^{Credit: An Almost Christmas Story (Disney+), Spellbound (Skydance Animation, Netflix), That Christmas (Locksmith Animation, Netflix), Ultraman: Uprising (Tsuburaya Productions, Netflix)} 

The nominations for the 4th Children’s & Family Emmy Awards have been announced. Among this year’s animated nominees are two Pixar shows: Win or Lose, with seven bids, and Dream Productions, with eight. Nickelodeon’s tragically cancelled (but far from gone) series The Tiny Chef Show also cooked up four nominations. First held in 2022, the Children’s & Family Emmys, or (CAFE), recognize a wide range of television programs. Of course, in a streaming era, the definition of television is broader than ever. In addition to shows, this year’s lineup includes several features and short subjects that previously competed for Academy Awards consideration.

This past Oscar season, Skydance Animation’s Spellbound, Locksmith Animation’s That Christmas, and Tsuburaya Productions’ Ultraman: Uprising, all three of which have Netflix in common, were submitted for Best Animated Feature consideration at the 97th Academy Awards. None were nominated, although since they were distributed through a streaming service, another awards path was open to them. Spellbound got five Emmy nominations, while That Christmas and Ultraman: Rising both got three apiece. Netflix isn’t the only streaming service to submit projects to the Oscars and Emmys. An Almost Christmas Story, which you can stream on Disney+, wasn’t shortlisted for Best Animated Short at last year’s Oscars, but it’s now a four-time Emmy nominee. Once Upon a Studio, another Disney short, previously won a Children's & Family Emmy for Outstanding Animated Short Form Program after missing the Oscar five.

It’s hard to imagine a world where KPop Demon Hunters doesn’t get a Best Animated Feature nomination next January. If there’s a shocking snub on Oscar nominations morning, though, it’s good to know that KPop Demon Hunters could still get in at the Emmys. The same goes for this year’s other Netflix releases, like In Your Dreams and The Twits. There may come a time when a firm line is drawn between what’s eligible for an Oscar and what’s eligible for an Emmy. For now, though, streaming provides a fluid route between the two.

The 4th Children’s & Family Emmy Awards will take place on March 1 and 2, 2026. Check out all of the animation-related nominees below:

Outstanding Preschool Animated Series

Carl the Collector

PBS Kids [Spiffy Pictures | Fuzzytown Productions | Yowza! Animation]

Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood

PBS Kids [Fred Rogers Productions]

Molly of Denali

PBS Kids [GBH Kids | Atomic Cartoons]

The Tiny Chef Show

Nickelodeon

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum

PBS Kids [9 Story Media Group | Brown Bag Films]

Outstanding Children's or Young Teen Animated Series

Big City Greens

Disney+ I Disney Channel

Dream Productions

Disney+ [Pixar Animation Studios]

Win or Lose

Disney+ [Pixar Animation Studios]

Wolf King

Netflix [Lime Pictures Limited]

Wylde Pak

Nickelodeon

Outstanding Animated Special

An Almost Christmas Story

Disney+ [Cuarón’s Esperanto Filmoj I Titmouse | Maere Studios]

Kiff: The Haunting of Miss McGravy’s House

Disney+ I Disney Channel [Titmouse, Inc.]

Kiff: Lore of the Ring Light

Disney+ I Disney Channel [Titmouse, Inc.]

That Christmas

Netflix [Locksmith Animation]

Ultraman: Rising

Netflix [Tsuburaya Productions]

Outstanding Short Form Animated Program

Acoustic Rooster: Jazzy Jams

PBS Kids [GBH Kids | Global Mechanic]

Count on June Bug

Thirteen

Daffy in Wackyland

HBO | Max [Warner Bros. Animation]

Eva the Owlet

Apple TV+ [Brown Bag Films | Scholastic Entertainment]

How Not to Draw

Disney+ I Disney Channel

Road Trip

Disney+ I Disney Channel

Outstanding Puppetry Performer

Leslie Carrara-Rudolph as Abby Cadabby & Tango

Sesame Street

HBO Max [Sesame Workshop]

Frankie Cordero as Purple Panda, Turtle-Lou & Penguin Referee

Donkey Hodie

PBS Kids [Fred Rogers Productions | Spiffy Pictures]

Stephanie D'Abruzzo as Duck Duck, Harriett Elizabeth Cow, Mama

Panda & Doc Skunk

Donkey Hodie

PBS Kids [Fred Rogers Productions | Spiffy Pictures]

Ryan Dillon as Elmo & Felix

Sesame Street

HBO Max [Sesame Workshop]

Carmen Osbahr as Rosita

Sesame Street

HBO Max [Sesame Workshop]

Outstanding Voice Performer in a Preschool Program

Pamela Adlon as Aunt Lola

SuperKitties

Disney+ I Disney Jr. [Sony Pictures Television Kids]

Dee Bradley Baker as Nubs & Zeepohz

Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures

Disney+ [Lucasfilm Ltd.]

Ana Gasteyer as Crabitha

RoboGobo

Disney+ I Disney Jr. [Brown Bag Films]

Jay Thomas Manuel as Jeff Mouse

Donkey Hodie

PBS Kids [Fred Rogers Productions | Spiffy Pictures]

Amber Riley as Ursula

Disney Jr.'s Ariel

Disney+ I Disney Jr. [Wild Canary]

Outstanding Single Role Voice Performer in a Children's or Young Teen Program

Erik Todd Dellums as Aaravos

The Dragon Prince

Netflix [Wonderstorm I Bardel Entertainment | MWM]

Cynthia Erivo as The Slink

RoboGobo

Disney+ I Disney Jr. [Brown Bag Films]

Ernie Hudson as Marlon

Angry Birds Mystery Island

Prime Video | Amazon Kids+ [Titmouse Animation | Snipple Animation]

John Lithgow as Bolinar

Spellbound

Netflix [Skydance Animation]

John C. Reilly as The Folk Singer

An Almost Christmas Story

Disney+ [Cuarón’s Esperanto Filmoj I Titmouse | Maere Studios]

Maya Rudolph as Jean

Dream Productions

Disney+ [Pixar Animation Studios]

Outstanding Multiple Role Voice Performer in a Children's or Young Teen Program

Eric Bauza as Daffy Duck & The Do-Do

Daffy in Wackyland

HBO | Max [Warner Bros. Animation]

H. Michael Croner as Barry Buns, Rat, Chubbles Wubbington, Soda

Jerk & Buffalo Security

Kiff

Disney+ I Disney Channel [Titmouse, Inc.]

David Errigo Jr. as Hamton J. Pig & Plucky Duck

Tiny Toons Looniversity

HBO | Max [Warner Bros. Animation]

Kate Mulgrew as Admiral Janeway & Hologram Janeway

Star Trek: Prodigy

Netflix I CBS Studios [Nickelodeon Animation Studios]

Kari Wahlgren as Evelyn & Mrs. Grant

Legends of Evergreen Hills

Chick-fil-A Play App [Bento Box]

Outstanding Younger Voice Performer in a Preschool, Children's or Young Teen Program

Summer Rose Castillo as Alma

Alma's Way

PBS Kids [Fred Rogers Productions]

Vanessa Huszar as Zuri

Wonder Pets: In the City

Apple TV+ [Nickelodeon Animation]

Christopher Sean Cooper Jr. as Tate

Wonder Pets: In the City

Apple TV+ [Nickelodeon Animation]

Chanel Stewart as Kai

Win or Lose

Disney+ [Pixar Animation Studios]

Kensington Tallman as Riley

Dream Productions

Disney+ [Pixar Animation Studios]

Alkaio Thiele as Peter Parker

Marvel's Spidey & His Amazing Friends

Disney+ I Disney Jr. [Marvel Studios | Atomic Cartoons]

Ja'Siah Young as Dax

RoboGobo

Disney+ I Disney Jr. [Brown Bag Films

Outstanding Writing for a Preschool Animated Series

Daniel Finds Out What's Fair

Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood

PBS Kids [Fred Rogers Productions]

The Fall

Carl the Collector

PBS Kids [Spiffy Pictures | Fuzzytown Productions | Yowza! Animation]

Save the Runaway Egg

Wonder Pets: In the City

Apple TV+ [Nickelodeon Animation]

Thanks-For-Giving

Molly of Denali

PBS Kids [GBH Kids | Atomic Cartoons]

Tiny Chef’s Spooky Stump Spectacular

The Tiny Chef Show

Nickelodeon

Outstanding Writing for a Children's or Young Teen Animated Series

Crushed

Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur

Disney+ I Disney Channel [Flying Bark Productions]

The Devourer of All Things, Part I

Star Trek: Prodigy

Netflix I CBS Studios

Frand or Foe

Goldie

Apple TV+ [Mercury Filmworks]

Pickle

Win or Lose

Disney+ [Pixar Animation Studios]

Worst Birthday Ever

Jentry Chau vs. The Underworld

Netflix

Outstanding Directing for a Preschool Animated Series

Auntie Freeze! | Goin’ Camping!

Super Duper Bunny League

Nickelodeon [Nickelodeon Animation Studios | Gigglebug Entertainment | Scull & Belt]

The Battle of Tenoo

Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures

Disney+ [Lucasfilm Ltd.]

Save Tate?

Wonder Pets: In the City

Apple TV+ [Nickelodeon Animation]

Tiny Chef's Spooky Stump Spectacular

The Tiny Chef Show

Nickelodeon

The Ulti-Bat Rises

Batwheels

HBO | Max [Warner Bros. Animation]

Outstanding Directing for an Animated Series

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur

Disney+ I Disney Channel [Flying Bark Productions]

Home

Win or Lose

Disney+ [Pixar Animation Studios]

Part 4: A Night to Remember

Dream Productions

Disney+ [Pixar Animation Studios]

The Rise of the Wolf

Wolf King

Netflix [Lime Pictures Limited]

Welcome to Byjovia

Max & The Midknights

Nickelodeon

Worst Birthday Ever

Jentry Chau vs. The Underworld

Netflix

Outstanding Voice Directing for an Animated Series

Francis Wants to Be Alone | The Sash

StuGo

Disney+ I Disney Channel [Titmouse Animation]

If This Be My Destiny...

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man

Disney+ [Marvel Studios]

Petey the Stargazer

Goldie

Apple TV+

Save the Roly Poly!

Wonder Pets: In the City

Apple TV+ [Nickelodeon Animation]

Shoot for the Moon

Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur

Disney+ I Disney Channel [Flying Bark Productions]

Up All Night I Rotten Banana

Kiff

Disney+ I Disney Channel [Titmouse, Inc.]

Outstanding Music Direction and Composition for an Animated Program

Heart

WondLa

Apple TV+ [Skydance Animation]

Part 4: A Night to Remember

Dream Productions

Disney+ [Pixar Animation Studios]

Spellbound

Netflix [Skydance Animation]

That Christmas

Netflix [Locksmith Animation]

There's Always a Fortune in the Cookie Factory

Gremlins: The Wild Batch

HBO | Max [Warner Bros. Animation]

Outstanding Editing for a Preschool Animated Program

Adventure Night

Eva the Owlet

Apple TV+ [Brown Bag Films | Scholastic Entertainment]

The Battle of Tenoo

Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures

Disney+ [Lucasfilm Ltd.]

Moon Girl and the Dino Dilemma | Hulk's Squirrely Switch

Marvel's Spidey & His Amazing Friends

Disney+ I Disney Jr. [Marvel Studios | Atomic Cartoons]

Pillow Can't Sleep

Gabby's Dollhouse

Netflix [DreamWorks Animation]

The Spider’s Stolen Silk

The Creature Cases

Netflix [Silvergate Media | TeamTO | Netflix]

Tiny Chef's Spooky Stump Spectacular

The Tiny Chef Show

Nickelodeon

The Ulti-Bat Rises

Batwheels

HBO | Max [Warner Bros. Animation]

Outstanding Editing for an Animated Program

An Almost Christmas Story

Disney+ [Disney Branded Television | Cuarón’s Esperanto Filmoj I Titmouse | Maere

Studios]

Mixed Signals

Win or Lose

Disney+ [Pixar Animation Studios]

Part 4: A Night to Remember

Dream Productions

Disney+ [Pixar Animation Studios]

Spellbound

Netflix [Skydance Animation]

That Christmas

Netflix [Locksmith Animation]

Outstanding Sound Mixing and Sound Editing for a Live Action Program

The Girl Next Door

Goosebumps: The Vanishing

Disney+ [Sony Pictures Television]

Jam Session Jam Up

Sesame Street

HBO Max [Sesame Workshop]

Makayla's Voice: A Letter to the World

Netflix

Once a Pond a Time

A Real Bug's Life

National Geographic [Plimsoll Productions]

The Primrose Railway Children

The Primrose Railway Children

BYUtv [BBC Studios]

You Have A Lot To Learn About Pirates

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew

Disney+ [Lucasfilm Ltd.]

Outstanding Sound Mixing and Sound Editing for a Preschool Animated Program

The Battle of Tenoo

Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures

Disney+ [Lucasfilm Ltd.]

I am Gwen Ifill I I am Matthew Henson

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum

PBS Kids [9 Story Media Group | Brown Bag Films]

Moon Girl and the Dino Dilemma | Hulk's Squirrely Switch

Marvel's Spidey & His Amazing Friends

Disney+ I Disney Jr. [Marvel Studios | Atomic Cartoons]

Music Meister Mayhem

Batwheels

HBO | Max

Stop Those Cars! | Self-Destruct

Hot Wheels Let's Race

Mattel Studios [OLM Digital | Sprite Animation Studios]

Outstanding Sound Mixing and Sound Editing for an Animated Program

Dying Light

The Dragon Prince

Netflix [Wonderstorm I Bardel Entertainment | MWM]

Fire in the Piazza

Jurassic World: Chaos Theory

Netflix [DreamWorks Animation]

Home

Win or Lose

Disney+ [Pixar Animation Studios]

Part Two

LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy

Disney+ [Lucasfilm Ltd.]

Ultraman: Rising

Ultraman: Rising

Netflix [Tsuburaya Productions]

Welcome to Byjovia

Max & The Midknights

Nickelodeon [Jane Startz Productions]

Outstanding Original Song for a Preschool Program

"Grow Your World"

Rise Up, Sing Out

Disney+ I Disney Jr.

"I'm on My Way"

Acoustic Rooster and His Barnyard Band

PBS Kids [GBH Kids | Global Mechanic]

"I Want To Go Home"

Kindergarten: The Musical!

Disney+ I Disney Jr. [Oddbot Inc]

"Music, Music"

Sesame Street

HBO Max [Sesame Workshop]

"One Colorful Ocean"

Disney Jr.'s Ariel

Disney+ I Disney Jr. [Wild Canary]

"The Show Will Go On"

RoboGobo

Disney+ I Disney Jr. [Brown Bag Films]

Outstanding Original Song for a Children's or Young Teen Program

"It's Okay"

Zombies: The Re-Animated Series

Disney+ I Disney Channel

"No Better"

Ultraman: Rising

Netflix [Tsuburaya Productions]

"Red"

Descendants: The Rise of Red

Disney+ [Disney Branded Television]

"Red Christmas"

Descendants: The Rise of Red

Disney+

"Still Haunted By You"

Girl Haunts Boy

Fifth Season [Wonder Worldwide]

"The Way It Was Before"

Spellbound

Netflix [Skydance Animation]

Outstanding Show Open

Dream Productions

Disney+ [Pixar Animation Studios]

Goosebumps: The Vanishing

Disney+ [Sony Pictures Television | Sarofsky]

Jentry Chau vs. The Underworld

Netflix

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew

Disney+ [Lucasfilm Ltd.]

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man

Disney+ [Marvel Studios]

Outstanding Visual Effects for a Live Action Program

Goosebumps: The Vanishing

Disney+ [Sony Pictures Television]

Henry Danger: The Movie

Nickelodeon

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew

Disney+ [Lucasfilm Ltd.]

Sweet Tooth

Netflix [Warner Bros. Television]

Time Bandits

Apple TV+ [Paramount Television Studios | Anonymous Content | MRC Productions]

Outstanding Casting for an Animated Program

An Almost Christmas Story

Disney+ [Cuarón’s Esperanto Filmoj I Titmouse | Maere Studios]

Dream Productions

Disney+ [Pixar Animation Studios]

RoboGobo

Disney+ I Disney Jr. [Brown Bag Films]

Spellbound

Netflix [Skydance Animation]

Win or Lose

Disney+ [Pixar Animation Studios]

Nick Spake is the Author of Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows Volumes 1 and 2. Available Now!