Nickelodeon’s dedication to preschool content is in full swing, with the US kidsnet renewing four of its top-rated animated series—PAW Patrol, Shimmer and Shine, Rusty Rivets and Nella the Princess Knight (pictured). The Viacom-owned net has also made a 12th-season order for its long-running kids series SpongeBob SquarePants. 

The shows are a part of the network’s 2017-2018 slate that houses its largest preschool content lineup ever.

Nick is currently home to four of the top-five preschool shows across all TV (from December 26 to April 30), with PAW Patrol taking the top spot. The Spin Master Entertainment-produced series will be getting its fifth season consisting of 26 new half-hour episodes, while fellow Spin Master Entertainment-produced toon Rusty Rivets is up for a second season (26 x 30 minutes).

Shimmer and Shine has been renewed for a fourth season comprised of 20 x half-hour episodes, while season two of Nella the Princess Knight (20 x 30 minutes) is also underway.

The 12th season of SpongeBob SquarePants will premiere in 2019, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the show. The news follows the announcement of a third SpongeBob movie from Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies, which will also be released in 2019. The 11th season of SpongeBob SquarePants will bow this summer.

Nickelodeon’s upcoming preschool fare includes Butterbean’s Café, Sunny Day and Top Wing. Originally announced last May, Butterbean’s Café comes from the minds of Bubble Guppies creators Jonny Belt and Robert Scull, and Irish producer Brown Bag Films. Top Wing hails from Canadian producers 9 Story Media Group and Industrial Brothers, while Sunny Day is produced by Silvergate Media (Peter Rabbit). Forty episodes have been ordered by Nick for both Sunny Day and Butterbean’s Café, while Top Wing has a 26-ep order.

Looking globally, Nickelodeon International has also acquired broadcast rights to the third and fourth seasons of preschool series The Day Henry Met from Irish distributor Monster Entertainment, while also renewing rights to the show’s first two seasons.

Nick acquired The Day Henry Met in 2016, and has since brought the series to Italy, Portugal, Central & Eastern Europe, the UK, Scandinavia, Benelux, Germany, Greece, Russia, Israel, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. The toon is produced by Dublin-based Wiggleywoo.