The channel launched on September 26, 2005, as PBS Kids Sprout, a preschool-oriented channel. It replaced PBS's original 24-hour PBS Kids Channel, which originally operated between 1999 and 2005. NBCUniversal became the sole owner of the network in 2013, after which it was renamed Sprout. In 2017, the network relaunched as Universal Kids, adding an evening and prime time lineup targeting a wider youth audience.