Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing For A Children's Series

The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing For A Children's Series is an Emmy award honoring direction in children's television programming. Since 1979, direction in children's series and specials competed in the same category. However, by the nineties, separate categories were created for the two mediums.

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

1970s

1979

• Larry Elikann - ABC Afterschool Specials ("Mom and Dad Can't Hear Me") (ABC)

1980s

1980

• Anthony Lover - ABC Afterschool Specials ("The Late Great Me! Story of a Teenage Alcoholic") (ABC)
• Arthur Allan Seidelman - ABC Afterschool Specials ("Which Mother Is Mine?") (ABC)
• J. Philip Miller - 3-2-1 Contact ("The Bloodhound Gang") (PBS)
• Joseph Consentino - The Big Blue Marble ("Divorce") (SYN)
• Tom Trbovich - Hot Hero Sandwich ("Episode 4") (NBC)

1981

• John Herzfeld - ABC Afterschool Specials ("Stoned") (ABC)
• Don Roy King - Kids Are People Too (ABC)

Outstanding Individual Direction in Children's Programming

1980s

1982

• Arthur Allan Seidelman - ABC Afterschool Specials ("She Drinks a Little") (ABC)
• Jeff Bleckner - ABC Afterschool Specials ("Daddy, I'm Their Mama Now") (ABC)
• Jim Hirschfeld - Captain Kangaroo (CBS)

1983

• Sharron Miller - ABC Afterschool Specials ("The Woman Who Willed a Miracle") (ABC)
• Jim Hirschfeld - Captain Kangaroo (CBS)
• Jon Stone - Sesame Street (PBS)

1984

• Robert Mandel - ABC Afterschool Specials ("Andrea's Story: A Hitchhiking Tragedy") (ABC)
• Harry Harris - ABC Afterschool Specials ("Have You Ever Been Ashamed of Your Parents?") (ABC)
• Claudia Weill - ABC Afterschool Specials ("The Great Love Experiment") (ABC)
• Marc Daniels - ABC Weekend Specials ("All the Money in the World") (ABC)

Outstanding Directing in Children's Programming

1980s

1985

• Joan Darling - ABC Afterschool Specials ("Mom's on Strike") (ABC)
• Henry Winkler - CBS Schoolbreak Special ("All the Kids Do It") (CBS)
• Jon Stone - Sesame Street (PBS)

1986

• Martin Sheen - CBS Schoolbreak Special ("Babies Having Babies") (CBS)
• Gary Halvorson - Kids Incorporated (SYN)
• Lisa Simon - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Emily Squires - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Jon Stone - Sesame Street (PBS)

1987

• Dan F. Smith - Square One TV (PBS)
• Kevin Hooks - ABC Afterschool Specials ("Teen Father") (ABC)
• Stephen R. Johnson - Pee-wee's Playhouse (CBS)
• Jon Stone, Emily Squires, Lisa Simon - Sesame Street (PBS)

1988

• Jeffrey D. Brown - CBS Schoolbreak Special ("What If I'm Gay?") (CBS)
• Ozzie Alfonso - 3-2-1 Contact (PBS)
• Kevin Hooks - ABC Afterschool Specials ("Class Act: A Teacher's Story") (ABC)
• Wayne Orr and Paul Reubens - Pee-wee's Playhouse (CBS)
• Dan F. Smith - Square One TV (PBS)

Special Class Directing

1980s

1989

• Sandy Smolan - ABC Afterschool Specials ("Taking a Stand") (ABC)
• Ron Underwood, John Clark Matthews - ABC Weekend Specials ("Runaway Ralph") (ABC)
• Jesús Salvador Treviño - CBS Schoolbreak Special ("Gangs") (CBS)
• Michael Gargiulo - All-American Thanksgiving Parade (CBS)
• Joel Aronowitz - CBS Cotton Bowl Parade (CBS)
• Dick Schneider - Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (NBC)

Outstanding Achievement in Directing - Special Class

1990s

1990

• Victoria Hochberg - Sweet 15 (PBS)
• Diane Keaton - CBS Schoolbreak Special ("The Girl with the Crazy Brother") (CBS)
• Dick Schneider - Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (NBC)
• Helen Whitney - ABC Afterschool Specials ("A Town's Revenge") (ABC)
• Jerry Evans and Martin Pasetta - Trial by Jury (SYN)

1991

• Kristoffer Tabori - ABC Afterschool Specials ("The Perfect Date") (ABC)
• Piers Haggard - Back Home (Disney Channel)
• Daniel Taplitz - Lifestories: Families in Crisis ("Gunplay: The Last Day in the Life of Brian Darling") (HBO)
• Thomas G. Smith and John Clark Matthews - ABC Weekend Specials ("Ralph S. Mouse") (ABC)
• Al Waxman - CBS Schoolbreak Special ("Maggie's Secret") (CBS)
• Timothy Regler - The People's Court (SYN)
• Dick Schneider - Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (NBC)
• Bernie Hargis - Winds of Freedom (ABC)
• Susan Rohrer - CBS Schoolbreak Special ("The Emancipation of Lizzie Stern") (CBS)

Outstanding Directing in a Children's Special

1990s

1992

• David Cobham - Woof! (Disney Channel)
• Ozzie Alfonso - 3-2-1 Contact ("Secrets of the Code") (PBS)
• Gordon Edelstein - CBS Schoolbreak Special ("Abby, My Love") (CBS)
• Michael Rubbo - Vincent and Me (Disney Channel)
• David J. Eagle - CBS Schoolbreak Special ("Two Teens and a Baby") (CBS)

1993

• László Pal - Journey to Spirit Island' (Disney Channel)
• Savage Steve Holland - ABC Weekend Specials ("CityKids") (ABC)
• Juan José Campanella - Lifestories: Families in Crisis ("Public Law 106: The Becky Bell Story") (HBO)
• John Watkin and Eamon Harrington - ABC Afterschool Specials ("Shades of a Single Protein") (ABC)
• Strathford Hamilton - CBS Schoolbreak Special ("Please, God, I'm Only Seventeen") (CBS)

1994

• Hank Saroyan - ABC Weekend Specials ("William Saroyan's The Parsley Garden") (ABC)
• Anne Wheeler - The Comic Book Christmas Caper (Disney Channel)
• Lee Shallat Chemel - CBS Schoolbreak Special ("Other Mothers") (CBS)
• Juan José Campanella - Lifestories: Families in Crisis ("Dead Drunk: The Kevin Tunell Story") (HBO)
• Catherine Cyran - White Wolves: A Cry in the Wild II (Disney Channel)

1995

• Juan José Campanella - Lifestories: Families in Crisis ("A Child Betrayed: The Calvin Mire Story") (HBO)
• Jesús Salvador Treviño - Lifestories: Families in Crisis ("POWER: The Eddie Matos Story") (HBO)
• David J. Eagle - CBS Schoolbreak Special ("The Writing on the Wall") (CBS)
• David Burton Morris - Lifestories: Families in Crisis ("A Body to Die for: The Aaron Henry Story") (HBO)

1996

• John Watkin and Eamon Harrington - ABC Afterschool Specials ("Positive: A Journey Into AIDS") (ABC)
• Gina Prince-Bythewood - CBS Schoolbreak Special ("What About Your Friends") (CBS)
• Juan José Campanella - CBS Schoolbreak Special ("Stand Up") (CBS)
• Michael Ryan and Ellen Stokes - Eagle Scout: The Story of Henry Nicols (HBO)
• Chuck Blore - The New Adventures of Mother Goose (SYN)

1997

• Juan José Campanella - Lifestories: Families in Crisis ("Someone Had to be Benny") (HBO)
• Victor Du Bois - ABC Afterschool Specials ("Too Soon For Jeff") (ABC)
• John Watkin and Eamon Harrington - ABC Afterschool Specials ("Miracle at Trapper Creek") (ABC)
• Dianah Wynter - ABC Afterschool Specials ("Daddy's Girl") (ABC)
• Emily Squires - Elmo Saves Christmas (PBS)
• Stephen Williams - Shadow Zone: The Undead Express (Showtime)

1998

• Carlyle Kyzer, Greg Poschman, and Krysia Carter-Giez - Letters from Africa (Disney Channel)
• William A. Whiteford - Bong & Donnell (HBO)
• Vic Sarin - In His Father's Shoes (Showtime)

1999

• Søren Kragh-Jacobsen - The Island on Bird Street (Showtime)
• George Miller - In the Doghouse (Showtime)
• Stuart Margolin - The Sweetest Gift (Showtime)
• Rick Duffield - Wishbone's Dog Days of the West (Showtime)

2000s

2000

• Donna Deitch - The Devil's Arithmetic (Showtime)
• Richard Mozer and Mitchell Kriegman - Mary Cassatt: An American Impressionist (HBO)
• Clement Virgo - The Planet of Junior Brown (Showtime)
• Vic Sarin - Sea People (Showtime)
• Helen Shaver - Summer's End (Showtime)

2001

• Paul A. Kaufman - Run the Wild Fields (Showtime)
• Peter Masterson - Mermaid (Showtime)
• Ernest Thompson - Out of Time (Showtime)
• Bradley Wigor - The Sandy Bottom Orchestra (Showtime)
• Ivan Passer - The Wishing Tree (Showtime)

2002

• Adam Arkin - My Louisiana Sky (Showtime)
• Eric Stoltz - My Horrible Year! (Showtime)
• Bruce Davison - Off Season (Showtime)
• Richard Friedenberg - Snow in August (Showtime)

2003

• Guy Ferland - Bang Bang You're Dead (Showtime)
• Danny Glover - Just a Dream (Showtime)
• Gregory Hines - The Red Sneakers (Showtime)

Outstanding Directing in a Children/Youth/Family Special

2000s

2004

• Salma Hayek - The Maldonado Miracle (Showtime)
• Paul Johansson - The Incredible Mrs. Ritchie (Showtime)

Outstanding Directing in a Children's Series

1980s

1989

• Ozzie Alfonso - 3-2-1 Contact (PBS)
• Matthew Diamond - Shining Time Station (PBS)
• Dana Calderwood - Double Dare (SYN)
• Joseph Behar - Fun House (SYN)

1990s

1990

• Mike Gargiulo and Charles S. Dubin - Square One TV (PBS)
• John Paragon and Paul Reubens - Pee-wee's Playhouse (CBS)
• Dean Parisot - Reading Rainbow ("Ludlow Laughs") (PBS)
• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Gregory Lehane - Shining Time Station ("Promises, Promises") (PBS)

1991

• Brian Henson and Michael Kerrigan - Jim Henson's Mother Goose Stories (Disney Channel)
• John Paragon and Paul Reubens - Pee-wee's Playhouse (CBS)
• Team - Reading Rainbow (PBS)
• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)

1992

• Team - Reading Rainbow (PBS)
• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Gregory Lehane - Shining Time Station (PBS)
• Team - Square One TV (PBS)

1993

• Ed Wiseman and Mark Mannucci - Reading Rainbow (PBS)
• Gary Halvorson - Adventures in Wonderland (Disney Channel)
• Team - The All-New Mickey Mouse Club (Disney Channel)
• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Dana Calderwood - Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (PBS)

1994

• Ed Wiseman and Mark Mannucci - Reading Rainbow (PBS)
• Lee Bernhardi - The All-New Mickey Mouse Club (Disney Channel)
• Dana Calderwood - Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (PBS)
• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Jim Rowley and Bruce Deck - Barney & Friends (PBS)

1995

• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Gary Halvorson and David Grossman - Adventures in Wonderland (Disney Channel)
• Hugh Martin - Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (PBS)
• Ed Wiseman and Mark Mannucci - Reading Rainbow (PBS)
• Jay Dubin - Beakman's World (CBS)

1996

• Team - Adventures in Wonderland (Disney Channel)
• Team - Reading Rainbow (PBS)
• Andrew Carl Wilk - Really Wild Animals (CBS)
• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Tom Trbovich and Ed Wiseman - The Puzzle Place (PBS)
• Hugh Martin - Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (PBS)

1997

• Team - Bill Nye, the Science Guy (PBS)
• Jay Dubin - Beakman's World (CBS)
• Team - Reading Rainbow (PBS)
• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)
• David Turner - Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (PBS)

1998

• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Jay Dubin - Beakman's World (CBS)
• Team - Bill Nye, the Science Guy (PBS)
• Team - Reading Rainbow (PBS)
• David Turner - Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? (PBS)

1999

• Michael Gross and Darrell Suto - Bill Nye, the Science Guy (SYN)
• Team - Barney & Friends (PBS)
• Alan Zdinak and Paul Zehrer - Blue's Clues (Nickelodeon)
• Team - Reading Rainbow (PBS)
• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)

2000s

2000

• Team - Bear in the Big Blue House (Disney Channel)
• Team - Blue's Clues (Nickelodeon)
• Team - Bill Nye, the Science Guy (SYN)
• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Jesse Collins and Mitchell Kriegman - Zoboomafoo (PBS)

2001

• Jacques Laberge and Pierre Roy - Zoboomafoo (PBS)
• Team - Blue's Clues (Nickelodeon)
• Team - Reading Rainbow (PBS)
• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)

2002

• Mitchell Kriegman and Dean Gordon - The Book of Pooh (Disney Channel)
• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Team - Blue's Clues (Nickelodeon)
• Ed Wiseman - Reading Rainbow (PBS)
• Bob Comiskey - Zoom (PBS)

2003

• Mitchell Kriegman and Dean Gordon - Bear in the Big Blue House (Disney Channel)
• Team - Between the Lions (PBS)
• Team - Blue's Clues (Nickelodeon)
• Ed Wiseman - Reading Rainbow (PBS)
• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)

2004

• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Team - Bear in the Big Blue House (Disney Channel)
• Team - Between the Lions (PBS)
• Richard A. Fernandes and Maureen Thorp - Out of the Box (Disney Channel)

2005

• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Team - Blue's Clues (Nickelodeon)
• Team - The Book of Pooh (Disney Channel)
• Bob Comiskey - Zoom (PBS)

2006

• Bob Comiskey - Zoom (PBS)
• Fred Holmes and Jim Rowley - Barney & Friends (PBS)
• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)

2007

• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Team - It's a Big Big World (PBS)
• Magnús Scheving and Jonathan Judge - LazyTown (Nickelodeon)

2008

• Dorothy Dickie - Design Squad (PBS)
• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Team - Blue's Room (Nickelodeon)

2009

• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Gary Halvorson - From the Top at Carnegie Hall (PBS)
• Jim Martin and Hugh Martin - Johnny and the Sprites (Disney Channel)

2010s

2010

• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Dorothy Dickie - Design Squad (PBS)
• Team - The Electric Company (PBS)

2011

• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Erren Gottlieb and James McKenna - Biz Kid$ (PBS)
• Ryan McFaul - The Electric Company (PBS)

2012

• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Dorothy Dickie - Design Squad (PBS)
• Ryan McFaul - The Electric Company (PBS)
• Neill Fearnley and Ken Friss - R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour (Hub Network)

2013

• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Team - R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour (Hub Network)

2014

• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Team - R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour (Hub Network)
• Ken Friss and James Head - Spooksville (Hub Network)

2015

• J.J. Johnson - Odd Squad (PBS)
• J.J. Johnson - Annedroids (Amazon)
• J.J. Johnson - Dino Dan: Trek’s Adventures (Nickelodeon)
• Team - R.L. Stine's The Haunting Hour (Discovery Family)

2016

• Team - Odd Squad (PBS)
• J.J. Johnson and Steve Scaini - Annedroids (Amazon)
• Jason deVilliers, Christian Jacobs, and Hugh Martin - Mutt & Stuff (Nickelodeon)
• Team - Sesame Street (PBS)
• Scott Schultz - Yo Gabba Gabba! (Nickelodeon)

2017

• Team - Sesame Street (HBO)
• J.J. Johnson - Dino Dan: Trek’s Adventures (Nickelodeon)
• Team - Mutt & Stuff (Nickelodeon)
• Team - Odd Squad (PBS)
• Richard Rotter - Terrific Trucks Save Christmas (Sprout)

2018

• Team - [Free Rein]] (Netflix)
• Julie’s Greenroom (Netflix)
• Odd Squad (PBS)
• Sesame Street (HBO)
• Top Chef Junior (Universal Kids)