Preschool Becomes Netflix’s Most Contested Category

Preschool has become Netflix’s most hotly contested category, according to media consultant Emily Horgan’s latest Netflix Kids Content Performance Report, with PAW Patrol claiming number one in the second half of 2025, but Gabby’s Dollhouse remaining dominant across the full year.

In the second half of the year, following PAW Patrol’s Netflix U.S. debut, the hit show garnered 344 million hours viewed. Gabby’s Dollhouse reached more than 600 million hours viewed across the full year and landed in the second spot on the list for H2 2025. Peppa Pig followed.

Ms. Rachel landed in the fourth spot on the list, the highest ranking achieved by a new kids’ series within its first year on Netflix. Mark Rober’s CrunchLabs also made a strong debut, highlighting the potential for YouTube creators to find large audiences on Netflix.

Sesame Street arrived on the platform in November through a first-of-its-kind partnership with PBS. The initial rollout, consisting of just four new episodes, delivered 6 million views.

CoComelon continued to decline, falling by 30 percent. The IP is set to move to Disney+ in January 2027.

SpongeBob SquarePants dominated the comedy animation category with 143 million hours viewed, 40 percent ahead of its nearest competitor. It was the seventh most-watched kids’ show in H2 2025.

SpongeBob, however, is owned by Paramount. Nearly one third of the most-watched kids’ shows on Netflix in the second half of 2025 are owned by Paramount or Warner Bros. Discovery. Now that Paramount has won the bid to acquire WBD, it is unclear exactly how this will reshape the global windowing of these titles on Netflix. WBD’s Teen Titans Go! garnered 98.2 million hours viewed in H2 2025, and WBD’s The Amazing World of Gumball earned 92.3 million. The loss of those titles could strike a blow to Netflix.

“Last year, the kids’ content story on Netflix became one of heated competition,” Horgan said. “What stands out in the H2 2025 data is the degree of movement within the rankings. Shows are trading positions, new IP is landing with genuine weight and even the most established franchises are having to earn their place. That level of competition is good for the industry, and it makes tracking the data more important than ever.”

“Alongside that, the consolidation of creator-led content, the confirmed scale of KPop Demon Hunters and the success of cross-generational titles tell us that the routes to top-tier performance in streaming are widening,” she continued. “The M&A environment adds another layer of complexity. Long-standing animated franchises, like SpongeBob, still drive significant streaming value. Where that IP lands, and on whose platform, will shape the kids’ streaming picture for years to come.”