| Category | Details |
| Episode Number | 0597 |
| Season | Season 5 (1973-1974) |
| Air Date | February 12, 1974 |
| Primary Theme | Snow Removal and Consequences |
| Letter of the Day | Q |
| Number of the Day | 4 |
| Key Muppets | Big Bird, Oscar, Kermit, Herry Monster, Roosevelt Franklin |
| Human Cast | Bob, Susan, Maria |
| The "Mess" | Mud, chimney soot, and garbage mixed with snow |
| Big Bird's Tools | Spoon, Axe, Shovel |
| Street Lessons | Traffic safety; "Wet vs. Dry"; "People in Your Neighborhood" |
| Sponsors | Q, S, 4 |
Street Scenes
Bob's impressed by the fresh snow on Sesame Street. Oscar the Grouch kind of spoils the view. He mixes the white snow with mud, soot, and garbage. He creates a repulsive sludge. Bob tries to throw the mess into the gutter. A passing truck splashes the mixture back onto Bob. Bob shakes off the grime. He sang a song to the kids. He's got a game going with four different shovels.
Susan's car gets buried under a snow plow. Big Bird tries to help her out. He suggests using a small spoon. He then suggests using a heavy axe. These tools just don't cut it. Big Bird finally provides a proper shovel. Susan clears the car. Another snow plow goes by. It buries the car under a fresh mound of snow. Susan starts the work again. Big Bird watches her. Bob announces the sponsors.
Parent's Guide
Tina, who's pretty smart, thinks traffic safety is just about watching lights. Baby Breeze corrects her. Keep your eyes peeled for cars, even when the light is green. Rules aren't a substitute for staying alert. It's a good idea to practice active crossing with your child. Ask your child if they see any moving cars. This goes beyond just rote memorization to make things safer.
There's a guy by a pool and an elephant, showing the difference between wet and dry. Kids learn from a bunch of examples that words describe a state of being rather than a specific object. You can use sensory lessons during bath time or on a rainy day. Go ahead and ask your child to point out the dry things and the wet things. This helps them describe their own physical world. It teaches the language they'll need for storytelling and science.
Susan shovels her car out of the snow. A plow covers the car again. Susan is pushing through with her work, even after this recent setback. This shows that effort isn't a straight line to success. You can use this to help your child learn about persistence. Sometimes you've just got to start over when life throws you a curveball.
Big Bird gives Susan a spoon and an axe to clear the snow. He finally realizes a shovel is the right tool. This helps kids understand the purpose of a tool. You should play a game at home to match solutions to problems. Ask your child if a fork works for soup. Ask your child to find a better tool. This sharpens their logic.
Bob tries to clean the mud and soot that Oscar made. He throws the mess into the gutter. A truck splashes the mess back onto him. This shows that actions have consequences. How you choose to fix a mess matters. It's important to teach your child to be mindful of how they solve problems.
