TV KIDS FESTIVAL 2025

Need to convert the times below for where you are? Click on the times above the name of each session to make sure you don’t miss a thing!

Tuesday, February 4

• 9 a.m. EST
  The Decision-Makers
  The fifth edition of the TV Kids Festival kicks off with our signature session on acquisition and programming strategies, this time delivering intel from ITV’s Darren Nartey, Nickelodeon’s Lynsey O’Callaghan and Amazon Kids+’s Monica Sharma.

• 10 a.m. EST
  Mattel’s Josh Silverman
  Josh Silverman, executive VP and chief franchise officer at Mattel, will discuss the toy giant’s treasure trove of iconic brands and share the latest developments at Mattel Television Studios.

• 11 a.m. EST
  Ahead of the Curve with Ampere
  Olivia Deane, research manager at Ampere Analysis, will outline the challenges and opportunities facing kids’ IP owners with a deep dive into commissioning trends.

• 12 p.m. EST
  Feeling Bookish
  ZDF Studios’ Oliver Grundel, Dandelooo’s Emmanuèle Pétry, Hidden Pigeon Company’s Kristofer Updike and Lion Forge Entertainment’s Jeremy Colfer will share insights on adapting book IP.

Wednesday, February 5

• 9 a.m. EST
  9 Story Media Group’s Vince Commisso
  Vince Commisso, president and CEO of 9 Story Media Group, will discuss the way forward for the company now that it has closed its transformative deal with Scholastic Entertainment.

• 10 a.m. EST
  The Engagement Game
  Kids’ media expert Emily Horgan will lead this conversation on engagement and discovery with pocket.watch’s Beck Canote and Kedoo Entertainment’s Olivier Bernard.

• 11 a.m. EST
  Boat Rocker’s Jon Rutherford
  Jon Rutherford, president of global rights, franchise and content strategy at Boat Rocker Studios, will outline the company’s approach to leveraging new technologies and platforms.

• 12 p.m. EST
  Game Time
  Dubit’s David Kleeman will lead this session on the importance of gaming extensions with Wind Sun Sky Entertainment’s Catherine Winder and DeAPlaneta Entertainment’s Jimena Tormo.

Thursday, February 6

• 9 a.m. EST
  TV Kids Pioneer Award: Super RTL’s Dominique Neudecker
  Dominique Neudecker, VP of kids and family at Super RTL’s TOGGO, will discuss her editorial strategy at the German kids’ network before receiving the TV Kids Pioneer Award in recognition of her contributions to the industry.

• 10 a.m. EST
  Shaw Rocket Fund’s Agnes Augustin
  As the president and CEO of the Shaw Rocket Fund, Agnes Augustin will offer up insights on trends reshaping the Canadian kids’ content sector.

• 11 a.m. EST
  Toon Innovation
  From the game-changing developments presented by Unreal Engine to the looming impact of AI, Composition Media’s Carl Reed and Cheeky Little Media’s Patrick Egerton will share their thoughts on animation innovation.

• 12 p.m. EST
  Carl the Collector’s Zachariah OHora
  Carl the Collector, created by illustrator Zachariah OHora, is the first series for PBS KIDS in the U.S. that is centered on a neurodiverse character.

Friday, February 7

• ZDF Studios’ Klincus
  On the 100th anniversary of the founding of Umghard, a small industrial development town, Sir Graylock holds a big feast. Klincus takes advantage of the party’s cover to escape.

• ZDF Studios’ Clan—Choose your Destiny
  Francesco is 15 years old. He was born in Scampia and grew up in Vele, on the outskirts of Naples, where people know their destiny is sealed. He has a fugitive father and a brother nicknamed Ninja, and his family is affiliated with the Camorra, which educates him following its rules, so no fuss and second chances are allowed.

• ZDF Studios’ Labyrinth of Lies
  In 1985, 12-year-old Paul is living in East Berlin with his Grandmother Liese and his Uncle Henri. His parents were caught fleeing to the West and sent to prison, while Paul had to stay in a children’s home until his grandmother managed to rescue him.

• 9 Story Media Group’s The Magic School Bus: Mighty Explorers
  Join Albie, our all-new talking, transforming Magic Bus, plus Liz, Ms. Frizzle’s favorite lizard sidekick, and 6-year-old kid explorers Lily, Wyatt and Benny as they team up and zoom out on some of the funniest, wildest action-adventure explorations yet! Curiosity is their roadmap, so there’s no telling where their adventures will take them–and us–next. Stay tuned for this brand-new series in the works.

• 9 Story Media Group’s Dylan’s Playtime Adventures
  Follows Dylan as he takes on a new career—doctor, pizza chef, hair stylist, sea captain—and invites his friends Ozzy, Daisy and Bitsy and the viewers at home to play along with him. Ready with a regular household object, his trusty wagon and his signature imagination, Dylan and his glowing stripes transform the meadow into anything from a hotel to a space station.

• HARI’s Grizzy & the Lemmings
  The global phenomenon with 1.5 billion yearly views on YouTube returns with season four (78×7 minutes), launched worldwide in late 2024, continuing the global craze for this high-energy, laugh-out-loud series.

• HARI’s Mystery Lane: The White Investigation
  Follows Clever and Bro on a thrilling journey to Scotland to solve the mysterious disappearance of the Queen. Season one has topped global rankings and been hailed as an unprecedented success by France Télévisions. Dubbed in 18 languages, with more partners to be announced soon, the series continues its international rise.

• pocket.watch’s Promo Reel
  pocket.watch is the first and largest kids’ creator media company, creating series and specials starring the biggest kids and family stars in the world, with over 1.2 billion YouTube subscribers, and packaging for your premium platform.

• BBC Studios Kids & Family’s Bluey Minisodes
  Sweet and funny moments from the hugely popular preschool animated series—in bitesize form. Featuring new characters.

• BBC Studios Kids & Family’s The Primrose Railway Children
  Jacqueline Wilson’s updated retelling of the children’s classic for a new generation, set amid the dramatic beauty of the Scottish Highlands.

• HappyKids’ Promo Reel
  HappyKids, powered by Future Today, is a leading AVOD channel for kids and families. Offering a library of 120,000-plus titles, including popular brands like Sesame Street, LEGO, Mattel and Pokémon, HappyKids delivers safe, ad-supported content for all ages. HappyKids is COPPA-compliant, kidSAFE-certified and accessible on major devices like Roku and Apple TV+. HappyKids caters to diverse viewers with toddler shows like CoComelon to tween favorites like the Total Drama series. Studies also reveal increasing co-viewing trends, making it a go-to for family-friendly entertainment, advertising and collaboration opportunities. With strategic partnerships with industry leaders like Hasbro, Lionsgate and Moonbug, HappyKids continues to expand its engaging lineup, while enhanced parental controls provide families with a customizable and seamless viewing experience, ensuring quality programming that aligns with family, partner and advertiser needs.

• Boat Rocker’s Peet the Forest Detective
  The Forest Detectives experience a wide range of escapades, including witnessing a poignant play performed by an insect and embarking on a daring mission to locate a missing mommy pangolin for a baby pangolin while caring for the enigmatic baby animal Kankan. Through these journeys, children will develop environmental sensitivity and gain a deeper understanding of the environmental issues of our time.

• Boat Rocker’s Stomp! Stomp! Rhinos!
  Like all kids, young Rhino siblings Noah, Ela and Ron have moments of emotional outbursts. But when their feelings get out of hand, mom, dad and each of the siblings are there to support and teach simple, easy-to-follow emotional regulation exercises that not only provide relief but also give a new perspective.