Hello,

I am trying to find some historical "firsts" concerning young/preschool 
children's cartoons (TV and film), both one-time or series, for the US. 
I"m defining preschool rather losely as younger than 7.

Here is my difficulty so far: books usually employ simply the word 
"children" as in "children's program," children's film, etc., but only 
in recent decades has the division between older kids and preschoolers 
been emphasized. Before the late 60s (in particular with Sesame Street), 
I have not found a specific reference to a preschool cartoon, a 
preschool animation movie for theater release, or a preschool TV cartoon 
series in the US.

What is considered to be the first preschool children's television 
cartoon series on (American) television?

I am specifically looking for a series that was conceived for children 
under 7, so not an unspecified children's program that is geared to 
include all children (both preschool and elementary school children).

The same for an animated movie in theaters-- is there anything in 
American film history that is equivalent to the German "Moonbeam Bear 
and His Friends," for example? This movie is aimed at younger children 
(losely defined).

I am also interested in finding any hand-drawn cartoons (even if not 
series) or other animation techniques (like marionettes ) before the 
late 1960s that were conceived primarily for a preschool audience, or 
any articles on the subject.

Thank you for any references or tips.

Regards,
V. Britto

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