THE AISLE SEAT - by Mike McGranaghan

"WILD WORDS AND OUTDOOR ADVENTURES"

"Sesame Street" has been educating and entertaining children for decades. Think back on how many things you learned watching it as a kid - not just numbers and letters, but also things about the world around you. Best of all, the program has done it in a manner that makes learning fun, that captures the joy of discovery. The new "Sesame Street" DVD Wild Words and Outdoor Adventures, in stores now, focuses specifically on teaching children about the environment. In typical fashion, it's fun for families to watch together.

The disc has four segments, kicking off with Jimmy Fallon playing "Wild Nature Survival Guy" (imagine a comedic Bear Grylls), who teaches Elmo that nature is everywhere - even in the middle of a city block. The second, and best, segment features Kyra Sedgwick as "Camouflage Carla," who blends into various backgrounds on Sesame Street and then challenges some of its residents to find other examples. It's really clever. Broadway sensation Lin Manuel Miranda pops up in the third section as a real estate agent desperate to help Big Bird relocate to a new habitat, but unable to find one that's suitable. The DVD wraps up with the monster Telly learning about how and why bears hibernate.

Each section's theme (nature, camouflage, habitat, hibernation) is introduced by a different celebrity, with Debra Messing, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Cameron Diaz, and Meredith Viera doing the honors.

Wild Words and Outdoor Adventures is done with all the warmth, wit, and charm you've come to expect from "Sesame Street." The writing is perfect, making concepts understandable for children, while also finding the right balance of information and humor. The guest stars on this particular disc are terrific, as they provide the stories with lots of energy. If you have young kids at home and want to give them top quality entertainment, you can't go wrong with this DVD.

An "Alphabet Jungle Song" is also included as a bonus feature.