| Category | Details |
| Episode Number | 0835 |
| Season | Season 7 (1975–1976) |
| Air Date | January 23, 1976 |
| Main Theme | Footprints and Sound Imitations |
| Fix-It Shop Focus | Items beginning with the letter T |
| Key Muppets | Big Bird, The Count, Cookie Monster, Ernie, Bert, Guy Smiley |
| Human Cast | Bob, Susan, Gordon, Luis, Maria, David |
| Big Bird's Sounds | Falling snow, a pillow, and a "collision" |
| Letter of the Day | T, F, I |
| Number of the Day | 8 |
| Spanish Vocabulary | Yo (I), Teléfono (Telephone), Televisión |
| Sponsors | T, 8 |
Parent's Guide
Susan, Gordon and the kids go to the Fix-It Shop. They look at the repair shelf. So, every item starts with the same letter. The TV and the toy are both in the same group. This activity helps you recognise sounds. Kids learn to categorise the world around them using language. This is a step toward independent reading.
Big Bird tries to impress Gordon with sound imitations. He copies the sound of falling snow and a pillow. They're both silent. Gordon's not impressed. Big Bird then copies the sound of closing his eyes. He closes his eyes and walks away. Then, there's a massive crash off-screen. Big Bird staggers back. He says that a crash is what closing your eyes sounds like when you can't see. This lesson is all about cause and effect. It uses physical comedy to show how important it is to use your senses. It's a story that makes kids think about being aware of what's going on around them.
Big Bird's wondering how Bob got to his nest without leaving footprints. He reckons Bob used a helicopter or a parachute. Bob actually shovelled snow over his tracks as he walked. Big Bird thinks this is a mystery. He thinks Bob spent the night clearing everyone's footprints to keep the snow smooth. This segment is all about gratitude. Big Bird always looks for the best in his friends. It encourages kids to look out for the hidden helpers in their community.
Luis dresses as a magician. He's a maths magician. He pulls out some numbers to show what he's doing when Maria and David show up. He switches to subtraction as people leave. This is where we start to do some numerical operations. The magician persona makes maths fun. Kids see that adding means more things appear. Subtracting means they go away.
Susan plays a game called Three of These Things. She uses pictures of a snow shovel, a toboggan, a sled and a wagon. The kids have to work out which thing doesn't belong in the snow. Then Susan goes to the garage to get her own sled. This is just an exercise in logical reasoning. To solve the puzzle, you have to know what each object is for. The shovel and sled are the tools of the trade for winter. The wagon is for dry ground. This helps children see patterns and make decisions based on what they know.
Two Muppet boys are looking at the number 8. They find that the number looks the same when they turn it upside down. This creates a visual symmetry. It's good to know that some shapes stay the same because it helps with spatial reasoning. It also improves observation skills.
