Sesame Street Art Maker

I found Sesame Street Art Maker to be a focused creative app for children rather than a general drawing studio. It sits in the art and design category, comes from Sesame Workshop, and is built around making pictures with familiar Sesame Friends. That focus matters: the appeal is not an enormous toolbox, but a friendly setting that can make a child more willing to start drawing.

My overall impression is that it works best as a guided, low-pressure activity for young Sesame Street fans. It is simple enough for a child to explore without needing to understand layers, brushes, or complicated menus, while still leaving room for personal choices. At the same time, I would not treat it as a replacement for a full illustration app. The right decision depends on whether you want recognizable characters and an approachable creative experience, or a broad digital art workspace with more control.

What I considered before recommending it

When I assess a children’s art app, I look beyond whether it opens and produces a colorful picture. I want to know who will actually enjoy it, how much help a child needs, whether the activity encourages original decisions, and whether the experience remains useful after the first enthusiastic session. Sesame Street Art Maker makes a strong first impression because its theme is immediately understandable. A child who already knows Sesame Street does not have to learn an unfamiliar world before getting creative.

The second decision point is control. A very young child may benefit from a limited set of choices, because too many brushes, menus, and settings can turn drawing into a lesson about operating software. Older children, especially those who already enjoy sketching or digital painting, may judge the app differently. They may want more room to experiment than a character-centered tool provides. I would therefore choose this app for accessibility and confidence-building, not for technical precision.

It is also worth considering the purchase model. The app costs $3.99, so it is a paid choice rather than something I would casually install for a quick trial without thinking about it. That price can make sense for a family looking for a repeatable creative activity, particularly if a child already likes Sesame Street. It is less convincing if you are simply searching for any free drawing canvas and do not care about the characters or the themed presentation.

The age rating is Everyone, which fits the broad, family-friendly character of the experience. I would still sit with a younger child during the first session, not because the concept is difficult, but because children often understand creative apps faster when an adult shows them how to save, restart, or try a different idea. That first shared session can also reveal whether the child prefers decorating, choosing characters, or making more open-ended pictures.

A gentle starting point for children who hesitate to draw

One of the app’s biggest strengths is psychological rather than technical. A blank page can intimidate a child. A familiar Sesame setting gives the activity a starting point, and that can be enough to turn “I don’t know what to make” into a picture with a character, colors, and a simple story. I like that kind of entry point because it supports participation without requiring the child to think of a complete concept immediately.

In everyday use, I can imagine opening it during a quiet afternoon when a child wants screen time but you would rather offer something active than a passive video. A child might create a scene for a Sesame Friend, add their own color choices, and then explain what is happening in the picture. The valuable part is not just the finished image. It is the conversation that follows: why a character is in a particular place, what mood the colors show, or what should happen next.

For that reason, I would use it as a short creative prompt rather than leave it running as background entertainment. Ask the child to make a picture for a birthday card, illustrate a made-up story, or create a “weather picture” using colors and characters. These small assignments give the app a purpose and help prevent the activity from becoming repetitive tapping.

Why the Sesame theme changes the choice

The Sesame branding is not merely decoration. It is the main reason to choose this app over a neutral drawing tool. Familiar characters can lower the barrier to participation, especially for children who are still developing confidence with drawing. Instead of asking them to invent every subject, the app gives them a recognizable creative language to work with.

That advantage is strongest in homes where Sesame Street is already part of a child’s interests. The app can extend that interest into making rather than only watching. A child may be more motivated to revisit an art activity when the subject feels connected to characters they already understand. I would not expect the same enthusiasm from a child who has moved on from Sesame Street or prefers vehicles, animals, fantasy worlds, or unrestricted sketching.

There is also a useful trade-off here. A themed environment can provide direction, but it can also narrow the range of projects a child imagines. That is not a flaw for a beginner; structure is often helpful. It becomes a limitation when the child wants to draw outside the Sesame setting or develop a personal style without character-based prompts.

Practical ways to get more from each session

I found that the best way to use a focused art app is to change the goal, not just repeat the same tapping routine. One session can be about choosing colors, another about telling a story, and another about making a picture for someone else. This keeps the app connected to creative thinking instead of treating it as a digital coloring exercise.

• Invite the child to make a picture with a beginning, middle, and ending, then ask them to describe the story aloud.
• Use a limited color challenge, such as choosing only warm or cool colors, to encourage deliberate decisions.
• Turn the finished artwork into a reason to communicate: let the child explain it to a family member or use it as a prompt for a bedtime story.
• Try a “same character, different mood” activity, where the child creates one cheerful scene and one quiet or surprising scene.

These ideas do not require advanced art knowledge, but they make the app more valuable. They also help adults notice what the child is learning: selecting, arranging, explaining, and revising. In my view, that is where a simple creative app earns its place in a family’s routine.

What the current version means for everyday use

The current version is 1.6, and the app was released on March 8, 2021. I would not choose it because of those details alone, but they help set expectations. This is an established, focused experience rather than a brand-new platform that I would expect to change dramatically around my needs. I would approach it as a self-contained activity with a clear identity.

It supports devices running at least iOS 9, which makes the stated operating-system requirement relatively approachable for older compatible hardware. Still, families should check that the device is comfortable for a child to hold and that the screen is large enough for the intended activity. A technically compatible device can still be awkward if small controls are difficult to tap or if an adult must constantly take over.

Another practical question is whether a child can use it independently. My answer would be “sometimes,” depending on age and familiarity with touchscreens. The creative idea is accessible, but opening an app, choosing a project, and managing the finished result are separate skills. I would plan on a little guidance at first, then step back once the child understands the basic flow.

Where a different art app may fit better

If your priority is unrestricted drawing, a general-purpose sketching app is likely the better category. Those tools usually appeal to users who want to control the canvas, experiment with many kinds of marks, or build a project without a licensed theme directing the subject. I am not saying Sesame Street Art Maker should compete with professional drawing software; it is solving a different problem.

A blank-canvas app may also be preferable for an older child who wants to practice handwriting, realistic drawing, comic panels, or detailed illustration. The more a child asks for precision and personal control, the more likely a broader art tool will feel satisfying. In that situation, the Sesame theme could become a boundary rather than a helpful prompt.

On the other hand, many unrestricted art apps can be poor choices for beginners because they present too many controls at once. If a child becomes frustrated by toolbars or does not know what to draw, a simpler themed experience may produce more actual creativity. I would rather see a child complete a small, enjoyable picture than abandon an advanced app after struggling with its interface.

There is also a difference between a creative app and a coloring activity. A coloring-focused alternative may be better for a child who mainly wants to fill enclosed areas calmly, while Sesame Street Art Maker is more appealing when the child wants to combine characters, choices, and a personal scene. Neither approach is automatically superior. The question is whether your child enjoys making decisions or prefers a relaxing, more predictable task.

Understanding the value of the paid download

At $3.99, the purchase is easiest to justify when more than one child can enjoy it or when it becomes part of a regular creative routine. I would think of the cost as paying for a themed activity that can be revisited, not for a complete digital art education. The value increases if the child already responds warmly to Sesame Friends and decreases if the theme is unfamiliar or uninteresting.

Before buying, I would make one simple test: imagine the child using the app after the novelty of seeing familiar characters has faded. Can you picture several different activities, such as storytelling, color challenges, or making pictures for family members? If yes, the focused design may provide enough lasting value. If the only planned use is one quick session, a broader free option might be a more sensible choice.

The app’s average rating is 4.0 from around 50 ratings, with four written reviews. I see that as a modestly positive signal, not a guarantee that every child will enjoy it. Ratings can tell me that the basic experience works for some users, but they cannot decide whether a particular child prefers themed creativity or open-ended drawing. I would place more weight on the child’s interest in Sesame Street and the family’s intended use.

With over 10 thousand installs, it has found a real audience without being a universal mainstream art platform. That matches my impression of it: this is a targeted choice for families who want Sesame Workshop’s characters to make creative play more inviting. Its focused audience is a strength when it matches your household and a reason to skip it when it does not.

The real cost of switching to another option

Switching from this app to a general drawing tool may give an older child more freedom, but it can also transfer more responsibility to the child. They may need to learn where tools are, how to undo mistakes, how to choose colors, and how to begin without a character prompt. For a confident young artist, that learning curve may be welcome. For a hesitant beginner, it may reduce the amount of time spent actually creating.

Switching in the other direction can be useful too. If a child is overwhelmed by a broad art app, moving to a Sesame-centered experience may restore confidence. I would make that change when the problem is not a lack of imagination but too much interface. A simpler environment can be a temporary bridge before returning to a more capable tool later.

Families should also consider continuity. If a child has already built a comfortable habit in an unrestricted app, introducing a themed tool may feel limiting. If the child has not yet formed a creative routine, Sesame Street Art Maker can be an easier first step. The best choice is often the one that removes the biggest obstacle: uncertainty, complexity, lack of motivation, or insufficient control.

Who should choose it, and who should pass

I recommend Sesame Street Art Maker most strongly for younger children who know and enjoy Sesame Street, families seeking a calm creative activity, and adults who want a starting point for conversations about stories and colors. It is particularly suitable when the goal is participation rather than polished artwork. The Everyone rating also makes it a natural candidate for shared family use.

I would be more cautious for children who already use digital art tools confidently, want a completely blank canvas, or are interested in subjects outside the Sesame world. I would also skip it if you are looking for animation, professional drawing controls, or a broad design workspace. Those needs call for a different category of app, even if this one is easier to approach.

My final recommendation is positive but specific: choose it when the Sesame theme is a genuine source of motivation. In my experience, that combination of recognizable characters and low-pressure art making is the app’s clearest reason to exist. It can turn a spare part of the day into a small creative ritual, especially when an adult adds a story prompt or a simple challenge.

The best reason to buy it is not technical power; it is the way a familiar Sesame setting can help a child feel ready to make something. If that is what you need, the paid download is a reasonable choice. If you want unrestricted illustration or long-term artistic growth through advanced tools, I would put the money toward a broader drawing app instead. For the right child, however, Sesame Street Art Maker is an inviting first step from watching favorite characters to creating with them.

Sesame Street Art Maker is available as an art and design app from Sesame Workshop, with a current version of 1.6 and support beginning at iOS 9. Its simple identity is also its most important promise: it gives children a familiar place to make pictures, and it asks less of them than a full digital studio. That makes it easy to recommend to the right family, while keeping my expectations realistic about what it can replace.