More “Sesame Street,” “Gabby’s Dollhouse” and “Bad Dinosaurs” are coming to Netflix. And that’s just the start.
The streamer is currently in development on a new live-action “Sesame Street” movie with Rideback and Sesame Workshop, and the TV series deal between Netflix and Sesame has been extended through Season 62 to keep new episodes of the beloved children’s show coming, Netflix announced on Thursday.
But that’s not all. Here’s what else is new for Netflix’s kids and preschoolers slate:
- “Gabby’s Dollhouse” expands with spinoff series “Doozie’s Doghouse” on Nov. 9
- Cooking series “Gabby’s Dollhouse: Makers and Bakers” premieres with holiday-themed episodes on Dec. 9 hosted by Laila Lockhart Kraner as Gabby with judges Aidy Bryant, Justin Willman and Melissa Villaseñor. More episodes will follow in 2027.
- New animated preschool series “Puppy Pirates” from creator Matthew Fernandes is in the works.
- “Bad Dinosaurs,” from creators Joel Veitch, Alex Mallinson and David Shute, has been renewed for seasons 2 and 3, with eight episodes each.
Additionally, Netflix Playground, the newly launched mobile gaming app, is adding “Trash Truck” on Oct. 27, “Numberblocks: Hide and Seek” on Sept. 29 and “KPop Demon Hunters: Ready, Set Shine” on Sept. 29.
Speaking exclusively with TheWrap, Heather Tilert, Vice President, Animation Series, Kids + Preschool, said the expansion of “Sesame Street” was a no-brainer for the streamer.
“We’re really, really happy with how it’s doing. I think it’s super resonant with families, especially in English-speaking countries, but also finding a good audience outside of those,” she said of the show that has now been running for over 50 years.
“It’s really heartening to know that parents are really happy to introduce their kids to that world for the first time, but also that kids are sticking with it. I think that’s the thing that we’re most proud of is something doesn’t earn a spot on the Top 10 with just a parent putting it on. Your kid is in control,” she said.
Tilert also praised the performance of “Gabby’s Dollhouse” on Netflix, which is expanding in a big way after over five years on the streamer.
“To have so much content drop and to have kids still be really excited to dive into what’s new every single time we drop a season, I think it speaks to the power of her as a character and that kind of delightful, imaginative world that the creators brought to life that kids still want to dive in and spend a lot of time.”
The VP said often with their most popular kids shows, the drop of new episodes will result in a surge in viewership for back catalogue content. That’s been happening with “Gabby’s Dollhouse,” which Tilert said also has a bit of stronger staying power than some other preschool shows.
“The other thing that’s really unique about this show is we see kids staying in it a little bit longer than they typically do a preschool show,” she said. “There’s usually a hardcore love for a show, and a kid spends a year or a couple of years in their favorite show, and then they kind of grow up and move on to other shows. Kids tend to spend it a little bit longer in this title.”
But to that point, the cooking show is an expansion of the “Gabby’s Dollhouse” IP that is designed to appeal to fans that are just a little bit older. When asked if Netflix is thinking about IP as a step-ladder – as a way to build an affinity for a brand or character early in preschool shows that pay off down the road when they get older – Tilert said their strategy for kids and family content is more broad.
“My team’s goal is to entertain kids around the world with an incredible breath and depth of content. We want to bring them this kind of variety, quality and quantity that adults love about Netflix, and we do that by making sure that we have great content for kids at every age and stage of their development. We’re really creating these thoughtful chain links in a kid’s journey from the very first time a parent chooses to introduce screen time to their kid up through the time they’re ready to graduate out of their kids’ profile,” she explained. “And hopefully along the way, we’re being really thoughtful about creating an environment that parents also feel good about.”
Indeed, Netflix Kids has created a safe and reliable “walled garden” of content that a growing number of parents are trusting with their children, especially when it comes to preschool (As the father of a preschooler, I can personally attest to that).
A big part of that boon came with Netflix’s decision to license popular YouTube creators like Ms. Rachel, Danny Go! and Mark Rober, whose shows are among the most popular not just on Netflix Kids, but on Netflix overall.
“We are constantly looking for passionate creators who are focused on delivering a clear vision to the audience, and where those creators start, I think, is less important to us than their connection with the audience and what they’re offering the audience,” Tilert said. “So we are highly selective about everyone that we work with and who we bring onto the service for different reasons. We will continue to do deals with creators where it makes sense for our business.”
In other words, curation is key. But Tilert also said her team looks at gaps in what Netflix has to offer, which is what led them to licensing “Danny Go!” They were specifically looking for a more physical show, pondering whether they should do something with yoga or exercise for kids when they stumbled upon “Danny Go!” on YouTube, which encourages kids to get up and get moving.
“Instead of building something from scratch, in this instance, kids and families already love him and trust him, and the content is great. Let’s get him over to Netflix. We’ll bring his library and we’ll build original things in partnership with him,” she said of the decision process.
Tilert also said that mix of content is important as they build out Netflix Kids, including threading more educational content with more entertainment-focused content. That jibes with their mission of being “thoughtful curators,” but also empowering parents with strong parental controls that narrow or widen the scope of what is available to their children.
Additionally, Tilert said the Netflix team works with childhood educators, content experts, child psychologists and developmental psychologists “on different shows at different phases” for content that they build from scratch, to ensure it’s developmentally appropriate and enriching.
And this is all to say nothing of Netflix Playground, which Tilert said is showing strong engagement and will continue to get investment from the streamer – including seasonal-themed switch-ups that keep the app nimble.
It’s all part and parcel of the streamer’s goal to make Netflix Kids a one-stop destination for families looking to entertain their kids (and themselves) in ways that are safe, fulfilling and fun.
And what’s more fun than little puppy dog pirates?
