The animated TV series Bluey is every bit as entertaining for the adults as it is for the children. It’s one of those shows that’s for the whole family, pulling on different heartstrings depending on the season of life you’re in. Not only are the animation and colors beautiful and low-stimulating to watch, but the storylines are pure and wholesome.
While kids love Bluey for the silly games Bluey and Bingo play, adults love Bluey for an entirely different reason: relatability. Bluey and Bingo’s parents, Bandit and Chilli, are exceptional parents who play into their children’s imagination while also bringing a sense of reality.
Parenting is fun, tiring, messy, stressful, and humbling. Bandit and Chilli showcase the full spectrum of parenting in every episode. However, with three seasons under its belt, a few episodes have made their mark on parents’ hearts for their emotional relatability.
From “Baby Race” to “Curry Swap,” these are the Bluey episodes that, as a parent, I believe other parents will most closely relate to in their own ways.
Where To Watch Note For Episode Order: Some episodes are aired in a different order depending on the streaming service and region you’re viewing in. They are also listed in different orders across many TV show databases. If you don’t find the episode at the same episode number, search for the episode name, which remains unchanged.
“Baby Race” (Season 2, Episode 50)
In “Baby Race,” Chilli reminisces about being a first-time mom with Bluey. After joining “mommy and me classes,” Bluey became friends with another dog named Judo. For Chilli, it was hard not to compare Bluey and Judo, especially when Judo was exceeding every milestone.
Once Judo learned to crawl first, Chilli was on a mission to make sure Bluey was the first to walk. However, Chilli soon realized that Bluey was perfect the way she was, and that she was reaching milestones in her own time. In the end, there wasn’t a theoretical race at all. Chilli was reminded that every child walks or crawls when they’re ready (or if they really want something bad enough).
Why ‘Baby Race’ Is So Relatable For Parents: As a mother myself, I can confidently say that most moms worry about their child reaching milestones, especially when other children the same age are achieving milestones. Like Chilli, it’s hard not to compare children. There’s a quiet fear of your child having a delay, but there’s an even louder fear that you’re not doing enough as your baby’s parent to help them. At the end of the episode, Bluey started walking after she saw something she really wanted: her mum.
“Sleepytime” (Season 2, Episode 26)
“Sleepytime” may as well have been written for parents more than children. The episode is wildly beloved by adults, hitting every emotional and relatable nail on the head. In the episode, it’s bedtime for the Healers, and Bingo is trying to fall asleep in her “big girl” bed. Chilli supports Bingo and reminds her that she’s always nearby in case Bingo needs her.
Bingo drifts off to sleep and has a cosmic dream in which she’s in space with her bunny, Floppy. Floppy and Bingo go on a wild astro-adventure, but it’s soon time for Floppy to leave with his family. Nervous and sad, Bingo is soon hit with a rush of warmth and love — the sun. She soon calmed down and felt safe.
In reality, it was Chilli hugging Bingo as she slept. In her dreams and in reality, Chilli is always there protecting Bingo. While this emotional storyline unfolds, Bluey is having trouble falling asleep, making for a long night for Bandit.
Why ‘Sleepytime’ Is So Relatable For Parents: The bond between mother and child is powerful, and “Sleepytime” captured it in such a beautifully artistic way. The relatability of Bandit and Chilli having a long, sleepless night while watching over their girls was strong. And the moment Bingo relaxes in her nightmare because the sun (her mum) made her feel safe and loved is almost too emotional to bear. The one line that floats around in the Bluey fandom from “Sleepytime” is when Chilli comforted Bingo. “Remember I’ll always be here for you, even if you can’t see me, because I love you.”
“Sticky Gecko” (Season 2, Episode 12)
“Sticky Gecko” is all things playful and stressful. In the episode, Chilli and the girls are late for a playdate with Judo. As Chilli is trying to get Bluey and Bingo out the door, childish disruptions occur. Bingo forgot to brush her teeth, Bluey needed her hat, and they were waiting for their toy sticky gecko to fall from the ceiling. Chilli was stressed and tired from trying to get the girls out the door, but the last straw was when she stepped on a pin.
She erupted in anger at the girls for not listening to her, but when Bluey and Bingo asked their mum more questions about how she was feeling, Chilli realized she was nervous about the playdate. She knew Judo’s mom was often on time, and she didn’t want to be judged for being late. The three eventually leave on their own time (and Chilli even caught the sticky gecko!).
Why ‘Sticky Gecko’ Is So Relatable For Parents: When you have kids, getting out the door on time can be tricky. Making sure everyone is fed and dressed is one thing, but making sure they respect your time as a mom is another entirely. When Chilli snaps at the girls for making her late, most parents would nod slowly in solidarity. The best part of the episode was that, even though Chilli released her frustrations on Bluey and Bingo, she realized why she was feeling that way and adjusted her thinking.
“Onesies” (Season 3, Episode 31)
In “Onesies,” Chilli prepped Bluey and Bingo for her sister Brandy’s arrival. Brandy and Chilli had spent many years apart after Chilli had kids, and Brandy didn’t know the girls that well. The disconnect was shown when Brandy bought the girls’ animal onesies, but they were the wrong sizes. Bluey and Bingo eventually swap onesies and jump into character while Chilli and Brandy catch up.
All the while, Chilli and Brandy reconciled. It’s revealed that once Chilli had Bluey and Bingo, Brandy stopped coming around because it was too hard for her after not being able to have children of her own. The scenes were gut-wrenching, yet understanding. Brandy left on a good note, but those who struggled with infertility felt the quiet yearning for children from Brandy’s perspective.
Why ‘Onesies’ Is So Relatable For Parents: Those who have struggled with infertility or child loss understand the pain of being around children when you don’t have your own. It’s a quiet loss that’s too consuming when surrounded by the one thing you want more than anything else. Parents love the vulnerability and deep message “Onsies” has, especially when it’s done in such a respectful way.
“Grandad” (Season 2, Episode 27)
In “Grandad,” Chilli, Bluey, and Bingo visit Chilli’s dad after a few days of feeling unwell. Instead of finding him resting, Grandad was outside cutting stumps. Seeing the girls made Grandad happy, and he rushed the kids into the brush to play and hide from Chilli.
All the while, Chilli was displeased with how active her dad was and made it clear that she still needed him even though she was an adult. It was after hearing her plea that he slowed down and waited for Chilli to find them by the water. He realized that trying to act young for the girls actually slowed him up and made things worse between him and his own daughter.
Why ‘Grandad’ Is So Relatable For Parents: “Grandad” is a sneaky emotional one for parents because it’s a reminder of how fast time goes. Grandad is reminded of playing in the woods with Chilli when she was a child after exploring with the girls, and it’s hard not to get watery eyes with both views of the storyline: Chilli is an adult who still needs her dad, and Grandad misses a time when he was a young dad.
“Rain” (Season 3, Episode 18)
“Rain” is one of the most peaceful episodes of the series because there is no dialogue. It’s a tranquil song that plays as the storyline unfolds through the actions and behavior of Bluey and Chilli.
It’s summer, and a wild downpour has Bluey excited about making a dam. She continuously makes trips inside the house, grabbing random objects to keep the water at bay. All the while, Chilli is cleaning the house and tries to keep Bluey out to prevent a mess.
In the end, Chilli sees how hard Bluey is working to make a dam and stops what she’s doing to help. Even without dialogue, Bluey captured the beauty and struggle of childhood wonder and adulthood.
Why ‘Rain’ Is So Relatable For Parents: The most relatable moment of the episode wasn’t Bluey peacefully playing by herself outside in the rain; it was Chilli taking the quiet day to clean the house and worrying about Bluey’s muddy self coming in and dirtying what she had just cleaned. The humorous scene where Chilli tries her best to keep Bluey from entering through the front door with wet feet, but loses, was strongly felt by parents. Even more relatable is when Chilli feels bad about shooing Bluey outside and joining her in the end.
“Flat Pack” (Season 2, Episode 24)
“Flat Pack” is a simple episode at the start, but as it progresses, you’ll see the deeper meaning of the storyline. In the episode, Bandit and Chilli struggle to build a flat-pack bench for their deck. Meanwhile, Bluey and Bingo play the evolution of different animals in the backyard. Simultaneously, Bingo pretends to be Bluey’s daughter.
As the animals evolve, Bluey “gets older,” and her relationship with Bingo evolves as well. The nuances and subtle references to life’s development are humorously emotional.
Why ‘Flat Pack’ Is So Relatable For Parents: I’ll admit it took a rewatch or two to understand or grasp the deeper meaning of the episode. Not only are Bluey and Bingo exploring life’s evolution in a fun and light-hearted way, but the ending also shows Bandit, Chilli, and Bluey sitting together on the newly built porch swing, looking down on Bingo playing. This scene was more than just family members bonding over the tiniest member; it was about Bluey joining her parents in theoretical heaven and watching the youngest family member play out the remainder of her life.
“Cricket” (Season 3, Episode 47)
In season 3, the whole neighborhood gets together for a friendly game of cricket. Bluey’s friend Rusty is easily the most accomplished cricket player, and his life’s goal of perfecting his game was shown through time leaps. Rusty’s shortcomings were slowly perfected, thanks to the quiet encouragement from his dad. The episode shows the love for a child’s sport, with parents supporting that passion from the sidelines.
Why ‘Cricket’ Is So Relatable For Parents: Season 3’s “Cricket” is much more than an episode about Rusty and his relationship to the sport; it’s about parenting and watching your kid grow up in real time. The episode uses time jumps to show how much Rusty has grown and evolved. This moment is easily relatable for parents, who often look back on the past year and realize how much has happened and how much their child has grown. A parent’s involvement in their child’s life is important, regardless of whether it’s subtle or loud.
“Curry Quest” (Season 3, Episode 8)
“Curry quest” was much deeper than just Bandit’s curry swap with friends or Chilli’s story about a quest. It was a tale about bravery and adjusting to changes as a family. In the episode, there are dual storylines. Chilli teaches Bluey what a “quest” means with her own story, and Bandit invites Bingo to his curry swap with him.
While Chilli teaches Bluey about a quest, the episode shows Bingo’s quest with her dad to the curry swap. When a mean bird threatens their quest, Bingo has to be brave. Bingo’s bravery is tested again when Bandit reveals he’s going on his own quest for work and would be gone for a few days. Bingo learned bravery on her way to the curry swap to prep her for the bravery she’d need while her dad was away.
Why ‘Curry Quest’ Is So Relatable For Parents: The biggest relatable moment in the episode is when Bandit has to travel for work and break it to his kids that he’s going to be gone for a few days. The girls’ utter heartbreak and confusion were felt by parents who also travel for work and have had the same hard conversations. In the end, Bandit beautifully reunites with his girls, reminding parents how special it is to be together with their kids.
“Octopus” (Season 2, Episode 41)
“Octopus” shows Bluey’s playdate with Chloe. The two try to get past Bandit, who’s pretending to be a silly octopus trying to grab them. Blue and Chloe had fun pretending to be sea creatures and giggled all afternoon.
When Chloe got home, she tried to play “octopus” with her dad, but her dad didn’t have the same imagination as Bandits, leaving both Chloe and her dad upset. In the end, her dad tried to connect with Chloe by teaching her about different aquatic creatures, and it turned out to be the perfect bridge between father and daughter.
Why ‘Octopus‘ Is So Relatable For Parents: “Octopus” hit parents right in the feels. The episode focused on the fact that every parent is different, and that while some parents are seen as the “fun parent,” it doesn’t make other parents less fun or loving. Seeing Chloe’s reaction to Bandit versus her own father can happen to anyone. At one point, it’s hard not to compare to other parents and how your children see them.
“Bike” (Season 1, Episode 11)
Season 1’s “Bike” was an amazing series of trials and errors. At the park, Bandit tries to teach Bluey how to ride her bike. However, Bluey struggles to figure it out. Before giving up completely, she scans the park to see everyone else trying to succeed at different things. Bingo tried drinking from the water fountain, Bentley tried doing the monkey bars, and Muffin attempted to put on her backpack. While Bluey and Bandit supported everyone, Bluey was inspired to try riding her bike again, and she succeeded.
Why ‘Bike’ Is So Relatable For Parents: As a parent, all you can do is encourage your child to do hard things in hopes they conquer whatever it is that they’re trying to do. Bandit’s support and Bluey’s inspiration from her friends were enough to help her chase her dream of riding a bike. The episode shows what it’s like to watch your child from the sidelines, hoping they try their best.
“The Sign” (Season 3, Episode 49)
When the Healer’s home goes up for sale because of Bandit’s new job, a flood of emotions takes over the family. No one is happy about the move, but Dad’s new job brings in more money and new experiences. Chilli recalls the special memories she’s had in the house, remembering every childhood memory of Bluey and Bingo.
While “The Sign” has a second storyline about Uncle Rad and Frisky’s wedding, the focus was on the Healers’ big move. In the end, the buyer of the house pulled out, and it was a sigh of relief for the family. They realized they weren’t ready to leave their dream home, and the Healers happily ripped down the “for sale” sign.
Why ‘The Sign’ Is So Relatable For Parents: This episode was special for any family that has had to move with young children. Looking at the empty rooms of your house and remembering all of the ups and downs of raising your family in those halls is an emotional roller coaster. It’s hard not to watch “The Sign” without crying.
After you watch these very special episodes that parents can relate to, check out our list of the 20 best Bluey episodes and the lessons they teach children.