The 2025 Children’s & Family Emmy Awards honored standout productions, with Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Orion and the Dark, and Sesame Street projects among the biggest winners. Hosted by voice actor Eric Bauza, the main ceremony and the creative arts ceremony celebrated achievements in children’s television, animation, and family programming.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians led with eight wins out of its 16 nominations, securing best young teen series and directing for a single-camera live-action series for the episode I Accidentally Vaporize My Pre-Algebra Teacher, which tied with A Real Bug’s Life episode The Big City. The series, recently renewed for a third season ahead of its second-season debut, has drawn substantial viewership on Disney+.
The Sesame Street universe also saw success. Elmo and Jesse Remember Uncle Jack won best short form live-action program, and Leslie Carrara-Rudolph earned an award for outstanding puppetry performer. Sesame Street picked up three more awards in the creative arts ceremony.
Netflix’s Orion and the Dark won best animated special, with Jacob Tremblay recognized as best younger voice performer in a preschool, children’s, or young teen program. Other winners included The Velveteen Rabbit, which secured best fiction special and a win for Phoenix Laroche.
Other honorees included Blue’s Clues & You! for best preschool series, Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock for children’s or family viewing series, and Stand Up & Shout: Songs From a Philly High School for best non-fiction program. Christian Slater won for his performance in The Spiderwick Chronicles, while Meryl Streep was named best children’s personality.
Beyond competitive categories, Fran Brill, known for her work on Sesame Street and The Muppet Show, received a lifetime achievement award, presented by The Muppets’ Dave Goelz. The event also honored contributions in animation, with individual achievement awards recognizing artists from Merry Little Batman, Orion and the Dark, and Snoopy Presents: Welcome Home, Franklin.
