Originally launched as a programming block in January 1988, Nick Jr.
is one of Nickelodeon's sister channels, mainly airing shows aimed at preschoolers and young children. While the Nick Jr. block has been running since the late '80s, Nick Jr. didn't became its own separate network until 2009, when it took over the channel space held by Noggin.note
The Nick Jr. block is part of Nickelodeon's regular daytime schedule, typically running from 7 a.m./8 a.m. to 2 p.m. CST/3 p.m. EST. In its earliest days, the block was home to many classic off-network cartoons and foreign programming/anime such as The World of David the Gnome, Muppet Babies (1984), Belle and Sebastian and Rupert. The block was revamped in 1994, now with mostly Nickelodeon-made programming and a new host, Face (voiced by Chris Phillips and Babi Floyd in the US, David Holt in the UK). The block launched the pre-school juggernauts Blue's Clues and Dora the Explorer, while also airing some fondly-remembered anime such as The Noozles, The Adventure of The Little Koala and Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics.
When Viacom merged with CBS in 2000, the existing CBS Kidshow Saturday-morning block, supplied by Nelvana, ended in favor of Nick Jr. on CBS, complete with Face hosting (the only show to be held over from the old block was another Nelvana show, Franklin). 2001 saw the block add programs from "normal" Nickelodeon, mostly programs to help stations meet the E/I quota, and it was renamed Nick on CBS, at least until 2004 when it reverted to only Nick Jr. shows (the 2004 revamp would also see the introduction of a new mascot, Piper O'Possum (voiced by Ali Brustofski in the US, Alex Kelly in the UK). The block on CBS ended in 2006 after the 13-year-long Viacom/CBS split.
On February 2, 2009, the Nick Jr. block started using the moniker "Nickelodeon's Play Date." On September 28 of the same year, coinciding with Nickelodeon's rebranding and logo change, Nick Jr. became its own 24/7 channel, replacing Noggin. However, in 2014, the Nick Jr. name was brought back to the weekday-morning block on Nickelodeon; it continues to air, under the branding of "Nick Jr. on Nickelodeon" to distinguish it from the separate channel (which uses the name "Nick Jr. Channel"). Noggin itself was eventually relaunched as a streaming service in 2015, serving as a separate brand operating concurrently with Nick Jr.
In October 2012, the Nick Jr. Channel began airing NickMom, an adult-oriented programming block. This block aired in the watershed (nighttime) hours, with new original shows and some syndicated repeats. The block's timing caused some controversy, as the Nick Jr. Channel only carried an Eastern Time Zone feed at the time, meaning that the block aired earlier in the day in some areas. A separate West Coast feed was eventually launched in February 2013, much to the relief of parents west of the Rockies. The NickMom block ran for almost three years, eventually shutting down on September 28, 2015, after an airing of Guarding Tess.
Nick Jr. Channel programming includesnote :
- Abby Hatcher
- The Adventures of Paddington
- Adventures of the Little Koala
- Adventures of the Little Prince ('70s anime)
- The Adventures of Timmy the Tooth (aired for three two-week periods in 1995 and 1996 to promote "The Brush In The Stone", "Rainy Day Adventure" and "An Eye For A Tooth")
- Allegra's Window
- Astro Farm (United Kingdom)
- Babar (United Kingdom)
- Baby Shark's Big Show! (co-creation with Pinkfong)
- The Backyardigans
- Bananas in Pyjamas (United Kingdom)
- Barbapapa: One Big Happy Family! (worldwide)
- Beccas Bunch
- Billy
- Bob the Builder
- Bossy Bear
- Blaze and the Monster Machines
- Blue's Clues
- Bubble Guppies
- The Busy World of Richard Scarry
- Butterbean's Cafe
- Cleo & Cuquin
- Corn & Peg
- Deko Boko Friends
- Deer Squad
- Dino Dan
- Doctor Snuggles
- Dora the Explorer
- Eureeka's Castle
- Humf
- Face's Music Party (United States)
- Fifi and the Flowertots (Non-USA)
- Franklin
- The Fresh Beat Band
- Gabby’s Dollhouse (United States; shared with Netflix)
- Gullah Gullah Island
- The Hoobs (United Kingdom)
- Julius Jr.
- Jack's Big Music Show
- Kipper the Dog
- Kiri And Lou
- Lalaloopsy (aimed at girls ages 9-14)
- LazyTown (moved to PBS Kids Sprout)
- The Littl' Bits
- Little Bear
- Little Bill
- Little Charmers
- Made By Maddie note
- Maggie and the Ferocious Beast
- Magic Adventures of Mumfie (United Kingdom)
- Maisy
- Make Way For Noddy (Germany)
- Max and Ruby
- Maple Town
- Maya the Bee (anime version)
- Miffy
- Mike the Knight
- Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends
- Moose and Zee
- Muppet Babies (1984)
- My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic (Germany and Israel)
- Nanalan'
- Nella the Princess Knight
- Ni Hao, Kai-Lan
- The Noozles
- Olivia
- Oobi
- Oswald
- PAW Patrol
- Peppa Pig
- Pinky Dinky Doo
- Pinwheel (aired on Nick Jr. from 1988-90, and is retroactively categorized as a Nick Jr. show)
- Peter Rabbit
- Pocoyonote
- Puffin Rock (United Kingdom)
- Rainbow Rangers
- Ricky Zoom
- Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- Rubbadubbers
- Rugrats
- Rupert
- Rusty Rivets
- Ryan's Mystery Playdate (based on Ryan ToysReview)
- Santiago of the Seas
- Sharon, Lois, and Bram's Elephant Show
- Shimmer and Shine
- Shining Time Station (aired only in 2000 to promote Thomas and the Magic Railroad)
- The SpongeBob Musical: Live On Stage! (aired as a simulcast on the premiere and one additional time as a rerun)
- Sunny Day
- Team Umizoomi
- Teletubbies
- Thomas & Friends (United Kingdom, began airing in the United States after PBS Kids lost the rights for a brief period of time before channel hopping to Netflix)
- The Tiny Chef Show
- Toot & Puddle
- Top Wing
- Trulli Tales (United States)
- Tweenies (United States)
- Wallykazam!
- Wimzie's House (United Kingdom)
- Winx Club
- Wonder Pets!
- The World of David the Gnome
- Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!
- The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss
- Yo Gabba Gabba!
- Zack and Quack
