Children's & Family Emmys: The Animation Nominees Are In
If you work in kids TV, your morning just got more interesting. NATAS dropped this year's Children's & Family Emmy animation nominees, and there's a clear message: preschool stalwarts are steady, and streamers still own the big swings.
The ceremony is set for March 1-2 in New York City, with winners announced across two nights. Juried Individual Achievement in Animation will be announced early next year, along with the ceremony host, presenters, and the 2026 Lifetime Achievement honoree.
NATAS says the goal is simple: celebrate the people (movies and tv series) who make shows kids actually watch, and parents don't mind rewatching. That tracks.
Quick takeaways
- Disney+ and Netflix continue to lead the conversation on specials and series, while PBS Kids shows remain fixtures in preschool categories.
- Pixar's Win or Lose pops up often. So does Ultraman: Rising, a likely favorite in special, sound, and song.
- Editing and sound nods skew toward franchise titles-Star Wars, LEGO, Marvel-where polish matters and audiences notice.
- Yes, the label says "2026" for these animation nominees, while the ceremony happens March 2025. Awards calendars are weird. We live with it.
For schedule updates and rules, NATAS' official page has the latest.
Official Children's & Family Emmys hub
Animation nominees for the 2026 Children's & Family Emmy Awards
Outstanding Preschool Animated Series
- Carl the Collector - PBS Kids
- Daniel Tiger (movies and tv series)'s Neighborhood - PBS Kids
- Molly of Denali - PBS Kids
- The Tiny Chef Show - Nickelodeon
- Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum - PBS Kids
Outstanding Children's or Young Teen Animated Series
- Big City Greens - Disney+ / Disney Channel
- Dream Productions - Disney+
- Win or Lose - Disney+
- Wolf King - Netflix
- Wylde Pak - Nickelodeon
Outstanding Animated Special
- An Almost Christmas Story - Disney+
- Kiff: The Haunting of Miss McGravy's House - Disney+ / Disney Channel
- Kiff: Lore of the Ring Light - Disney+ / Disney Channel
- That Christmas - Netflix
- Ultraman: Rising - Netflix
Outstanding Short Form Animated Program
- Acoustic Rooster: Jazzy Jams - PBS Kids
- Count on June Bug - Thirteen
- Daffy in Wackyland - HBO | Max
- Eva the Owlet - Apple TV+
- How Not to Draw - Disney+ / Disney Channel
- Road Trip - Disney+ / Disney Channel
Outstanding Single Role Voice Performer in a Children's or Young Teen Program
- Erik Todd Dellums as Aaravos - The Dragon Prince
- Cynthia Erivo (movies and tv series) as The Slink - RoboGobo
- Ernie Hudson (movies and tv series) as Marlon - Angry Birds Mystery Island
- John Lithgow (movies and tv series) as Bolinar - Spellbound
- John C. Reilly (movies and tv series) as The Folk Singer - An Almost Christmas Story
- Maya Rudolph (movies and tv series) as Jean - Dream Productions
Outstanding Multiple Role Voice Performer in a Children's or Young Teen Program
- Eric Bauza (movies and tv series) - Daffy in Wackyland
- H. Michael Croner - Kiff
- David Errigo Jr. - Tiny Toons Looniversity
- Kate Mulgrew (movies and tv series) - Star Trek: Prodigy
- Kari Wahlgren (movies and tv series) - Legends of Evergreen Hills
Outstanding Younger Voice Performer in a Preschool, Children's or Young Teen Program
- Summer Rose Castillo (movies and tv series) - Alma's Way
- Vanessa Huszar (movies and tv series) - Wonder Pets: In the City (movies and tv series)
- Christopher Sean (movies and tv series) Cooper Jr. - Wonder Pets: In the City
- Chanel Stewart - Win or Lose
- Kensington Tallman (movies and tv series) - Dream Productions
- Alkaio Thiele (movies and tv series) - Marvel's Spidey & His Amazing Friends
- Ja'Siah Young (movies and tv series) - RoboGobo
Outstanding Writing for a Preschool Animated Series
- Daniel Finds Out What's Fair - Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood
- The Fall - Carl the Collector
- Save the Runaway Egg - Wonder Pets: In the City
- Thanks-For-Giving - Molly of Denali
- Tiny Chef's Spooky Stump Spectacular - The Tiny Chef Show
Outstanding Writing for a Children's or Young Teen Animated Series
- Crushed - Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
- The Devourer of All Things, Part I - Star Trek: Prodigy
- Frand or Foe - Goldie
- Pickle - Win or Lose
- Worst Birthday Ever - Jentry Chau vs. The Underworld
Outstanding Directing for a Preschool Animated Series
- Auntie Freeze! | Goin' Camping! - Super Duper Bunny League
- The Battle of Tenoo - Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures
- Save Tate? - Wonder Pets: In the City
- Tiny Chef's Spooky Stump Spectacular - The Tiny Chef Show
- The Ulti-Bat Rises - Batwheels
Outstanding Directing for an Animated Series
- Guess Who's Coming to Dinner - Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
- Home - Win or Lose
- Part 4: A Night to Remember - Dream Productions
- The Rise of the Wolf - Wolf King
- Welcome to Byjovia - Max & the Midknights
- Worst Birthday Ever - Jentry Chau vs. The Underworld
Outstanding Voice Directing for an Animated Series
- StuGo - Disney+ / Disney Channel
- Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man - Disney+
- Goldie - Apple TV+
- Wonder Pets: In the City - Apple TV+
- Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur - Disney+ / Disney Channel
- Kiff - Disney+ / Disney Channel
Outstanding Music Direction and Composition for an Animated Program
- WondLa - Heart
- Dream Productions - Part 4: A Night to Remember
- Spellbound
- That Christmas
- Gremlins: The Wild Batch - There's Always a Fortune in the Cookie Factory
Outstanding Editing for a Preschool Animated Program
- Eva the Owlet - Adventure Night
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures - The Battle of Tenoo
- Marvel's Spidey & His Amazing Friends - Moon Girl and the Dino Dilemma | Hulk's Squirrely Switch
- Gabby's Dollhouse - Pillow Can't Sleep
- The Creature Cases - The Spider's Stolen Silk
- The Tiny Chef Show - Tiny Chef's Spooky Stump Spectacular
- Batwheels - The Ulti-Bat Rises
Outstanding Editing for an Animated Program
- An Almost Christmas Story
- Win or Lose - Mixed Signals
- Dream Productions - Part 4: A Night to Remember
- Spellbound
- That Christmas
Outstanding Sound Mixing and Sound Editing for a Preschool Animated Program
- Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures - The Battle of Tenoo
- Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum - I Am Gwen Ifill (movies and tv series) / I Am Matthew Henson
- Marvel's Spidey & His Amazing Friends - Moon Girl and the Dino Dilemma | Hulk's Squirrely Switch
- Batwheels - Music Meister Mayhem
- Hot Wheels: Let's Race - Stop Those Cars! | Self-Destruct
Outstanding Sound Mixing and Sound Editing for an Animated Program
- The Dragon Prince - Dying Light
- Jurassic World: Chaos Theory - Fire in the Piazza
- Win or Lose - Home
- LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy - Part Two
- Ultraman: Rising
- Max & the Midknights - Welcome to Byjovia
Outstanding Original Song for a Preschool Program
- Grow Your World - Rise Up, Sing Out
- I'm on My Way - Acoustic Rooster and His Barnyard Band
- I Want To Go Home - Kindergarten: The Musical!
- Music, Music - Sesame Street
- One Colorful Ocean - Ariel
- The Show Will Go On - RoboGobo
Outstanding Original Song for a Children's or Young Teen Program
- It's Okay - Zombies: The Re-Animated Series
- No Better - Ultraman: Rising
- Red - Descendants: The Rise of Red
- Red Christmas - Descendants: The Rise of Red
- Still Haunted By You - Girl Haunts Boy
- The Way It Was Before - Spellbound
Outstanding Show Open
- Dream Productions - Disney+
- Goosebumps: The Vanishing - Disney+
- Jentry Chau vs. The Underworld - Netflix
- Star Wars: Skeleton Crew - Disney+
- Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man - Disney+
Outstanding Casting for an Animated Program
- An Almost Christmas Story - Disney+
- Dream Productions - Disney+
- RoboGobo - Disney+
- Spellbound - Netflix
- Win or Lose - Disney+
What this could mean
If you're programming for preschoolers, PBS Kids still sets the pace. For older kids and families, Disney+ and Netflix are where the volume-and awards heat-live.
We'll see how it shakes out in March. For now, consider this your watchlist and your reminder to lock those screener links before the inbox flood hits again.
