Elmo ' s World Elmo ' s World is a segment on " Sesame Street " starring Elmo . It ran consistently from Season 30 to Season 37 ( and less regularly through Season 42 ) . Each segment , or episode , runs approximately 20 - minutes long following the same , basic format . Regular features include inserts featuring the Noodle Family , Elmo asking questions of a baby and email messages which feature other " Sesame Street " regulars . The segment takes place in a crayon - drawn apartment . Each segment focuses on a specific topic - ranging from or to or . The segments follow a series of skits and interviews centered on that topic . The skits and interviews are essentially the same every day , only changing the subject matter . Production on new installments of " Elmo ' s World " was discontinued by 2009 , and the segment was replaced by " Elmo the Musical " starting with season 43 ( 2012 ) . However , " Elmo ' s World " segments still appear in rerun episodes as well as new video releases . Modified versions of past segments were reintroduced to the show in Season 46 . Season 47 re - introduced the segment ( alternatively referred to as " Elmo ' s Wonderful World " ) , with 26 all - new episodes , now 5 minutes in length . Each five - minute segment features Elmo in a newly designed " world , " still accompanied by Mr . Noodle and Dorothy , but joined by Smartie , an animated smartphone . Format . One characteristic feature of " Elmo ' s World " is that every episode has the same segments , in the same order . Research has shown that the formula appeals to young children ' s attraction to ritual and routine , and that children ' s participation with the program increases with repetition . The revamped segments follow a shorter , but structured format : Episodes . Elmo ' s World has spawned more than 64 episodes and two hour - long direct - to - video specials . was released in 2001 and in 2002 . Elmo ' s World was also the featured setting for the 35 anniversary special " The Street We Live On " , in which Elmo takes on " Sesame Street " as the topic of the day for an hour - long episode . The Sesame Place amusement park has featured various " Elmo ' s World Live ! " stage shows based on the segment . In the Season 37 episode " Cookie World , " the plot features a spoof of the segment with Cookie Monster in place of Elmo . Inside Elmo ' s World . As shown in the " " home video special , Elmo ' s World takes place inside one of Elmo ' s crayon drawings , which explains the scribbly look and bright colors of the digitally - generated set . While Muppet representations of the day ' s topic have always appeared inside Elmo ' s World , it was not until the season 35 special " The Street We Live On " that major Muppet characters also visited Elmo ' s World in person . Most segments usually feature cameos by at least two other recognizable characters ( one of whom usually appears in sequences where Elmo asks a yes or no - type question ) . Elmo said in a video that he got help from all his Sesame Street friends , in crayoning his apartment . Chris claims that his pants got messed up in the process . The basic look of Elmo ' s World has been replicated by the Indian co - production ' s segment " The Word of the Day " , also hosted by Elmo . Behind the Scenes . Origins . The idea for an Elmo - centered segment came just before the 30th season of " Sesame Street " . Research was showing that the average viewing age of the program was getting younger and was more popular with viewers under the age of three than ever before . Dr . Rosemarie Truglio , vice president of Education and Research for Sesame Street , attested that tests showed younger viewers were losing interest around the show ' s 45 - minute mark . Producers came up with the idea for the original format to end around 45 minutes , and that a shorter , and very different styled , segment that was specially designed to engage the younger viewers , would air during the final 20 minutes of the show . Judy Freudberg , Tony Geiss , Emily Kingsley , Cathy Turow , Annie Evans and Molly Boylan created and developed the concept along with Arlene Sherman . Executive producer Michael Loman describes the format : The first episode of " Elmo ' s World " , which was about , debuted on November 16 , 1998 ( in Episode 3786 ) . " Elmo ' s World " has undergone a few changes since its conception . In the beginning , the same " Elmo ' s World " segment was repeated on all five shows for the week , but by the end of the initial season the practice was dropped . When the segment first appeared , Elmo introduced " Elmocam " home videos . In 2001 , Elmo ' s computer began delivering video e - mails from other Sesame Street characters on the topic of the day . These computer segments replaced the home video portion of the show used in the first two seasons . Also , the film portions featuring kids were originally narrated by Elmo , but later on were switched to being narrated by the kids themselves . Production . Elmo ' s room is a simple raised set comprised for three walls ( painted scenery flats ) with crayon drawing designs . The episodes are produced outside of the regular seasons ' production schedules . Early on , many of the animated characters who interacted with Elmo were performed in real - time alongside the puppet through the use of motion - capture puppeteering . Rick Lyon served as motion - capture puppeteer for Elmo ' s drawer , shade and door when the segments first started . However the use of motion - capture performances was dropped as production got more complicated . Now , simple stand - ins and markers are used and the animated characters are added in post - production using traditional key - frame computer animation techniques . Kevin Clash is Elmo ' s principal puppeteer for " Elmo ' s World " ; for more complicated shots that show the use of Elmo ' s entire body , a puppet known as " Active Elmo " is used and additional puppeteers assist and are matted out along with Clash in the final shots . Matt Vogel , John Tartaglia and others have served as assistants . Retirement and Reboot . The last new " Elmo ' s World " episode , about , aired in 2009 . Repeats continued to be a regular feature in new " Sesame Street " episodes up until season 42 . In a 2011 interview with the fan website ToughPigs , Kevin Clash revealed that the segment would be replaced by a new , 11 - minute Elmo segment created by Joey Mazzarino , Belinda Ward , Luis Santeiro , Molly Boylan , Christine Ferraro , and Annie Evans . The resulting segment , " Elmo the Musical , " debuted in season 43 . After " Elmo ' s World " ’ s original run , Sesame Workshop continued to release new DVD compilations of past segments , including " " , " " and " " . In 2015 , an " Elmo ' s World " app titled " Elmo ' s World and You " was released . The app recycles older footage and adds newly - filmed interactive content featuring Elmo and a new animated crayon - drawn character named " Tablet . " Beginning in the fall of 2015 ( in both half - hour edits of older episodes on PBS and season 46 ) , past segments were trimmed to a 7 - minute run time , cropped into widescreen with altered footage and music scores . It was subsequently announced that Season 47 in 2017 would feature a revamped version of the segment . Each segment runs five minutes in a newly - designed world , where Elmo interacts with Smartie , an animated smartphone , and his old friend Mr . Noodle ( along with his two new brothers ) . The segment ' s new intro song , a slight remix on " Elmo ' s Song , " was written by Christine Ferraro , Bill Sherman and Jenna Lankford . Internationally . The segments have also been broadcast as a standalone program ( on Britain ' s Channel Five , the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and into Danish and Spanish , among others ) . Bangladeshi co - production " Sisimpur " has a segment inspired by " Elmo ' s World " , " Ikri ' s World " . Instead of being inhabited by animate objects that are normally inanimate , Ikri Mikri ' s imagination features traditional Bangladeshi puppets . This segment also features a clown similar to Mr . Noodle that tries to answer Ikri ' s question through pantomime . See also . _ _ NOWYSIWYG _ _