Reviewed are some of the steps taken by Sesame Street staff in developing initial educational television programing for children with retarded development and having mental age of 3 to 5 years old. Three programing objectives are outlined: (1) to make selected elements of Sesame Street's curriculum more comprehensible to mentally retarded (MR) children; (2) to help foster the positive self-image of MR children and their parents; and (3) to help Sesame Street's nonretarded target audience recognize and appreciate the MR child's abilities and be more understanding of his or her limitations. The formative process of the Play to Grow segments is noted to include seminars with special educators, psychologists, producers, researchers, and others; work directly with the target group; development of preliminary guidelines; and continuous review and assessment of the segments produced. (SBH)