Andrew Garfield Scores First Emmy at 2026 Children’s Awards

Andrew Garfield received his first Emmy Award on Monday night at the 2026 Children’s and Family Emmys held in New York City, marking a milestone in his career. The two-time Oscar nominee won for his guest role on Sesame Street, highlighting his expanding accomplishments in television focused on younger audiences.

The ceremony also celebrated other notable winners including Ana Gasteyer, who was recognized for her voice work on RoboGobo, and Joe Locke, honored as Best Lead Performer for his role in Heartstopper. The event, held at Jazz at Lincoln Center, was hosted by John Tartaglia and featured a moving musical performance by Regina Spektor.

A Night of Celebration Recognizing Excellence in Children’s Programming

The fourth annual Children’s and Family Emmys, presented by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), showcased outstanding achievements across programming aimed at preschool, children, and young teens. Held in New York City, the event acknowledged talent, creativity, and dedication in television content designed for families and young viewers.

In addition to Garfield’s win, Bill Nye was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his long-standing contributions to educational television. Other trophies went to industry favorites like Tabitha Brown for Best Children’s Personality and John Lithgow for his seventh Emmy win, taking home the award for Best Single Role Voice Performer.

Highlights from the Award Ceremony and Key Presenters

Actor and puppeteer John Tartaglia emceed the event, guiding the audience through a heartfelt celebration of children’s entertainment. Regina Spektor opened the night with an emotional rendition of “Won’t You Be My Neighbor,” paying tribute to Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and the spirit of kindness it promotes.

Prominent figures from children’s programming presented awards, including Rachel and Aron Accurso from Ms. Rachel, Jennifer Barnhart and Zoe representing Sesame Street, Monique Coleman from High School Musical, as well as puppeteers and voice performers from Donkey Hodie and other beloved shows.

Adam Sharp, President and CEO of NATAS, remarked on the importance of the event, saying,

“Today’s honorees reflect the extraordinary creativity and care that go into serving television’s youngest audiences and the families who watch alongside them,”

and added,

“Thank you to all of you, the creators of the excellent programming we have the distinct privilege of honoring tonight. You don’t need to look far to find division and pain in our world. Yet each of you, every day, finds ways to touch the soul of our global family, reminding us of the limitless potential in the unpainted canvas of childhood. You educate, you inform, you entertain, and you inspire.”

Adam Sharp, President & CEO of NATAS

Complete List of Winners at the 2026 Children’s and Family Emmys

Best Preschool, Children’s or Family Viewing Series

1. Odd Squad (PBS Kids) [Winner]
2. Jane (Apple TV+)
3. Kids Baking Championship (Food Network)
4. Ms. Rachel (YouTube Channel)
5. Sesame Street (HBO Max)
6. Tab Time (YouTube Channel)

Best Young Teen Series

1. Heartstopper (Netflix) [Winner]
2. Goosebumps: The Vanishing (Disney+)
3. Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (Disney+)
4. Sweet Tooth (Netflix)
5. Time Bandits (Apple TV+)

Best Fiction Special

1. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip (Disney+) [Winner]
2. Descendants: The Rise of Red (Disney+)
3. Girl Haunts Boy (Fifth Season)
4. Henry Danger: The Movie (Nickelodeon)

Best Informational Program

1. Makayla’s Voice: A Letter to the World (Netflix) [Winner]
2. Building Outside the Lines (Magnolia Network)
3. Harlem Ice (Disney+)
4. A Real Bug’s Life (National Geographic)
5. Super Animals (Fox)

Best Preschool Animated Series

1. Molly of Denali (PBS Kids) [Winner]
2. Carl the Collector (PBS Kids)
3. Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood (PBS Kids)
4. The Tiny Chef Show (Nickelodeon)
5. Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum (PBS Kids)

Best Children’s or Young Teen Animated Series

1. Dream Productions (Disney+) [Winner]
2. Big City Greens (Disney+ / Disney Channel)
3. Win or Lose (Disney+)
4. Wolf King (Netflix)
5. Wylde Pak (Nickelodeon)

Best Animated Special

1. That Christmas (Netflix) [Winner]
2. An Almost Christmas Story (Disney+)
3. Kiff: The Haunting of Miss McGravy’s House (Disney+ / Disney Channel)
4. Kiff: Lore of the Ring Light (Disney+ / Disney Channel)
5. Ultraman: Rising (Netflix)

Best Short Form Live Action Program

1. Andrew Garfield and Elmo Explain Grief (Sesame Workshop YouTube Channel) [Winner]
2. Girls’ Voices Now (Here TV)
3. My Way (PBS Kids)
4. Together We Can (PBS Kids)

Best Short Form Animated Program

1. Count on June Bug (Thirteen) [Winner]
2. Acoustic Rooster: Jazzy Jams (PBS Kids)
3. Daffy in Wackyland (HBO Max)
4. Eva the Owlet (Apple TV+)
5. How Not to Draw (Disney+ / Disney Channel)
6. Road Trip (Disney+ / Disney Channel)

Best Lead Performer in a Preschool, Children’s or Young Teen Program

1. Joe Locke as Charlie Spring (Heartstopper, Netflix) [Winner]
2. Kit Connor as Nick Nelson (Heartstopper, Netflix)
3. Danya Griver as Gwendoline Mary Lacey (Malory Towers, BYUtv)
4. Lisa Kudrow as Penelope (Time Bandits, Apple TV+)
5. Jude Law as Jod Na Nawood (Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Disney+)
6. David Schwimmer as Anthony Brewer (Goosebumps: The Vanishing, Disney+)
7. Nina Toussaint-White as Sarah Robinson (The Primrose Railway Children, BYUtv)

Best Supporting Performer in a Preschool, Children’s or Young Teen Program

1. Nonso Anozie as Tommy Jepperd (Sweet Tooth, Netflix) [Winner]
2. Rosalind Chao as Helen Zhang (Sweet Tooth, Netflix)
3. Ellie Goldstein as Nancy (Malory Towers, BYUtv)
4. Stefania LaVie Owen as Bear (Sweet Tooth, Netflix)
5. Dara Reneé as Uliana (Descendants: The Rise of Red, Disney+)

Best Younger Performer in a Preschool, Children’s or Young Teen Program

1. Christian Convery as Gus (Sweet Tooth, Netflix) [Winner]
2. Ravi Cabot-Conyers as Wim (Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Disney+)
3. Lucian-River Chauhan as Ben (Me, Apple TV+)
4. Ava Joyce McCarthy as Phoebe Robinson (The Primrose Railway Children, BYUtv)
5. Naledi Murray as Wendy (Sweet Tooth, Netflix)
6. April V. Woods as Felicity Rivers (Malory Towers, BYUtv)

Best Puppetry Performer

1. Leslie Carrara-Rudolph as Abby Cadabby & Tango (Sesame Street, HBO Max) [Winner]
2. Frankie Cordero as Purple Panda, Turtle-Lou & Penguin Referee (Donkey Hodie, PBS Kids)
3. Stephanie D’Abruzzo as Duck Duck, Harriett Elizabeth Cow, Mama Panda & Doc Skunk (Donkey Hodie, PBS Kids)
4. Ryan Dillon as Elmo & Felix (Sesame Street, HBO Max)
5. Carmen Osbahr as Rosita (Sesame Street, HBO Max)

Best Voice Performer in a Preschool Program

1. Ana Gasteyer as Crabitha (RoboGobo, Disney+ / Disney Jr.) [Winner]
2. Pamela Adlon as Aunt Lola (SuperKitties, Disney+ / Disney Jr.)
3. Dee Bradley Baker as Nubs & Zeepohz (Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures, Disney+)
4. Jay Thomas Manuel as Jeff Mouse (Donkey Hodie, PBS Kids)
5. Amber Riley as Ursula (Disney Jr.’s Ariel, Disney+ / Disney Jr.)

Best Single Role Voice Performer in a Children’s or Young Teen Program

1. John Lithgow as Bolinar (Spellbound, Netflix) [Winner]
2. Erik Todd Dellums as Aaravos (The Dragon Prince, Netflix)
3. Cynthia Erivo as The Slink (RoboGobo, Disney+ / Disney Jr.)
4. Ernie Hudson as Marlon (Angry Birds Mystery Island, Prime Video / Amazon Kids+)
5. John C. Reilly as The Folk Singer (An Almost Christmas Story, Disney+)
6. Maya Rudolph as Jean (Dream Productions, Disney+)

Best Multiple Role Voice Performer in a Children’s or Young Teen Program

1. David Errigo Jr. as Hamton J. Pig & Plucky Duck (Tiny Toons Looniversity, HBO Max) [Winner]
2. Eric Bauza as Daffy Duck & The Do-Do (Daffy in Wackyland, HBO Max)
3. H. Michael Croner as Barry Buns, Rat, Chubbles Wubbington, Soda Jerk & Buffalo Security (Kiff, Disney+ / Disney Channel)
4. Kate Mulgrew as Admiral Janeway & Hologram Janeway (Star Trek: Prodigy, Netflix / CBS Studios)
5. Kari Wahlgren as Evelyn & Mrs. Grant (Legends of Evergreen Hills, Chick-fil-A Play App)

Best Younger Voice Performer in a Preschool, Children’s or Young Teen Program

1. Christopher Sean Cooper Jr. as Tate (Wonder Pets: In the City, Apple TV+) [Winner]
2. Summer Rose Castillo as Alma (Alma’s Way, PBS Kids)
3. Vanessa Huszar as Zuri (Wonder Pets: In the City, Apple TV+)
4. Chanel Stewart as Kai (Win or Lose, Disney+)
5. Kensington Tallman as Riley (Dream Productions)
6. Alkaio Thiele as Peter Parker (Marvel’s Spidey & His Amazing Friends, Disney+ / Disney Jr.)
7. Ja’Siah Young as Dax (RoboGobo, Disney+ / Disney Jr.)

Best Children’s Personality

1. Tabitha Brown (Tab Time, YouTube Channel) [Winner]
2. Yvette Nicole Brown (Cookie Monster’s Bake Sale: Block Party, HBO Max)
3. Perdita Felicien (All-Round Champion, BYUtv)
4. Alia Pope (Chip Kids, East Tennessee PBS YouTube Channel)
5. June Squibb (Storyline Online, Storyline Online YouTube Channel)

Writing, Directing, and Other Awards Recognize Creative Excellence

The ceremony also celebrated outstanding achievements in writing, directing, technical artistry, music, and on-screen performance across both live action and animated formats. The award for Best Writing for a Preschool or Children’s Series went to Tab Time for the episode “When We Lose Someone,” while Heartstopper received Best Writing for a Young Teen Series with “Journey.”

Directorial honors included the episode

“This Could Be a Real Adventure”

from Star Wars: Skeleton Crew as Best Directing for a Live Action Series and “Save Tate?” from Wonder Pets: In the City for Best Directing in a Preschool Animated Series. Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur won the Best Directing award for an Animated Series with their episode “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner.”

Noteworthy Achievements in Music, Technical Arts, and Art Direction

Best Music Direction and Composition in Live Action was awarded to Love in the Forest (A Real Bug’s Life, National Geographic). For animated programs, Heart from WondLa (Apple TV+) received the top honor. In technical categories, Love in the Forest also secured the award for Best Cinematography and Technical Arts for a Single Camera Live Action Program, while Happy Trails (Bunk’d) was recognized for multiple camera work.

Art Direction and Set Decoration went to Descendants: The Rise of Red (Disney+), which also secured the Best Costume Design and Styling category along with Hairstyling and Makeup. The detailed craftsmanship elevated the visual storytelling across these programs.

Impact of the Awards and Future Outlook for Children’s Programming

The 2026 Children’s and Family Emmys underscored the critical role of quality programming in educating and entertaining the next generation. Winners like Andrew Garfield, celebrated for his first Emmy win, emphasize how celebrated actors are contributing to meaningful content for kids and families. The recognition of diverse talents—from voice actors like Ana Gasteyer and John Lithgow to young performers such as Joe Locke—reflects a dynamic, evolving industry focused on inclusive storytelling.

As family-oriented shows continue gaining prestige, this award ceremony highlights how creatives are addressing real-world topics with sensitivity and imagination, fostering positive influence among children. The honors serve not only as a celebration but also a reminder of the power media holds in shaping young minds and supporting families worldwide.