PBS KIDS, Producers, and Stations Land 20 Children's & Family Emmy Nominations
Here's the headline, but also the heart of it: a lot of kids and families are seeing their favorite characters and stories get real recognition. PBS KIDS and its partners pulled in 20 nominations at the Children (movies and tv series)'s & Family Emmy Awards. That's a big nod to shows that entertain, teach, and honestly keep the living room calm at 7:30 a.m.
It's not just one breakout hit either. The nominations stretch across writing, puppetry, voice performance, short-form, and sound. That says range. And it says the teams behind these shows are doing the work-every episode, every season.
Standout Nominations
- Outstanding Preschool, Children's or Family Viewing Series
Odd Squad (Sinking Ship Entertainment/BBC Studios/Fred Rogers (movies and tv series) Productions)
- Outstanding Preschool Animated Series
Carl the Collector (Spiffy Pictures/Fuzzytown Productions/Yowza! Animation)
Daniel Tiger (movies and tv series)'s Neighborhood (Fred Rogers Productions)
Molly of Denali (GBH Kids/Atomic Cartoons)
Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum (9 Story Media Group/Brown Bag Films)
- Outstanding Short Form Live Action Program
My Way (Fred Rogers Productions)
Together We Can (Sesame Workshop)
- Outstanding Short Form Animated Program
Acoustic Rooster: Jazzy Jams (GBH Kids/Global Mechanic)
Count on June Bug (Thirteen)
- Outstanding Puppetry Performer
Frankie Cordero (movies and tv series) as Purple Panda, Turtle-Lou & Penguin Referee - Donkey Hodie (Fred Rogers Productions/Spiffy Pictures)
Stephanie D'Abruzzo (movies and tv series) as Duck Duck, Harriett Elizabeth Cow, Mama Panda & Doc Skunk - Donkey Hodie (Fred Rogers Productions/Spiffy Pictures)
- Outstanding Voice Performer in a Preschool Program
Jay Thomas Manuel (movies and tv series) as Jeff Mouse - Donkey Hodie (Fred Rogers Productions/Spiffy Pictures)
- Outstanding Younger Voice Performer in a Preschool, Children's or Young Teen Program
Summer Rose Castillo (movies and tv series) as Alma - Alma's Way (Fred Rogers Productions)
- Outstanding Writing for a Preschool or Children's Series
"Odd Ones In" - Odd Squad (Sinking Ship Entertainment/BBC Studios/Fred Rogers Productions)
- Outstanding Writing for a Preschool Animated Series
"Daniel Finds Out What's Fair" - Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood (Fred Rogers Productions)
"The Fall" - Carl the Collector (Spiffy Pictures/Fuzzytown Productions/Yowza! Animation)
"Thanks-For-Giving" - Molly of Denali (GBH Kids/Atomic Cartoons)
- Outstanding Sound Mixing and Sound Editing for a Preschool Animated Program
"I am Gwen Ifill (movies and tv series)/I am Matthew Henson" - Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum (9 Story Media Group/Brown Bag Films)
- Outstanding Original Song for a Preschool Program
"I'm on My Way" - Acoustic Rooster and His Barnyard Band (GBH Kids/Global Mechanic)
Why this matters
If you work in kids' TV, you can feel the through-line here. PBS KIDS keeps stacking nominations in places that actually shape what families watch: preschool animation, short-form pieces that live online, and character voices that kids repeat at the breakfast table. It's proof that educational can also be sticky and fun.
Local stations and partners are visible, too-Thirteen, East Tennessee PBS, GBH, Fred Rogers Productions, Spiffy Pictures, Sesame Workshop, 9 Story, Brown Bag. That broader footprint matters for funding pitches, renewals, and rolling out the next batch of episodes and specials.
What's next
Winners will be announced during the 2025 Children's & Family Emmys on March 1-2, 2026, at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City. Long runway. Plenty of time for campaigns, community screenings, and maybe a few strategic marathons.
If you need the official awards info or category details, check the Children's & Family Emmys at theemmys.tv. Curious about the venue? Here's Jazz at Lincoln Center: jazz.org.
Bottom line: 20 nominations signal trust-by parents, educators, and kids who keep showing up for these stories. That's worth celebrating.
