Children's television series are television programs designed specifically for children. They are typically characterised by easy-going content devoid of sensitive or adult themes and are normally broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake, immediately before and after school schedules generally start in the country where they air. Educational themes are also prevalent, as well as the transmission of cautionary tales and narratives that teach problem-solving methods in some fashion or another, such as social disputes.
Spaced is a British television sitcom created, written by and starring Simon Pegg and Jessica Stevenson, and directed by Edgar Wright, about the comedic, and sometimes surreal and action-packed, misadventures of Daisy Steiner and Tim Bisley, two twenty-something Londoners who, despite only having just met, decide to move in together after she gives up on squatting and he is kicked out by his ex-girlfriend. Supporting roles include Nick Frost as Tim's best friend Mike, Katy Carmichael as Daisy's best friend Twist, Mark Heap as lodger Brian who lives downstairs and Julia Deakin as landlady Marsha.
Kukla, Fran and Ollie was an early American television show using puppets. It was created for children, but was soon watched by more adults than children. It did not have a script and was entirely ad-libbed. It was broadcast from Chicago between October 13, 1947, and August 30, 1957. Comedienne Fran Allison starred, interacting with puppets, Kukla and Ollie whose puppeteer was the show's creator, Burr Tillstrom. After the original run, the team appeared in other productions over several decades.
Hollyoaks is a British soap opera which originally began airing on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was created by Phil Redmond, who had previously conceived the soap opera Brookside. From 2005 to 2023, episodes have aired on sister channel E4 a day prior to their broadcast on Channel 4. In 2023, Hollyoaks was removed from Channel 4's early evening schedule, but remains on E4 and Channel 4's on demand service with episodes now uploaded to YouTube. At its inception, the soap was targeted towards an adolescent and young adult audience but it has since broadened its appeal to all age groups. Hollyoaks has covered various taboo subjects rarely seen on British television, for which it has received numerous awards. It has won the award for Best British Soap twice, in 2014 and 2019; its first win broke the 15-year tie between rival soap operas EastEnders and Coronation Street. Beginning with a cast of 15 characters, it now has 37 regular cast members. The longest-serving actor is Nick Pickard, who has portrayed Tony Hutchinson since the first episode.
LazyTown is an English-language Icelandic preschool children's educational television series created by aerobics champion Magnús Scheving. The show was designed to encourage healthy lifestyles. The series was based on Scheving's stage plays Áfram Latibær!.
I Dream is a British children's musical television comedy programme aimed at teenage audiences, which aired in 2004. It was set at an esteemed performing arts college near Barcelona, Spain, and focuses on 13 teenagers who are invited to enrol at the college, Avalon Heights, over the summer. All eight members of the pop group S Club 8 star in the show alongside five other young actors and actresses and Hollywood film actor Christopher Lloyd of Back to the Future fame.
Milkshake! is a British children's television programming block on Channel 5 and is currently aimed at children aged 2 to 7.
Made in Chelsea is a British structured-reality television series broadcast by E4. Made in Chelsea chronicles the lives of affluent young people in the West London and South West areas of Belgravia, King's Road, Chelsea, Fulham and Knightsbridge, as well as their travels to other locations around the world.
Channel 5 airs a wide variety of programming that covers various genres and themes, with programmes about farming, trains and royalty being popular.
Julius Jr. is an animated preschool children's television series based on the characters of the Paul Frank brand. Co-produced by American company Saban Brands and Canadian company BrainPower Studio, the show aired on Family Channel and Family Jr. on May 12, 2015 in Canada and the Nick Jr. Channel in the United States. The show debuted on September 29, 2013, with its second season premiering on November 3, 2014. The show’s last episode aired on August 9, 2015, when it was taken off the air. In 2019, all online content regarding the show was removed from Nick Jr.'s website as well. The show features Elizabeth Daily as the voice of Julius.
Zack & Quack is an animated children's television series created by Gili Dolev and Yvette Kaplan. Produced by Zodiak Media, the series premiered on Nick Jr. in the United Kingdom and Ireland on February 7, 2014. In the United States, it began airing on the same channel on April 5, 2014. It ended on February 5, 2017, with 36 episodes produced alongside 3 seasons.
Abby Hatcher is a Canadian CGI-animated television series created by Rob Hoegee. Produced by Guru Studio in conjunction with Spin Master Entertainment, and Collingwood & Co. the series premiered on Nickelodeon in the United States on January 1, 2019, TVOKids in Canada on February 11, 2019, and on Channel 5's Milkshake! block on 2 March 2020 in the United Kingdom. It premiered online on December 14, 2018.
Care Bears: Unlock the Magic is an animated children's television series and the sixth television series based on the Care Bears franchise, following Care Bears and Cousins.
Cartoonito is a brand name used by Warner Bros. Discovery for a collection of television networks and programming blocks aimed at preschool children. The name combines the "cartoon" with the Spanish suffix "ito", meaning "small".
Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go is an animated comedy children's television series developed by Rick Suvalle that premiered on Cartoon Network's Cartoonito block in the United States on September 13, 2021, and on Treehouse in Canada on September 18, 2021. It is produced by Mattel Television and animated by Nelvana.
Cartoonito is a programming block that airs on weekday mornings. It premiered on September 13, 2021, on Cartoon Network, and a dedicated section on the streaming service Max. Cartoonito targets a preschool audience around 2 to 6 years old. Cartoonito marks the first dedicated preschool block on Cartoon Network in over fifteen years.
This is a timeline of UK children's programming on non-BBC and ITV channels.
