVision’s award-winning media products. Since the company’s launch, Gary has held many positions, and he approaches each project with a multi-faceted perspective. Gary is an expert in designing and developing innovative games for learners of all ages and is a frequent national speaker on the role of games in education.
