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

The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Series was a special award given to TV shows made for kids. The Emmy awards have honored children's TV since they first started.

In 1995, a new award was created just for shows aimed at very young children (pre-schoolers). So, there were two awards for kids' shows. Later, in 2018, they made another change. They split the awards into two new groups: one for general children's series and another for educational series.

However, in November 2021, it was announced that all Daytime Emmy awards for children's shows would stop. Instead, a brand new awards show was created just for kids' and family programming. This new show, called the Children's & Family Emmy Awards, started in 2022.

Past Winners and Nominees

Here are some of the shows that won or were nominated for these awards over the years. Winners are shown in bold.

Outstanding Entertainment Children's Series

This award honored children's shows that were mainly for entertainment.

1974

• Zoom (PBS)
• Captain Kangaroo (CBS)

1975

• Star Trek: The Animated Series (NBC)

1978

• Captain Kangaroo (CBS)

1983

• Smurfs (NBC)
• Captain Kangaroo (CBS)

Outstanding Children's Instructional Programming

This award was for shows that taught kids something.

1976

• Schoolhouse Rock! (ABC)
• Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (PBS)
• Sesame Street (PBS)

1977

• Sesame Street (PBS)

Outstanding Informational Children's Series

This award recognized shows that gave children information.

1976

• Go (NBC)

1977

• The Electric Company (PBS)

1979

• Big Blue Marble (SYN)

Outstanding Children's Informational/Instructional Series

This category combined informational and instructional shows for children.

1980

• Sesame Street (PBS)
• 30 Minutes (CBS)

1983

• Sesame Street (PBS)
• Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (PBS)

Outstanding Children's Informational/Instructional Programming - Short Form

This award was for shorter informational or instructional programs.

1980

• Ask NBC News (NBC)
• In the News (CBS)
• Schoolhouse Rock! (ABC)

1982

• In the News (CBS)

Outstanding Children's Series

This was the main award for children's series for many years.

1985

• Sesame Street (PBS)
• Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (PBS)

1989

• Newton's Apple (PBS)
• Reading Rainbow (PBS)
• Sesame Street (PBS)

1990

• Reading Rainbow (PBS)
• Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (PBS)
• Sesame Street (PBS)

1994

• Sesame Street (PBS)
• Reading Rainbow (PBS)
• Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (PBS)

1995

• Nick News with Linda Ellerbee (SYN)
• Bill Nye the Science Guy (PBS)
• Reading Rainbow (PBS)

1999

• Bill Nye the Science Guy (SYN)
• Reading Rainbow (PBS)

2001

• Reading Rainbow (PBS)
• Even Stevens (Disney Channel)

2006

• Zoom (PBS)
• Between the Lions (PBS)

2010

• The Electric Company (PBS)
• FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman (PBS)

2013

• R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour (The Hub)
• The Aquabats! Super Show! (The Hub)

2016

• Sea Rescue (SYN)
• Odd Squad (PBS)

Outstanding Pre-School Children's Series

This award was specifically for shows made for very young children.

1995

• Sesame Street (PBS)
• Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (PBS)

1998

• Sesame Street (PBS)
• Blue's Clues (Nickelodeon)
• Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (PBS)

2000

• Bear in the Big Blue House (Disney Channel)
• Sesame Street (PBS)
• Blue's Clues (Nickelodeon)

2002

• Blue's Clues (Nickelodeon)
• Sesame Street (PBS)

2005

• Sesame Street (PBS)
• Blue's Clues (Nickelodeon)

2009

• Between the Lions (PBS)
• Sesame Street (PBS)
• Wonder Pets! (Nickelodeon)

2011

• Sesame Street (PBS)
• Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (Disney Channel)
• Yo Gabba Gabba! (Nickelodeon)

2015

• Dino Dan: Trek's Adventures (Nickelodeon)
• Sesame Street (PBS)
• Yo Gabba Gabba! (Nickelodeon)

2020

• Sesame Street (HBO)

Outstanding Children's or Family Viewing Series

This award recognized shows for a wider audience, including families.

2017

• Give (NBC)
• Odd Squad (PBS)

2018

• Free Rein (Netflix)
• Odd Squad (PBS)

2019

• Odd Squad (PBS)
• American Ninja Warrior Junior (Universal Kids)

Outstanding Education or Informational Series

This category focused on shows that educated or informed children.

2018

• Giver (ION Television)
• Sea Rescue (SYN)

2019

• Weird but True! (National Geographic Kids)

Shows with Many Wins

Some shows were very successful and won multiple awards:

33 wins

• Sesame Street

10 wins

• Reading Rainbow

5 wins

• Captain Kangaroo

3 wins

• 30 Minutes
• R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour
• Schoolhouse Rock!
• The Electric Company

2 wins

• The Big Blue Marble
• Bill Nye the Science Guy
• Jack Hanna's Into the Wild
• The Smurfs
• Zoom

Shows with Many Nominations

Many shows were nominated multiple times, showing their popularity and quality:

41 nominations

• Sesame Street

21 nominations

• Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

16 nominations

• Reading Rainbow

12 nominations

• Captain Kangaroo

9 nominations

• Between the Lions
• Once Upon a Classic

8 nominations

• Blue's Clues

7 nominations

• Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?
• Zoom

6 nominations

• Bill Nye the Science Guy
• Nick News with Linda Ellerbee