Kids’ Choice Awards
Published: February 8, 2020
Updated: March 12, 2024
Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards (often shortened to “KCA” or “the KCAs”) got its start in 1987 under the banner of “Nickelodeon’s Big Ballot”. That year, the winners were announced over a four-week period as part of the network’s weekend TV program Rated K: For Kids by Kids [Los Angeles Times, 28 March 1987]. Nickelodeon considers this to be the first official Kids’ Choice Awards, despite lacking the name.
The first celebrity-hosted, and actually titled Kids’ Choice Awards, took place in 1988 and has aired almost every year since, except for 1993.
The Hosts
| # | Date | Host(s) | Co-Host(s) / Notes |
| 1 | Mar-28-1987 Apr-4-1987 Apr-11-1987 Apr-18-1987 |
Matt Nespole, Rebecca Schwager, Mark Shanahan |
movie winners (on 3/28) TV winners (on 4/4) music winners (on 4/11) sports winners (on 4/18) |
| 2 | Apr-18-1988 | Tony Danza | Debbie Gibson, Brian Robbins, Dan Schneider, Marc Summers (Double Dare segments) |
| 3 | Jun-25-1989 | Nicole Eggert, Wil Wheaton |
|
| 4 | Apr-23-1990 | Dave Coulier | Candace Cameron, David Faustino |
| 5 | Apr-22-1991 | Corin Nemec | |
| 6 | Nov-14-1992 | Holly Robinson | Brian Austin Green, Tori Spelling |
| 7 | May-7-1994 | Candace Cameron, Joey Lawrence |
Marc Weiner |
| 8 | May-20-1995 | Whitney Houston | |
| 9 | May-11-1996 | Whitney Houston | Rosie O’Donnell (NYC) |
| 10 | Apr-19-1997 | Rosie O’Donnell | Terry Bradshaw |
| 11 | Apr-4-1998 | Rosie O’Donnell | |
| 12 | May-1-1999 | Rosie O’Donnell | |
| 13 | Apr-15-2000 | Rosie O’Donnell | David Arquette, LL Cool J, Mandy Moore, Frankie Muniz |
| 14 | Apr-21-2001 | Rosie O’Donnell | |
| 15 | Apr-20-2002 | Rosie O’Donnell | |
| 16 | Apr-12-2003 | Rosie O’Donnell | |
| 17 | Apr-3-2004 | Cameron Diaz, Mike Myers |
|
| 18 | Apr-2-2005 | Ben Stiller | |
| 19 | Apr-1-2006 | Jack Black | |
| 20 | Mar-31-2007 | Justin Timberlake | |
| 21 | Mar-29-2008 | Jack Black | |
| 22 | Mar-28-2009 | Dwayne Johnson | |
| 23 | Mar-27-2010 | Kevin James | |
| 24 | Apr-2-2011 | Jack Black | |
| 25 | Mar-31-2012 | Will Smith | |
| 26 | Mar-23-2013 | Josh Duhamel | |
| 27 | Mar-29-2014 | Mark Wahlberg | |
| 28 | Mar-28-2015 | Nick Jonas | |
| 29 | Mar-12-2016 | Blake Shelton | |
| 30 | Mar-11-2017 | John Cena | |
| 31 | Mar-24-2018 | John Cena | |
| 32 | Mar-23-2019 | DJ Khaled | |
| 33 | May-2-2020 | Victoria Justice | (recorded remotely; subtitled “Celebrate Together”; originally scheduled for Mar-22-2020 with Chance the Rapper as host, but canceled due to COVID-19) |
| 34 | Mar-13-2021 | Kenan Thompson | |
| 35 | Apr-9-2022 | Miranda Cosgrove, Rob Gronkowski |
|
| 36 | Mar-4-2023 | Nate Burleson, Charli D’Amelio |
|
| 37 | Jul-13-2024 | TBA |
Surrounding Programming
With the large audience that would tune-in for the event, Nickelodeon would often schedule new episodes before and/or after the awards show. The lead-out spot has served as a way to introduce many new series as well, including The Angry Beavers, CatDog, and most notably, SpongeBob SquarePants.
(P) = series premiere | (N) = new episode | (S) = special
| # | Date | KCA Day/Time | Lead-In Program | Lead-Out Program |
| 1a | Mar-28-1987 | Sat 4p | Special Delivery: Chocky (1984) |
Mr. Wizard’s World |
| 1b | Apr-4-1987 | Sat 4p | Special Delivery: The Little Princess (1939) |
Mr. Wizard’s World |
| 1c | Apr-11-1987 | Sat 4p | Special Delivery: BMX: Win with the Pros |
Mr. Wizard’s World |
| 1d | Apr-18-1987 | Sat 4p | Special Delivery: Abra Cadabra (1983) |
Mr. Wizard’s World |
| 2 | Apr-18-1988 | Mon 7p | Dennis the Menace | Make Room for Daddy |
| 3 | Jun-25-1989 | Sun 7p | Count Duckula | Looney Tunes on Nick at Nite |
| 4 | Apr-23-1990 | Mon 7p | Make the Grade | The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis |
| 5 | Apr-22-1991 | Mon 7p | Make the Grade | Mister Ed |
| 6 | Nov-14-1992 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | Rugrats | The Ren & Stimpy Show |
| 7 | May-7-1994 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | Rugrats | The Ren & Stimpy Show |
| 8 | May-20-1995 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | Rugrats | The Ren & Stimpy Show |
| 9 | May-11-1996 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | All That | All That |
| 10 | Apr-19-1997 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | Kenan & Kel | The Angry Beavers (P) |
| 11 | Apr-4-1998 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | Rugrats | CatDog (P) |
| 12 | May-1-1999 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | Rugrats (N) | SpongeBob SquarePants (P) |
| 13 | Apr-15-2000 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | Rugrats | Caitlin’s Way (N) |
| 14 | Apr-21-2001 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | Rugrats | The Brothers Garcia (N) |
| 15 | Apr-20-2002 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | SpongeBob SquarePants | The Secrets of the Jimmy Neutron Movie (S) |
| 16 | Apr-12-2003 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | SpongeBob SquarePants | All Grown Up (P) |
| 17 | Apr-3-2004 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | SpongeBob SquarePants (N) | Danny Phantom (P) |
| 18 | Apr-2-2005 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | The Fairly OddParents (N) | Drake & Josh (N) |
| 19 | Apr-1-2006 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | SpongeBob SquarePants (N) | Romeo! (N) |
| 20 | Mar-31-2007 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | SpongeBob SquarePants (N) | SpongeBob SquarePants |
| 21 | Mar-29-2008 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | SpongeBob SquarePants (N) | Dance on Sunset (P) |
| 22 | Mar-28-2009 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | SpongeBob SquarePants | The Penguins of Madagascar (P) |
| 23 | Mar-27-2010 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | SpongeBob SquarePants | VICTORiOUS (P) |
| 24 | Apr-2-2011 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | SpongeBob SquarePants (N) | VICTORiOUS (N) |
| 25 | Mar-31-2012 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | FRED: The Show (N) | How to Rock (N) |
| 26 | Mar-23-2013 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | The Fairly OddParents (N) | Monsters vs. Aliens (P) |
| 27 | Mar-29-2014 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | SpongeBob SquarePants (N) | Instant Mom (N) |
| 28 | Mar-28-2015 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | The Thundermans (N) | Harvey Beaks (P) |
| 29 | Mar-12-2016 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | SpongeBob SquarePants (N) | School of Rock (P) |
| 30 | Mar-11-2017 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | Henry Danger (N) | Hunter Street (P) |
| 31 | Mar-24-2018 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | Henry Danger (N) | Knight Squad (N) |
| 32 | Mar-23-2019 | Sat 8p (LIVE) | Henry Danger (N) | The Substitute (S) / Henry Danger |
| 33 | May-2-2020 | Sat 8p | Danger Force | Tyler Perry’s Young Dylan |
| 34 | Mar-13-2021 | Sat 7:30p (LIVE) | Danger Force (N) | Side Hustle (N) |
| 35 | Apr-9-2022 | Sat 7:30p (LIVE) | Danger Force (N) | iCarly (2021) (N) |
| 36 | Mar-4-2023 | Sat 7:00p (LIVE) | Sing (2016) (N) | Big Nate (N) |
| 37 | Jul-13-2024 | Sat 8:00p (LIVE) | TBA | TBA |
Total Viewer Ratings
Once a top-rated viewing event each year, the KCAs hit their peak in the late-2000s, with 2009 remaining the most-watched. Ratings for 1987-1992 are not available. The ratings provided below are for Nickelodeon only. The show has simulcast on other channels, mainly Nicktoons and TeenNick, since 2015. (1994-2000 ratings via Ratings Ryan.)
| # | Date | Total Viewers |
| 7 | May-7-1994 | 2.377 million |
| 8 | May-20-1995 | 1.833 million |
| 9 | May-11-1996 | 3.397 million |
| 10 | Apr-19-1997 | 4.660 million |
| 11 | Apr-4-1998 | 5.279 million |
| 12 | May-1-1999 | 5.209 million |
| 13 | Apr-15-2000 | 3.702 million |
| 14 | Apr-21-2001 | 4.233 million |
| 15 | Apr-20-2002 | 5.856 million |
| 16 | Apr-12-2003 | 3.140 million |
| 17 | Apr-3-2004 | 5.263 million |
| 18 | Apr-2-2005 | 5.177 million |
| 19 | Apr-1-2006 | 5.942 million |
| 20 | Mar-31-2007 | 6.115 million |
| 21 | Mar-29-2008 | 7.449 million |
| 22 | Mar-28-2009 | 7.675 million |
| 23 | Mar-27-2010 | 7.639 million |
| 24 | Apr-2-2011 | 7.287 million |
| 25 | Mar-31-2012 | 6.162 million |
| 26 | Mar-23-2013 | 5.821 million |
| 27 | Mar-29-2014 | 5.033 million |
| 28 | Mar-28-2015 | 3.630 million |
| 29 | Mar-12-2016 | 3.321 million |
| 30 | Mar-11-2017 | 3.054 million |
| 31 | Mar-24-2018 | 1.868 million |
| 32 | Mar-23-2019 | 1.293 million |
| 33 | May-2-2020 | 850,000 |
| 34 | Mar-13-2021 | 529,000 |
| 35 | Apr-9-2022 | 593,000 |
| 36 | Mar-4-2023 | 343,000 |
| 37 | Jul-13-2024 | TBA |
KCA Logos
Following the Big Ballot, the Kids’ Choice Awards used the same logo (with the only modification being the ribbon showing either “Nickelodeon” or “Awards” across it) from 1988 through 1996. For the 10th annual event in 1997, the awards show used a new logo. Since then, each year has featured a different logo and theme to go along with the event. While some of the logos may vary slightly between promotional advertisements and what’s actually featured at the awards ceremony, the most notable difference between the two was in 2001 (as shown in the pictures below).
