Our four year-old’s main strategy for problem-solving still tends to be 1.) Shout and if that doesn’t work, 2.) Shout louder. Perhaps he could benefit from a few sessions with the latest Sesame Street app.

It’s called Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame, and was released this week for iPhone and iPad. It’s all about helping one of Sesame Street’s monsters solve problems without resorting to a yelling temper-tantrum.

“Tap and touch to help the monster friend take deep breaths, think of plans, and try them out,” explains its App Store listing. “Your child will enjoy silly animations and playful interactions as she is exposed to important emotional vocabulary, a calm breathing technique, personalised encouragements, and more.”

Children get to practise taking deep breaths along with the virtual monster, while helping them calm down and solve their problem. The idea: they’ll then (hopefully!) consider this approach in the real world when they encounter their own problems.

Meanwhile, a parental section explains how it all works, and how you might be able to talk about the app’s lessons with your child.

Aimed at 2-5 year-olds, Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame is a free download for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store.

Read about more Sesame Street apps on Apps Playground.