Television has provided education and entertainment to children for nearly a century, creating many lovable and iconic characters along the way. This list of the 20 best children’s television characters of all time consists only of the most recognizable, inspiring, and fun-to-watch characters from kids’ TV. Only one character per show is included on the list. Characters are listed chronologically. The year included is the year the television show was released – not necessarily the year the character was introduced.
8Big Bird: Sesame Street, November 1969
Every character from the long-running Sesame Street is iconic in their own right, but Big Bird is one of the most identifiable and jolly characters ever to appear on the show. Not only does he feature in some of the catchiest tunes in the series’ history, such as “Places in Our Neighborhood” and “ABC-DEF-GHI,” but he is often at the center of some of the show’s most important lessons. It was Big Bird who was present when the adults unveiled that the character of Mr. Hooper had died in what is arguably the most poignant scene in the show’s history.