Now your child can make music with Elmo, the Count, some Honkers, and a little help from Abby Cadabby’s magic. Learn basic musical concepts with Sesame Street: Elmo’s Musical Monsterpiece for Wii and DS (Wii version reviewed here).

Just like in past Sesame Street titles on the Wii, this one’s just a collection of mini-games connected by story and dialogue from the Sesame Street cast. Travel around the neighborhood, visit a music classroom, and even enter Count’s Castle!  Your child will learn to recognize simple songs with Elmo, learn about different kinds of musical instruments and classify them into groups, practice sound dynamics with loud and soft Honkers, help Abby turn a music box crank fast or slow to learn about tempo, catch high and low notes to learn about pitch, and help Elmo play the cymbals to practice basic rhythms. Other lessons include counting and shape recognition, too. Heck, even I could learn some simple songs when Elmo and Abby danced on a giant keyboard since I know how to play the piano, too!

Kids can play the games right in a row or try each one separately. If your young child needs help, a parent can take over with a second Wii remote. There is also a special parents section where they can view their child’s progress, make a favorite game playlist, and other options.

Play control requires you to hold the Wii remote sideways and tilt and move the controller as per the spoken instructions. 99 percent of the time it worked great, but it wasn’t as responsive every now and then. But the controls are a heck of a lot better in this game than in past Sesame Street titles. The characters look just like the show, and are voiced by the original Muppet performers, so no reading skill is needed. Aside from being a little on the short side, this is a great game for young kids. Sesame Street: Elmo’s Musical Monsterpiece is rated EC for Early Childhood.

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