Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program

The Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Program was presented to television programming aimed towards children in any format. Series, specials and non-fiction programming were all eligible for the award. Prior to 1974, both daytime and primetime programming was eligible. However, once the Daytime Emmy Awards were formed, only primetime television remained eligible.

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS) revised their rules for the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards to exclude primetime specials or extensions of a daytime series from eligibility for the award. The rule change followed three consecutive wins for Sesame Street primetime specials. The category was retired beginning with the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards, citing that streaming services had created further confusion over whether children's programs would be eligible for the award or not. The NATAS, who organizes the Daytime Emmys, announced in 2021 that it would introduce a Children's and Family Emmy Awards presentation beginning in 2022.

Winners and nominations

1950s Year Program Nominees Network 1950 Time for Beany — KTLA Cyclone Malone —KNBH Kukla, Fran and Ollie — 1951 Time for Beany — KTLA The Cisco Kid — KNBH Jump Jump — KTTV Kukla, Fran and Ollie — NBC The Lone Ranger — KTLA 1953 Time for Beany — KTLA Big Top — CBS Gabby Hayes —NBC The Howdy Doody Show — Kukla, Fran and Ollie — Super Circus — Zoo Parade — 1954 Kukla, Fran and Ollie — NBC Big Top — CBS Ding Dong School —NBC Super Circus — Zoo Parade — 1955 Lassie — CBS Art Linkletter and the Kids — Syndicated Ding Dong School — NBC Kukla, Fran and Ollie — ABC Time for Beany — Syndicated Zoo Parade — NBC 1956 Lassie — CBS Ding Dong School —NBC The Howdy Doody Show — Kukla, Fran and Ollie —ABC The Mickey Mouse Club — The Pinky Lee Show — NBC

1960s Year Program Nominees Network 1960 The Huckleberry Hound Show William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, producers Syndicated Captain Kangaroo —CBS Lassie — Quick Draw McGraw — Syndicated Watch Mr. Wizard — NBC 1961 Young People's Concert — CBS Captain Kangaroo — CBS Huckleberry Hound — Syndicated The Shari Lewis Show —NBC The Shirley Temple Show — 1962 New York Philharmonic Young People's Concerts with Leonard Bernstein — CBS Captain Kangaroo — CBS 1, 2, 3 Go! —NBC The Shari Lewis Show — Update — Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color — 1963 Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color — NBC Captain Kangaroo — CBS Discovery — ABC Mr. Wizard —NBC The Shari Lewis Show — Update — 1964 Discovery — ABC Exploring —NBC NBC Children's Theatre — Science All Stars — ABC Wild Kingdom — NBC 1966 A Charlie Brown Christmas Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez, producers CBS Captain Kangaroo Al Hyslop, producer CBS Discovery Jules Power, executive producer ABC NBC Children's Theatre George A. Heinemann, producerNBC Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color Walt Disney and Ron W. Miller, executive producers 1967 Jack and the Beanstalk Gene Kelly, producer CBS Charlie Brown's All Stars! Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez, producers CBS Discovery Jules Power, executive producer ABC It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez, producers CBS 1968 Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming He's Your Dog, Charlie Brown Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez, producers CBS Mister Rogers' Neighborhood Fred Rogers, producer NET You're in Love, Charlie Brown Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez, producers CBS Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming — Individuals Mister Rogers' Neighborhood Fred Rogers, host NET 1969 Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming Mister Rogers' Neighborhood Fred Rogers, producer NET Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color Ron W. Miller, executive producer NBC Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming — Individuals Captain Kangaroo Bob Keeshan, performer CBS NBC Children's Theatre Burr Tillstrom, performer NBC

1970s Year Program Nominees Network 1970 Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming Sesame Street David Connell, executive producer; Sam Gibbon, Jon Stone and Lutrelle Horne, producers NET The Wonderful World of Disney Ron W. Miller, executive producer NBC Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming — IndividualsSesame Street David Connell, Bruce Hart, Carole Hart, Jerry Juhl, Jeff Moss, Virginia Schone, Ray Sipherd, Jon Stone and Dan Wilcox, writersNET Joe Raposo and Jeff Moss, music and lyrics for "This Way to Sesame Street" Kukla, Fran and Ollie Michael Loewenstein, scenic designer NET 1971 Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming Sesame Street David Connell, executive producer; Jon Stone and Lutrelle Horne, producers PBS Kukla, Fran and Ollie John J. Sommers and Richard Carter, executive producers PBS Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming — Individuals Kukla, Fran and Ollie Burr Tillstrom, performer PBS Sesame Street George Riesenberger, lighting director PBS 1972 Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming Sesame Street David Connell, executive producer; Jon Stone, producer PBS The Electric Company David Connell, executive producer; Samuel Y. Gibbon, producer PBS Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming — Individuals Play It Again, Charlie Brown John Scott Trotter, music director CBS Sesame Street George Riesenberger, lighting director PBS 1973 Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming — Informational/Factual ABC Afterschool Special William Hanna and Joseph Barbera, producers ABC A Picture of Us Shari Lewis, host NBC ABC Afterschool Special Jameson Brewer, writer ABC In the News Joel Heller, executive producer; Pat Lynch and Judy Reemstsma, producers CBS Make a Wish Lester Cooper, executive producer; Tom Bywaters, producer ABC Outstanding Achievement in Children's Programming — Entertainment/Fictional The Electric Company Tom Whedon, John Boni, Sara Compton, Tom Dunsmuir, Thad Mumford, Jeremy Stevens and Jim Thurman, writersPBS Sesame Street Jon Stone, executive producer; Robert Cunniff, producer Zoom Christopher Sarson, producerThe Electric Company Henry Behar, directorPBS Samuel Y. Gibbon and David Connell, executive producers; Andy Ferguson, producerSesame Street Robert Myhrum, director Joe Raposo, music director You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown Charles M. Schulz, writer CBS 1974 Outstanding Children's Program Marlo Thomas and Friends in Free to Be... You and Me Marlo Thomas, producer/star; Carole Hart, producer ABC The Borrowers Duane Bogie, executive producer; Walt deFaria and Warren Lockhart, producers NBC A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Lee Mendelson and Bill Melendez, producers CBS Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children's Programming The Borrowers Bill Zaharuk, art director; Peter Razmofsky, set decorator NBC A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Charles M. Schulz, writer CBSThe Borrowers Judith Anderson, actressNBC Juul Haalmeyer, costume designer Walter C. Miller, director Marlo Thomas and Friends in Free to Be... You and Me Bill Davis, director ABC 1975 Outstanding Children's Program Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus Burt Rosen, executive producer; Bill Melendez and Mort Green, producers ABC Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown Lee Mendelson, executive producer; Bill Melendez, producerCBS Dr. Seuss' The Hoober-Bloob Highway David H. DePatie, executive producer; Friz Freleng and Dr. Seuss, producers It's the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown Lee Mendelson, executive producer; Bill Melendez, producer 1976 Outstanding Children's Program Huckleberry Finn Steven North, producer ABC You're a Good Sport, Charlie Brown Lee Mendelson, executive producer; Bill Melendez, producer CBS 1977 Outstanding Children's Program Ballet Shoes John McRae and Joan Sullivan, producers PBS Hallmark Hall of Fame Gary Smith and Dwight Hemion, executive producers NBC It's Arbor Day, Charlie Brown Lee Mendelson, executive producer; Bill Melendez, producer CBS The Little Drummer Boy Book II Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass, producers NBC Pinocchio Bernard Rothman and Jack Wohl, producers CBS Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children's Programming Hallmark Hall of Fame Jenn de Joux and Elizabeth Savel, video animation NBCPinocchio Jerry Greene, video tape editorCBS Bill Hargate, costume designer The CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People Michael Tilson Thomas, music directorCBS Pinocchio Stan Winston, Larry Abbott and Edwin Butterworth, makeup 1978 Outstanding Children's Program Halloween Is Grinch Night David H. DePatie and Friz Freleng, executive producers; Dr. Seuss, producer ABC The Fat Albert Christmas Special Lou Scheimer and Norm Prescott, producersCBS Once Upon a Brothers Grimm Jay Rayvid, executive producer; Shep Greene and Chiz Schultz, producers Once Upon a Classic Bernard Rothman and Jack Wohl, producers PBS Peter Lundy and the Medicine Hat Stallion Ed Friendly, producer NBC Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children's ProgrammingOnce Upon a Brothers Grimm Bill Hargate, costume designerCBS Ken Johnson, art director; Robert Checchi, set decoratorOnce Upon a Brothers Grimm Jerry Greene, video tape editorCBS Tommy Cole, Larry Abbott and Michael Westmore, makeup Once Upon a Classic Nicholas Spies and Bob Millslagle, video tape editors PBS 1979 Outstanding Children's Program Christmas Eve on Sesame Street Jon Stone, executive producer; Dulcy Singer, producer PBS Benji's Very Own Christmas Story Joe Camp, producer ABC Once Upon a Classic Jay Rayvid, executive producer; James A. DeVinney and Graeme MacDonald, producers PBS A Special Sesame Street Christmas Bob Banner, executive producer; Stephen Pouliot, producer CBS Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children's Programming As a juried award, nominees had to garner 50% approval to win the award. None of the nominees met the benchmark and no award was given.Christmas Eve on Sesame Street Gerri Brioso, graphic artistPBS Tony Di Girolamo and Dave Clark, lighting directors

1980s