The 15 Best ‘Bluey’ Episodes That You Should Watch on Repeat

In case you missed it, Bluey is arguably the best children’s show of all time—and one that adults can enjoy every bit as much as younger viewers. In fact, there is no real target audience for Bluey since all the episodes are dead ringers for real family life (with a healthy aspirational twist). We could wax poetic for ages, but if you’re new to the series you should know there are a lot of episodes to choose from (and if you’re a seasoned fan you can rejoice, because even more episodes were added to the collection at the start of the year). You really can’t go wrong with any of them, but we’ve pared down the selection with a ranked list of the very best Bluey episodes, including everything from comedic classics like “unicorse” to thoughtful and hard-hitting episodes like “Onesies.” Read on and gather the whole family for some quality TV time.

• Season: 1
• Episode: 6
• Air Date: October 6, 2018

This early episode of Bluey gives viewers a very good sense of dad Bandit’s parenting style and, for many of us, it’s something to aspire to. Indeed, younger viewers will be thoroughly delighted by the antics of Bluey and Bingo as they entertain themselves on a weekend day at home with their dad, and parents will find themselves wishing they had Bandit’s incredible capacity to match their kids’ imagination, childlike mischief and desire to play. In short, it’s a sweet, silly and very inspiring story for families and a welcome reminder that sometimes the only thing kids need to feel joy is for their parents to let loose a little and join the fun.

• Season: 1
• Episode: 3
• Air Date: October 3, 2018

Here, a fine introduction to Bluey that beautifully showcases the (enviable) Heeler family dynamic. In this episode, a single balloon turns into a prop for a rousing game of Chilli’s invention: Keepy Uppy (i.e., don’t let the balloon hit the ground). At some point the kids start to lose interest and Chilli, having already done her part, lets Bandit take over and inject more excitement into the activity. Alas, nothing gold can stay and the balloon in question does eventually pop. Still, the episode is a wonderful display of childhood joy and the creative, cooperative parenting that facilitates it. There’s also an important lesson for kids about acceptance and resilience—you know, ‘cause the fun does always have to come to an end at some point. (Not to mention a highly entertaining game idea that will occupy your kid for a while when you decide screen time is over.)

• Season: 3
• Episode: 7
• Air Date: November 28, 2021

Bedtime disturbances are a recurring theme in Bluey—and we’re pretty sure parents all over the world understand why. This episode begins with Chilli flopped on the couch, presumably with fatigue, and Bandit settling in next to her with a newspaper in hand, both parents relieved the kids are in bed. Alas, Bluey shows up at the top of the stairs, protesting bedtime, and Chilli graciously and patiently offers to read her one more story. Bandit has an even better idea: to annoy them both to the point of exhaustion with an insufferable puppet. (Spoiler: the plan works and the entertainment value is high.)

• Season: 3
• Episode: 13
• Air Date: December 4, 2021

As you might have guessed, a time-honored party game is under scrutiny in this episode of Bluey and there’s a lively debate about whether parents should manufacture fairness or teach kids to “just suck it up.” Regardless of your personal feelings about how ‘pass the parcel’ should be done, the deterioration of parental convictions in the face of birthday party chaos is undeniably hilarious to watch and decidedly true to real life.

• Season: 2
• Episode: 9
• Air Date: April 11, 2020

Parents who are familiar with nighttime awakenings will take heart in this particularly beautiful Bluey episode in which Bingo does her very best to stay in bed all night and ends up drifting off to a cosmic dreamland adventure with her stuffed bunny along for the ride. The imagery is beautiful and Bingo’s dreamscape is full of representations of familial love and comfort that perfectly portray both the imagination and the heart of a child. Surreal, poignant and totally relatable—this one will make you empathize with every party involved in the classic bedtime struggle. (Spoiler: the happy ending is that Bandit and Chilli get a night of uninterrupted rest.)

• Season: 2
• Episode: 47
• Air Date: November 17, 2020

Here, a poignant story that captures the insecurity and anxiety of early motherhood. Looking back on Bluey’s baby days, Chilli describes how she felt like she was in a baby race—always competing with the Joneses when it came to developmental milestones like sitting up, crawling and walking. In a heartwarming twist, a mother with whom she felt she had to compete confesses that she’s been there, felt that and had many more children since. The end result is a lovely depiction of women supporting women, plus a welcome reminder that kids all develop differently and that’s a-OK.

• Season: 2
• Episode: 8
• Air Date: March 24, 2020

In classic Bluey fashion, “Daddy Dropoff” starts on a silly note and ends up being something of a tearjerker (in a happy way). In this episode, it’s Bandit’s turn to get the kids to school on time and he has a rough go of it—namely because he never fails to entertain his kids’ penchant for goofy games (like using a “magic” leaf to make him move in slow-mo, for example). Bandit’s patience and light-heartedness will inspire any parent who has ever screamed their way through a morning routine. Best of all, the shenanigans lead to an unexpectedly happy turn of events for Bingo. We won’t spoil the very sweet ending, but let’s just say it will make your heart swell.

• Season: 3
• Episode: 46
• Air Date: June 4, 2023

There’s great excitement when Bandit surprises Bluey and Lila with a brand new waterslide to play on in the backyard. They have a few good runs but it isn’t long before the fun gets interrupted: insects keep straying from their natural habitat onto the path of certain destruction. Bluey and Lila, concerned for the welfare of the bugs, work hard to adapt their play to ensure that not a single one is squished. It’s a heartwarming ode to the innocence and inherent goodness of children that comes with a great reward in the end when a fuzzy caterpillar is saved and comes back to say thank you to its protectors.

• Season: 2
• Episode: 14
• Air Date: April 2, 2020

Get the whole family together to watch this episode and then get ready for romance. In this episode, Bluey and Bingo devise a plan in the hopes of witnessing their parents “smoochy kiss.” With this as their goal, the two pups set up a makeshift fancy restaurant at home and (attempt to) take charge of the hospitality so that Chilli and Bandit can have a romantic dinner. Alas, the company is good but the service is spotty and the food is atrocious. In the interest of avoiding spoilers, we won’t disclose any other information except to say that the goofy antics ultimately inspire chivalry and the kind of intimacy that makes marriages last forever.

• Season: 3
• Episode: 26
• Air Date: June 21, 2022

If “Fancy Restaurant” put you in the mood—and we wouldn’t blame you—there’s more where that came from. This time, though, it’s Chilli who’s hellbent on seeking one after the kids expose her for complaining about some of Bandit’s irksome habits around the house and declare sole rights to him. More irksome habits and some mild grossness ensue, but Chilli is steadfast. As for the kids, they get a highly entertaining lesson in what it means to love someone despite their flaws.

• Season: 3
• Episode: 1
• Air Date: November 22, 2021

Another sleep related episode, “Bedroom” revolves around Bluey’s coming-of-age experience of moving out of her shared bedroom with Bingo and into her own. Bluey is initially excited as she begins to move all her possessions into the nursery that Chilli has converted into a second bedroom. However, come bedtime, Bluey begins to have mixed feelings about separating from her sister and can’t fall asleep, feeling as though something has been lost. Bluey ends up bouncing back and forth between her new room and the one she only just shared with her sister. We won’t tell you how the conflicted feelings are resolved, but this episode tops the charts as one of the best depictions of the emotional experience of growing up and looking back that you can find.

• Season: 2
• Episode: 3
• Air Date: April 21, 2023

Creative parenting strategies commingle with accidental insensitivity to highlight the delicate feelings of small children in this episode. It all starts at a restaurant where Bandit eats Bingo’s last french fry while she is in the bathroom. The parents reluctantly agree to make it up to her by participating in a (presumably well-established) game called “dance mode,” in which they have to stop what they’re doing and dance every time music is played. Unfortunately, as the game progresses, it becomes clear that Bingo’s wants are still playing second (and third and fourth) fiddle to everyone else’s. The resolution is a tender reminder to slow down and pay more attention to the autonomy of our kids and the pressure they sometimes feel to please.

• Season: 2
• Episode: 32
• Air Date: June 17, 2022

The content of this one is more mature, though still entirely kid-friendly, as it handles the very grown-up and somewhat taboo topic of infertility. It also perfectly captures the ethos of Bluey: substantive programming that speaks to parents and children alike. In the episode, Bluey and Bingo’s aunt comes by to visit for the first time in years, bearing a pair of onesies as gifts for the kids. A onesie-related game results but as the play unfolds some questions arise as to why Chilli’s sister has been so distant. The answer? Their aunt found it difficult to be around her nieces when she realized she couldn’t have pups of her own. The resulting conversation about infertility and emotional pain is done so well and with such nuance that it’s sure to reach the hearts and minds of any viewer.

• Season: 3
• Episode: 40
• Air Date: January 12, 2024

If your family has ever been on vacation, this episode, which was only just recently released at the beginning of the year, will surely resonate. The storyline centers around the Heeler family’s beach vacation and Chilli’s decidedly neurotic obsession with “relaxing.” After repeatedly trying to persuade the kids to tear themselves away from the excitement of the hotel room with all its fancy amenities and join her on the beach, Chilli gives up and permits herself to go alone, self-help book in hand. Ultimately, Chilli can’t manage to relax alone on the beach and reunites with her family, having realized that maybe she was trying to force it a bit too much. In the end, she expresses her newly acquired wisdom quite perfectly: “You kids…just go about it.” Our newly acquired wisdom? Every high strung mom (raises hand) needs to rediscover their inner child, ideally right before going on holiday, and this episode might just help.  

• Season: 3
• Episode: 34
• Air Date: July 12, 2023

Bluey does a good job of hitting every target—heartwarming, (mildly) heart wrenching and sometimes just plain funny. “Granny Mobile” falls into the latter category in that it boasts a hint of slapstick humor and a good dose of irony—a combination that’s guaranteed to have the whole family in stitches. As for the storyline, three pups get together for a game in which they all pretend to be grannies at a neighbor’s yard sale; only one of them is designated “grumpy granny,” though, and let’s just say that pup turns out to be a very successful actor. Bottom line: If you’re looking for a Bluey episode that provides pure and particularly clever comedic relief, you’ll likely agree that this one deserves its number one ranking.