Wackadoo!
Navigating school can be tricky. As always, the Heeler family is here to light the way.
Parents and kids alike adore Bluey, and much of our collective focus is on the dynamic between Bluey, Bingo, Bandit, and Chilli Heeler. But many, many episodes are actually focused not just on the Heeler kids’ home life, but rather their lives at school. In these Bluey episodes about school, friendship dynamics, learning through play, the magic of teachers, and more are explored with as much tenderness, compassion, and heart as we’ve all come to expect from Bluey.
It can be so nerve-wracking to be a parent, and we want to be perfect, consistent, patient, and all of the other impossible things that we wish to be for our kids. Helping our kids settle into school days can be an especially big challenge, in part because we have so little control over their experience between drop-off and pick-up, and we often know relatively little about what goes on in those hours and hours of play and learning. Kids, too, have to muster bravery and strength to manage it all.
Of course, Bluey’s creators understand that and these episodes reflect all of that so beautifully. Whether you’re trying to prepare yourself for the first day of preschool, prepare your child for the start of a new school year, or are dealing with a challenging relationship at school, these 10 school-focused Bluey episodes offer wisdom and insight for parents and kids alike.
1
“Bin Night”
Season 2, Episode 42
“Bin Night” is a fan favorite, and for good reason. This episode follows the Heeler family over the course of a few weeks as they take out the trash bins. We track the passage of time with Bluey, who is watching the phases of the moon, and with Bingo, who — each night — shares a new little tidbit about a child at school who is new. There is some name calling and bullying, and Bandit listens without much judgement. Eventually, Chilli offers gentle advice, and over the course of a few weeks’ worth of “Bin Nights,” we see Bingo’s ability to navigate school friendships bloom.
Stream “Bin Night” on Disney+.
2
“Daddy Dropoff”
Season 2, Episode 8
Told from the perspective of a classmate of Bingo’s on her first day of “kindy,” this would be a perfect episode for a child (and their parents) who are trying to prepare for the first day of preschool or kindergarten. It’s full of sweetness and surprises, and all of the things we’ve come to expect from Bluey.
Stream “Daddy Dropoff” on Disney+.
3
“Stories”
Season 3, Episode 28
Bluey is only a peripheral character in this episode, which is focused instead on Bluey’s classmate and friend, Indi. At school one day, Indi becomes frustrated that she’s not very good at making animals out of beeswax and decides to quit trying, forever. But with a little help from another classmate, and some encouragement from her teacher, she just might change her mind and decide to try again. It’s the perfect episode to watch when your kid is struggling with a new skill they’re learning at school.
Stream “Stories” on Disney+.
4
“Calypso”
Season 1, Episode 17
We can probably all agree that Bluey seems to go to a rather magical school, and her teacher Calypso, is a Mary Poppins-level caretaker. This school-focused episode, we see all the different ways that kids play, and the sweetness that happens when their various games are woven together by an attentive teacher. It’d be a great one to watch with a child who hasn’t started preschool yet to get a sense for what they have to look forward to. It’s also good for nervous parents, because it reminds grown-ups that teachers can be pure magic.
Stream “Calypso” on Disney+.
5
“Early Baby”
Season 1, Episode 40
Bluey is at school playing an elaborate game with some friends where she is the doctor and is delivering everyone’s babies. Another friend tries to join the game and brings his own deeply-fleshed out imaginary narrative to theirs, which results in an inevitable clash of pretend play worlds. Their teacher facilitates a conversation, the kids’ differences are reconciled and everyone gets back to the work of play. With characteristic respect for the very real stake that kids have in their imagined worlds, this episode of Bluey reminds kids and their parents that a little listening can go a long way.
Stream “Early Baby” on Disney+.
6
“Mums & Dads”
Season 1, Episode 41
Flowing directly from “Early Baby,” here Indi and Rusty begin playing a shared game called Mums and Dads that (it’s implied) they’ve played together before. Pretty quickly, they’re fighting about the “right” way to play the game, and their teacher suggests they take a break and play with someone else. They each bring their own rigid version of the game to various friends and realize that everyone has a slightly different way of playing. We see the kids do the work of play — managing frustration, navigating differences, and communicating — in a way that most preschool and elementary-aged kids (and parents) will find super relatable.
Stream “Mums & Dads” on Disney+.
7
“Helicopter”
Season 2, Episode 25
It’s Monday morning, and Chilli is doing drop off. In the car, the kids are excited about their usual Monday after-school activities, when Bandit calls. A change at work means the family has to pivot and their usual activities will be missed. Chilli leaves a disappointed Bluey at school. We watch see Bluey work through her feelings and experience with her friends and a game she calls Helicopter. It’s a classic Bluey episode in that it nails the small, daily challenges of parenthood — a last-minute change — and the essential work of play that happens after drop off.
Stream “Helicopter” on Disney+.
8
“Barky Boats”
Season 2, Episode 31
Bluey and her friend Mackenzie are at school, and are excited to have a visit from older kids — tweens! — that used to go to their school. Though Bluey is often focused on younger kids, this episode will speak particularly to older kids (and their parents) who are navigating the end of elementary school or the start of middle school. It would also resonate with younger siblings whose older siblings are entering tween-dom and less interested in play than they used to be.
Stream “Barky Boats” on Disney+.
9
“Typewriter”
Season 2, Episode 49
Bluey goes on a small-but-mighty journey with her school mates to see their teacher Calypso, and discovers — with her friends — that they all have strengths and weaknesses. But, when they work together, they’re a powerful group of kids. It’s a wonderful episode about the power of team work and the way that being part of a classroom can give kids a sense of belonging and pride.
Stream “Typewriter” on Disney+.
10
“Army”
Season 2, Episode 16
Once again, Bluey is a background character. Instead, this episode is focused on Jack, a new kid at Bluey’s school who (it seems) may have ADHD. As he’s getting his bearings, he befriends Rusty, who includes Jack in his game “Army.” By the end of the day, Jack already has a found himself a pretty powerful friendship at his new school.
Stream “Army” on Disney+.
School is a huge part of life as a parent and a child. These relatable, funny, sweet Bluey episodes make it all feel a little easier.
