Sesame Street characters will explain the pandemic to kids this Saturday in a special town hall

As the pandemic and lockdown drag on, parents find themselves in the tricky spot of having to answer the zillion questions their kids have. Why can't we visit grandma and grandpa? Why can't they visit us? Why don't mom and dad go to work anymore? Can we go to the park? What's a "coronavirus"? As much as many of them are enjoying this break from school, they are sure to have picked up on the tension in the air from the bits and pieces they hear about the global health crisis. Rather than leave them to form their own assumptions, it’s best to explain the situation to them in a way that will help them understand without feeling overwhelmed by it all.

Sounds like quite a challenge, doesn't it? Thankfully, CNN and Sesame Street are teaming up to help parents start this important dialogue with their puzzled little ones. This Saturday, April 25, the network and the iconic show will be hosting a very special town hall for young viewers and their parents to address the novel Coronavirus outbreak. The town hall will feature several Sesame Street characters—Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Rosita, and Grover— with CNN Chief Medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta and CNN anchor Erica Hill.

According to CNN, "The ABC's of Covid 19: A CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall for Kids and Parents" will tackle issues including education, anxiety, screen time, and playdates in the time of this pandemic. During the 90-minutes-long segment, the iconic characters and their friends from CNN will reportedly answer questions submitted in advance by families. The town hall will be moderated by everyone's favorite yellow feathered character Big Bird, Dr. Gupta, and Hill. According to Scary Mommy, viewers can also expect cameos from Sesame Street’s Alan Muraoka and Dr. Rosemarie Truglio.

Kids and parents can send in their questions about the pandemic via the CNN website here. At the time of submitting the questions, you'll be required to include your full name and phone number, which indicates that the town hall might be somewhat interactive. According to the network, "the town hall will air on CNN, CNN International and CNN en Español. It will stream live on CNN.com's homepage and across mobile devices via CNN's apps, without requiring a cable log-in. You can also watch on CNNgo, and subscribers to cable/satellite systems can watch it on-demand."

The special builds on Sesame Workshop's Caring for Each Other initiative, which aims to "help children everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder." The initiative provides "valuable resources that bring children comfort, spark learning, and help families face challenges together." According to the official Sesame Street website, "Sesame Workshop is a nonprofit on a mission that keeps us focused, passionate, and moving forward. There are so many ways to help kids grow smarter, stronger, and kinder, and we’re doing everything we can to meet their needs in more than 150 countries."

"You’ll find us on screens, in classrooms, in communities—everywhere families can use a trusted hand to help little ones reach their full potential. Our unforgettable characters bring joyful learning into children’s lives—and help Sesame Workshop change the world, one smile at a time," it states. "The ABC's of Covid 19: A CNN/Sesame Street Town Hall for Kids and Parents" will air at 9 a.m. ET sharp this Saturday.