By India McCarty
Watching BLUEY might just be a great learning experience for your kids, according to these researchers.
“Resilience, the ability to cope with challenges, can lead to lifelong benefits when developed in childhood,” a study published in a recent issue of the Educational and Developmental Psychologist explained. “While storytelling through media may foster resilience, little is known about how this is depicted in children’s programming.”
The study looked at every episode of BLUEY, the popular kids’ TV show about a family of dogs. Their findings?
“Half the episodes (48.7%) featured resilience as either a primary or secondary theme,” the study noted. “Primary themes included creative play (30.0.%) and resilience (27.3%). Bluey, the main character, featured in 54.8% of resilience storylines.”
They explained that BLUEY “frequently portrays resilience-building behaviours…especially through family relationships and coping strategies.”
“These findings highlight BLUEY as a strong example of how children’s television can support emotional learning and model adaptive behaviours relevant to real-life challenges,” the study concluded.
Research Just Confirmed Why Bluey Is A Great TV Show For Kids *And* Parents https://t.co/EILqQJqIm8
— HuffPost UK (@HuffPostUK) August 13, 2025
In an article published by The Conversation, Kelly Bohl and Mary Bolling, some of the researchers involved with the study, broke down why learning resilience is so important for young viewers.
“Resilience isn’t just about ‘toughing it out,’” they wrote. “It’s the ability to cope with challenges, adapt to setbacks and recover from difficulties. It’s a vital part of healthy child development. Research shows resilience helps children manage stress, regulate their emotions, build better relationships, and even perform better at school. Without it, children may be more vulnerable to anxiety, depression and poor coping skills later in life.”
Related: BLUEY Continues to Fetch Viewers — Here’s Why
Bohl and Bohling continued, “Research shows the earlier we support resilience-building, the better. Early interventions help build healthy coping skills before negative patterns take hold.”
Watching BLUEY doesn’t just positively impact kids; it can also improve adults’ parenting skills.
“While children can learn from this show, so too can adults,” Stefanie Peachey, a registered social worker and the founder and director of Peachey Counselling and Family Support, told Today’s Parent.
She explained that BLUEY episodes demonstrate “positive parenting techniques and ways to manage difficult emotions,” adding, “Childhood is a time for learning and growth. The show demonstrates how parents can support their children, and one another, during challenging times to facilitate this growth and resilience in children.”
Movieguide® has also praised BLUEY’s positive themes, even nominating it for a Movieguide® Teddy Bear Award®.
BLUEY can teach children and parents alike important lessons about resilience, supporting each other and growing together.
Read Next: BLUEY Creator Wants Kids’ Show to ‘Make Parents Laugh, Too’
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