PBS Kids to Premiere Carnival of the Animals
A half-hour animated special set to Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic's recording debuts on PBS KIDS.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Animation
PBS KIDS and PBS stations will premiere Carnival of the Animals on November 16, 2026, an animated special set to Camille Saint-Saëns' orchestral suite. The special streams free on the PBS KIDS Video app, connected TV devices, and pbskids.org.
Why it matters
The special pairs classical music with animation designed for children ages two to eight, introducing young viewers to the orchestral suite without spoken dialogue. Its free streaming access lets families watch without a subscription.
The special runs a half-hour and weaves the suite's 14 sections into one continuous narrative for the first time, accompanied by five live-action companion digital shorts. Viewership figures after the premiere have not been reported.
The players
PBS KIDS
The children's programming service of PBS that distributes the special across broadcast stations and its streaming platforms.
Gustavo Dudamel
Venezuelan conductor whose recording with the Los Angeles Philharmonic provides the special's music, and whose tenure as the orchestra's music director ends in August 2026.
Los Angeles Philharmonic
The Los Angeles orchestra that recorded the music live at the Hollywood Bowl and partnered on the special.
The details
The 2D animated special is set to Saint-Saëns' Carnival of the Animals, with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic's music recorded live at the Hollywood Bowl. Siri Melchior directs the production, which Silver Creek Falls Entertainment and Passion Pictures Animation produce in association with the LA Phil; the only spoken words are a short introduction narrated by Martín Dudamel.
Timeline
November 16, 2026: PBS KIDS and PBS stations premiere Carnival of the Animals.
August 2026: Gustavo Dudamel's tenure as LA Phil music director ends.
Legacy Adaptation
The special adapts Saint-Saëns' 1886 Carnival of the Animals suite into a single animated narrative, a format the suite's 14 sections had not previously been woven into. It extends the work's long life as a children's introduction to classical music.
Families can stream the special free through the PBS KIDS Video app, connected TV devices, or pbskids.org with no subscription required. The companion live-action digital shorts extend viewing beyond the half-hour premiere.
The takeaway
Parents of children ages two to eight can stream the special free without a subscription. Its dialogue-free format makes it accessible for the youngest viewers.
What happens next
The special premieres on PBS KIDS and PBS stations on November 16, 2026, and streams free on the PBS KIDS Video app, connected TV devices, and pbskids.org.
Further reading
Explore more in Animation coverage from across the United States.
More information
Stream the special for free on the PBS KIDS site.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Animation World Network.
