Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Special facts for kids

The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Special was a special Emmy award given to the best television programming made for kids. This award recognized one-time shows like TV movies, dramas, and educational specials.

This award was first given out in 1974, the very first year of the Daytime Emmy Awards. It was an important way to celebrate great television for young people. After 2007, the award was no longer given out.

Award Winners Through the Years

Here is a list of the shows that won this special award. The award's name changed a few times over the years. Winners are shown in bold.

Outstanding Children's Entertainment Special (1974–1984)

This award was for specials that were made to entertain kids, often telling a story or showing a performance.

• 1974: ABC Afterschool Specials ("Rookie of the Year")
• 1975: The CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People ("Harlequinade")
• 1976: The CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People ("Danny Kaye's Look-In at the Metropolitan Opera")
• 1977: NBC Special Treat ("Big Henry and the Polka Dot Kid")
• 1978: ABC Afterschool Specials ("Hewitt's Just Different")
• 1979: NBC Special Treat ("The Tap Dance Kid")
• 1980: ABC Afterschool Specials ("The Late Great Me: Story of a Teenage...")
• 1981: ABC Afterschool Specials ("A Matter of Time")
• 1982: ABC Afterschool Specials ("Starstruck")
• 1983: ABC Afterschool Specials ("The Woman Who Willed a Miracle")
• 1984: ABC Afterschool Specials ("The Great Love Experiment")

Outstanding Children's Informational Special (1976–1984)

This award was for specials that taught kids about interesting topics in a fun way.

• 1976: Happy Anniversary, Charlie Brown
• 1977: ABC Afterschool Specials ("My Mom's Having A Baby")
• 1978: ABC Afterschool Specials ("Very Good Friends")
• 1979: Razzamatazz
• 1980: The CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People ("Why a Conductor")
• 1981: The CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People ("Julie Andrews' Invitation to the Dance with Rudolf Nureyev")
• 1982: Kathy
• 1984: CBS Schoolbreak Special ("Dead Wrong: The John Evans Story")

Outstanding Children's Anthology/Dramatic Programming (1980)

For one year, this award recognized series that presented different dramas or stories in each episode. There were multiple winners this year.

• 1980:
  • ABC Weekend Specials ("The Gold Bug")
  • Once Upon a Classic ("Leatherstocking Tales")
  • CBS Library ("Once Upon a Midnight Dreary")
  • CBS Library ("Animal Talk")

Outstanding Children's Special (1985–2003)

The award was renamed to celebrate all kinds of amazing specials for kids.

• 1985: CBS Schoolbreak Special ("All the Kids Do It")
• 1986: CBS Schoolbreak Special ("The War Between the Classes")
• 1987: ABC Afterschool Specials ("Wanted: The Perfect Guy")
• 1988: CBS Schoolbreak Special ("Never Say Goodbye")
• 1989: ABC Afterschool Specials ("Taking a Stand")
• 1990: CBS Schoolbreak Special ("A Matter of Conscience")
• 1991: Lost in the Barrens
• 1992: Vincent et moi
• 1993: ABC Afterschool Specials ("Shades of a Single Protein")
• 1994: Lifestories: Families in Crisis ("Dead...: The Kevin Tunell Story")
• 1995: Lifestories: Families in Crisis ("A Child Betrayed: The Calvin Mire Story")
• 1996: CBS Schoolbreak Special ("Stand Up")
• 1997: Elmo Saves Christmas
• 1998: In His Father's Shoes
• 1999: The Island on Bird Street
• 2000: Summer's End
• 2001: Two shows tied for the award this year!
  • Run the Wild Fields
  • A Storm in Summer
• 2002: My Louisiana Sky
• 2003: Bang Bang You're Dead

Outstanding Children/Youth/Family Special (2004–2007)

In its final years, the award's name was updated to include shows for the whole family.

• 2004: The Incredible Mrs. Ritchie
• 2005: Mighty Times ("The Legacy of Rosa Parks")
• 2006: Reality Matters ("Teen...")
• 2007: Saving a Species ("The Great Penguin Rescue")