Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in Children's Programming


The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in Children's Programming was an Emmy award given to performers in television programming. During the 1970s and 1980s, guest performers in dramatic specials and regular performers on children's series competed in the same category. However, starting in 1989, separate categories for performances in children's series and performances in children's specials were created and used until after 2007 when all categories related to Children's Specials were dropped.
The youngest Emmy nominee, Jodelle Ferland, was nominated in this category in 2001 at the age of six. The youngest Emmy winner, Bindi Irwin, won in 2008 at age nine.
In November 2021, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences announced that all Daytime Emmy categories honoring children's programming will be retired in favor of a separate Children's & Family Emmy Awards ceremony, to be held starting in 2022.

Winners and Nominees

Winners in bold. For "Individual Achievement" categories, only nominees relevant to this page are listed.

Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children's Programming

1975
1978Tom Aldredge - The CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People
1979Jack Gilford - Big Blue Marble Geraldine Fitzgerald - Special Treat Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Caroll Spinney, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt - Sesame Street
1980Maia Danziger - ABC Afterschool Special Butterfly McQueen - ABC Afterschool Special Melissa Sue Anderson - ABC Afterschool Special Fred Rogers - Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
1981Danny Aiello - ABC Afterschool Special Bill Cosby - Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids Ken Howard - The Body Human Marlo Thomas - The Body Human

Outstanding Performer in Children's Programming

1982Robert Keeshan - Captain Kangaroo
1983Cloris Leachman - ABC Afterschool Special
1984Dick Van Dyke - CBS Library
1985John Carradine - Young People's Specials
1986Pearl Bailey - ABC Afterschool Special
1987Madeline Kahn - ABC Afterschool Special
1988Philip Bosco - ABC Afterschool Special

Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special

1989Dana Barron - CBS Schoolbreak Special
1990Greg Spottiswood - Looking for Miracles
1991Joanne Vannicola - CBS Schoolbreak Special
1992Josh Hamilton - CBS Schoolbreak Special
1993Dina Waters - Lifestories: Families in Crisis
1994Justin Whalin - CBS Schoolbreak Special
1995Hal Linden - CBS Schoolbreak Special
1996Kate Burton - ABC Afterschool Specials
1997Donna Murphy - Lifestories: Families in Crisis
1998Robert Ri'chard - In His Father's Shoes
1999Jordan Kiziuk - The Island on Bird Street
2000James Earl Jones - Summer's End
2001Ossie Davis - Finding Buck McHenry
2002Kelsey Keel - My Louisiana Sky
2003Ben Foster - Bang Bang You're Dead

Outstanding Performer in a Children/Youth/Family Special

2004Gena Rowlands - The Incredible Mrs. Ritchie
2005Stockard Channing - Jack
2006James McDaniel - Edge of America
2007Eion Bailey - Life of the Party
  • Kera O'Bryon - Assignment Discovery
  • Elijah Wood - ''Saving a Species''

Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series (1989-2014)

1989Jim Varney - Hey Vern, It's Ernest!
1990Kevin Clash - Sesame Street
1991Tim Curry - Peter Pan & the Pirates
1992Shari Lewis - Lamb Chop's Play-Along
1993Shari Lewis - Lamb Chop's Play-Along
1994Shari Lewis - Lamb Chop's Play-Along
1995Shari Lewis - Lamb Chop's Play-Along
1996Shari Lewis - Lamb Chop's Play-Along
1997Fred Rogers - Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
1998Bill Nye - Bill Nye the Science Guy
1999Fred Rogers - Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
2000Shari Lewis - The Charlie Horse Music Pizza
2001LeVar Burton - Reading Rainbow
2002LeVar Burton - Reading Rainbow
2003Shia LaBeouf - Even Stevens
2004Jeff Corwin - Jeff Corwin Unleashed
2005Kevin Clash - Sesame Street
2006Kevin Clash - Sesame Street
2007Caroll Spinney - Sesame Street Kevin Clash - Sesame Street
2008Bindi Irwin - Bindi the Jungle Girl
2009Kevin Clash - Sesame Street
2010Joey Mazzarino - Sesame Street Kevin Clash - Sesame Street
2011Kevin Clash - Sesame Street
2012Kevin Clash - Sesame Street
2013Kevin Clash - Sesame Street
2014Jessica Honor Carleton - Green Screen Adventures

Outstanding Performer in a Children's or Pre-School Children's Series (2015-2016)

2015Margot Kidder - The Haunting Hour: The Series
2016 Jessica Lundy - The Inspectors

Outstanding Performer in a Children's, Pre-School Children's or Family Viewing Program

2017 Isaac Kragten - Odd Squad

Outstanding Performer in a Children's, Preschool Children's or Educational and Informational Program

2018 Dove Cameron - Liv and Maddie: Cali Style

Outstanding Performer in a Children's, Family Viewing or Special Class Program

2019Michela Luci - Dino Dana: Season 2

Outstanding Principal Performance in Daytime Program

2020Ryan Dillon - Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration

Outstanding Limited Performance in a Daytime Program

2020Bill Cobbs - Dino Dana: Dino Flyer

Outstanding Limited Performance in a Children’s Program

2021Lupita Nyong'o - Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices: Lupita Nyong'o Reads Sulwe

Outstanding Principal Performance in a Children’s Program

2021Jace Chapman - The Healing Powers of Dude

Outstanding Younger Performer in a Children’s Program

2021Sophie Grace - The Baby-Sitters Club

Programs with multiple awards

;16 awardsSesame Street
;5 awardsLamb Chop's Play-Along
;3 awardsMister Rogers' Neighborhood
;2 awards

Multiple wins

9 wins
6 wins
5 wins
3 wins
2 wins