From the Toysit archive
Elmo’s Musical Peek-a-Boo Gym
Elmo, hanging shapes and a little Sesame Street keyboard invite greetings during supervised awake play, with the original gym coverage preserved.
The play at a glance
A little hello from Sesame Street
Elmo peeks over the middle of a white activity panel decorated with musical notes. Below him are bright keys and three hanging pieces, including an orange-ringed mirror. Familiar faces give an adult plenty to point out: a hello to Elmo, a wave to Cookie Monster, and a pause to see what catches the child’s attention.The scene changes with the setup
The G5136 instructions describe an overhead arrangement for a baby who is not yet ready to crawl or sit. Standard Gym responds when one of the suspended toys is batted; Soothing Gym supplies a continuous musical sequence. For a child able to sit, the adult changes the supports to the illustrated lower position, removes the hanging toys and selects Sit-Up Activity. That arrangement brings Ernie's roller ball, Zoe's dial and Cookie's keys into play. The center yellow key brings out Elmo for peek-a-boo.
An adult should follow the complete assembly diagrams for the chosen arrangement, including the separate take-along option. Use the toy for supervised awake play. The manufacturer prohibits placement in a crib or playpen and adding strings, ties or other items.
Try a Sesame Street greeting round
Begin with one visible face during play in the appropriate setup. An adult might say, “Hello, Elmo. We came to visit!” Then wait for the child's interest and whatever response occurs in the selected mode. Answer a musical moment or Elmo's appearance with a small wave.
Give another character a different greeting: a quiet “good morning” for one, a cheerful “there you are” for another. These spoken welcomes come from the adult. Let the child linger on a favorite face, and finish whenever attention moves elsewhere.
A Sesame Street picture book makes an equally simple greeting round. Turn to one character, offer a hello and leave a little space for a wave back.
The historical record
Original Toysit coverage
The original product account and commentary are preserved below as historical coverage.
Peek-a-boo baby activity center with hanging toys and Sesame Street characters
Elmo's Musical Peek-a-Boo Gym features over forty songs, phrases, and sounds in three modes of play. Stimulating features include hanging toys to bat, blinking piano keys, and spinning dial. Elmo and other Sesame Street characters will randomly play Peek-A-Boo with baby. May be adjusted for the sitting baby activity center detaches for easy take-along fun. In Calm Mode, baby can bat at any of the three hanging toys and Elmo will come to life gently rocking back and forth to a melody. In Gym Mode, baby can bat at any of the three hanging toys and Elmo will come to life along with music and lights. Angle the arch down for Sit-At Mode where baby can play with the light-up piano keys, light-up buttons, roller ball and spinning dial bringing Elmo to life along with music, character phrases, and lights.
Partnership Between Sesame Street and Fisher-Price
The collaboration between Sesame Street and Fisher-Price has been a paradigm of success in the realm of children's educational toys. This partnership has blended the educational potency of Sesame Street's content with Fisher-Price's expertise in crafting high-quality, durable toys.
- Brand Synergy: Both Sesame Street and Fisher-Price are trusted brands in their own right. Sesame Street is renowned for its educational content, while Fisher-Price is celebrated for its safe and reliable toys. The merger of these two entities created a brand synergy that parents feel confident supporting.
- Educational Value: Sesame Street's mission has always been educational enrichment. Fisher-Price has capitalized on this by developing toys that not only entertain but also educate. Whether it's a talking Elmo doll that teaches the alphabet or a Count von Count toy that helps with numbers, the educational value is at the forefront.
- Character Familiarity: Characters like Elmo, Big Bird, and Cookie Monster are beloved figures in children's entertainment. Fisher-Price's utilization of these characters in their toys makes the products immediately appealing to children, encouraging them to engage more deeply in play and learning.
- Quality and Durability: Fisher-Price toys are known for their durability, which is a critical factor for parents. Toys that can withstand the rigors of enthusiastic play while maintaining their educational features offer long-term value.
- Innovation: The partnership has also led to innovative products that integrate technology, such as interactive apps that go along with the toys, to augment the learning experience.
- Longevity: Due to the timeless appeal of Sesame Street's characters and the evergreen need for educational toys, products from this collaboration have a longer shelf life compared to trend-driven toys.
The blend of education, quality, and the magic of well-known characters has made the partnership between Sesame Street and Fisher-Price an enduring success, providing generations of children with toys that entertain, educate, and inspire.
Sources and editorial notes
The complete G5136-0920 assembly/play sheet and Mattel product record were reviewed against the original panel photograph. The instruction sheet distinguishes Soothing Gym, Standard Gym and Sit-Up Activity: its soothing setting runs continuously and leaves the hanging toys inactive, despite the marketing account describing batting in Calm Mode. The earlier total of over 40 songs, phrases and sounds is a combined marketing claim, not 40 songs. Broad partnership, educational, safety and durability assertions remain historical commentary. No physical testing; greeting round is a Toysit editorial suggestion.
- Original Toysit image — Existing same-site photograph reviewed and retained unchanged.
- Mattel: Elmo’s Musical Peek-a-Boo Gym — Model G5136 product description; marketing wording compared with operating instructions.
- G5136 complete instruction sheet — Both printed faces on one PDF page reviewed, including assembly, three configurations and placement warning.
- Original Toysit coverage — Complete original product account and historical commentary preserved.
Images and descriptions are retained as historical material. How Toysit covers toys.
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