The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing For A Children's Series was 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. In November 2021, it was announced that all Daytime Emmy categories honoring children's programming will be retired in favor of a separate Children's & Family Emmy Awards ceremony that will be held starting in 2022.
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 Special ("Mom and Dad Can't Hear Me") (ABC)
1980s 1980 Anthony Lover - ABC Afterschool Special ("The Late Great Me! Story of a Teenage Alcoholic") (ABC) Arthur Allan Seidelman - ABC Afterschool Special ("Which Mother Is Mine?") (ABC) J. Philip Miller - 3-2-1 Contact ("The Bloodhound Gang") (PBS) Joseph Consentino - Big Blue Marble ("Divorce") (SYN) Tom Trbovich - Hot Hero Sandwich ("Episode 4") (NBC) 1981 John Herzfeld - ABC Afterschool Special ("Stoned") (ABC) Don Roy King - Kids Are People Too (ABC)
Outstanding Individual Direction in Children's Programming 1980s 1982 Arthur Allan Seidelman - ABC Afterschool Special ("She Drinks a Little") (ABC) Jeff Bleckner - ABC Afterschool Special ("Daddy, I'm Their Mama Now") (ABC) Jim Hirschfeld - Captain Kangaroo (CBS) 1983 Sharron Miller - ABC Afterschool Special ("The Woman Who Willed a Miracle") (ABC) Jim Hirschfeld - Captain Kangaroo (CBS) Jon Stone - Sesame Street (PBS) 1984 Robert Mandel - ABC Afterschool Special ("Andrea's Story: A Hitchhiking Tragedy") (ABC) Harry Harris - ABC Afterschool Special ("Have You Ever Been Ashamed of Your Parents?") (ABC) Claudia Weill - ABC Afterschool Special ("The Great Love Experiment") (ABC) Marc Daniels - ABC Weekend Special ("All the Money in the World") (ABC)
Outstanding Directing in Children's Programming 1980s 1985 Joan Darling - ABC Afterschool Special ("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 Television (PBS) Kevin Hooks - ABC Afterschool Special ("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 Special ("Taking a Stand") (ABC) Ron Underwood, John Clark Matthews - ABC Weekend Special ("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 Special ("A Town's Revenge") (ABC) Jerry Evans and Martin Pasetta - Trial by Jury (SYN) 1991 Kristoffer Tabori - ABC Afterschool Special ("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 Special ("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 Special ("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 Special ("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 Special ("Too Soon For Jeff") (ABC) John Watkin and Eamon Harrington - ABC Afterschool Specials ("Miracle at Trapper Creek") (ABC) Dianah Wynter - ABC Afterschool Special ("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 - 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 Television (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 Television (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 - 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)