5 Consent Lessons from Bluey

October 20, 2025

By Jenae Bluhm, M.S. & CFLE-P

If you have small children, you probably know Bluey—and if you have teens, it’s likely on at your house too. This post explores Bluey consent, showing how the beloved series weaves age-appropriate lessons about boundaries and respect into everyday family scenes while keeping the show’s warm, calming vibe.

If you have small children, you are probably deeply aware of the Australian smash hit children’s show Bluey. If you have teenagers in your house, it has likely found a cozy home there too, matching the warm and calming vibe of the entire show.

It certainly doesn’t hurt that it features a vast array of music, ranging from well-known classics like the Habanera from Georges Bizet’s opera Carmen—one of the most recognizable arias in opera—and Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity from Gustav Holst’s suite The Planets—one of the most famous classical music movements—to danceable tracks like “Dance Mode” and “I Love Cereal.” Indeed, the Bluey theme song is so catchy that careful listeners will catch Chilli, herself, occasionally humming it during the show! (Yes, you read that right.)

Beyond this, it is lauded for its wide appeal to parents, with wry humor that sometimes goes over the heads of young viewers as well as its modeling of healthy parenting styles and flexible gender roles.

This blog post will focus on another important topic: consent. Now, you may be wondering, “What in the world would a children’s show have to do with consent?”

Why It Matters

We are glad you asked! Consent is often framed only within sex education and sexual assault prevention. Sexual consent is, of course, a necessary and ongoing conversation in contemporary culture—thanks in part to the 2017 twitterification[1] of Tarana Burke’s #MeToo movement[2]. But consent is not limited to sexual activity, nor does it only become relevant once people begin considering sexual behavior.

Fittingly, the Australian Government (one of the co-sponsors of Bluey) defines consent this way on its eSafety website: “Consent is when someone understands what they’re being asked to do, and they give their permission clearly and freely – without feeling pressured.”[3] They note that consent applies across many circumstances, is central to all healthy relationships, and should be introduced early so children grow up valuing respectful interactions. Even early discussions with children—far removed from sexuality—“help them to understand the importance of consent before they become involved in an intimate or sexual online relationship as an adult.”

It is never too early to begin practicing body-related consent with children, even before they grasp the basics of sex (often around age eight). For example, when teaching toddlers or babies the names of body parts, parents can use anatomically correct terms: “Can you stand up so Daddy can wash your penis?”[4]

Consent also shapes interactions with friends and family. Instead of instructing a child to “go give Grandma a hug,” a parent might say: “Do you want to give Nana a hug? You can also wave, give a high-five, or just say goodbye. What do you feel like doing right now?”[5]

These interactions reinforce that a child’s body belongs to them, and their boundaries matter regardless of others’ reactions. A grandmother saying, “But you’ll make Nana so sad if you don’t give me a hug!” does not invalidate the child’s choice. Rather, such moments are practice for setting and holding boundaries even with people who may feel entitled to their attention.

With that groundwork in mind, let’s look at how consent appears in several Bluey episodes. Below are four scenes of Bluey consent you can point to with kids.

Examples

Episode: “Dance Mode”

In “Dance Mode,” Bluey consent is front and center—apologies, pressure, and the right to change your mind.

Perhaps the clearest example of consent in Bluey is the episode “Dance Mode.” As a quick recap, the story begins when Bandit eats Bluey’s last French fry without asking her, assuming she was finished. When it becomes clear she was not okay with this, Bandit agrees to make it up to her by granting three “dance modes,” where she can trigger Mum or Dad to dance whenever she hears music.

Bingo is thrilled at first, but her excitement quickly fades. Chilli and Bluey each take one of her dance modes for themselves, and Bandit buys the last one off her to avoid embarrassment. No sooner has Bingo accepted Bandit’s payoff than Bluey convinces her—ironically—to spend it on a “yes/no” button. One by one, Bingo caves to their requests because she feels pressured. Chilli gently and insightfully names what’s happening, once she catches on to what has been happening: “Bingo, sometimes does your outside voice say ‘yes’ when your inside voice really means ‘no’?’”

The episode also makes clear that consent is relevant to various situations. When Bingo tries to activate dance mode in situations where Mum or Dad aren’t comfortable, they have the right to decline. Even though Bingo technically got to choose, their consent was still necessary. After all, true consent is always revocable.[6]

Episode: “Fancy Restaurant”

This episode shows that Bluey consent is revocable; saying yes to play doesn’t mean saying yes to everything.

“Fancy Restaurant” is another episode with close ties to consent and boundaries. Bluey and Bingo are determined to make Mum and Dad “smoochy kiss,” so they set up an elaborate restaurant to create the mood.

In her enthusiasm, Chef Bingo whips up a “special” from real — and completely incompatible — ingredients she finds in the fridge. Bluey and Bingo proudly present it to a horrified Mum, who pretends to eat it and declares it delicious. The girls insist she take a real bite, but Chilli cannot bring herself to do so.

Picking up on her discomfort, Bandit offers to swap his can of baked beans with Chilli, apologizing that asking to do so “isn’t very romance.” He then takes a bite of Bingo’s concoction, praises it, and is quickly pressured into finishing the entire dish. He complies but almost immediately vomits after choking it down.

Scene over.

Admittedly, this is one of the few episodes of Bluey I take issue with. As someone with expertise in consent research, I see it as a missed opportunity. Bandit did well to read Chilli’s nonverbal cues and step in — bravo — but both parents could have gone further by guiding Bluey and Bingo to notice what Mum’s body language was telling them. Likewise, Chilli might have stepped in once Bandit became visibly uncomfortable.

This would have been a great moment to explain how consent works. Agreeing to play “Fancy Restaurant” did not mean agreeing to eat anything put in front of them. Consent must be informed and freely given, not conceded under pressure. The parents also could have modeled “both/and” statements, such as: “We love that you made such a special dish for us, and we are just going to pretend to eat it.” If Bandit and Chilli also embraced a child-led eating philosophy, they might also have added, “Remember how we don’t make you eat anything that you don’t want to?”

By missing the chance to model that consent is both ongoing and revocable, Bandit and Chilli inadvertently showed how easily pressure can override boundaries — a dynamic that is all too common both inside and outside of play.

Episode: “Yoga Ball”

“Yoga Ball” underlines that Bluey consent depends on both speaking up and being heard.

“Yoga Ball” is another example of what consent looks like within family relationships. In this episode, Bandit roughhouses a bit too enthusiastically with Bingo, even telling her, “Walk it off, sport!” when she looks dazed. After several over-the-top interactions, Chilli finds an overstimulated and under-validated Bingo and prompts her to explain what’s happening. Once Bingo shares, Chilli asks if she used her “big girl bark” to let Dad know he was playing too roughly. Bingo initially lacks confidence, but Chilli helps her practice until it is strong and loud. Together, they find Bandit so Bingo can tell him how she feels and what she wants to change. Bandit listens, apologizes, and even role-plays different scenarios so Bingo can practice using her bark when play gets too rough.

This episode illustrates that consent can be given or revoked at any time, especially if the situation changes — just as in “Fancy Restaurant,” where Mum and Dad initially agreed to play but later realized they were not okay with eating real, unappetizing food.

It also echoes the well-known “consent is like tea” video: if someone asks for tea but falls asleep before it’s served, it would be absurd and inappropriate to force them to drink it. The same principle applies here.

Wrapping up, I love that this episode emphasizes not only the importance of Bandit honoring Bingo’s cues but also the importance of Bingo feeling empowered to give them. Consent — regardless of the activity — doesn’t work unless everyone is confident that they can make themselves heard and respected.

Episode: “Markets”

“Markets” frames Bluey consent as a two-way street in friendship—everyone’s boundaries matter.

Another great example of consent in Bluey, this time focused on a friendship dynamic, is the episode “Markets.” Bluey is excited to spend her $5 from the tooth fairy, but it takes her time to decide what to buy because she wants to make sure her friend Indy can also
enjoy it.

At one point, Bluey considers spending the money on a ride with a pony named Buttermilk. She changes her mind when she realizes Indy wouldn’t be able to ride too. This moment illustrates that consent is a two-way street: if an activity doesn’t work for everyone involved, then another option must be found.

By choosing to prioritize her friend’s experience, Bluey shows that respecting boundaries and including others is central to healthy friendships — an early but powerful lesson in how consent sustains relationships of all kinds.

Conclusion

Bluey makes it clear that consent is more than a one-time talk — it’s a daily practice. We see that it must be revocable (Dance Mode), reciprocal (Markets), specific rather than assumed (Fancy Restaurant), and rooted in both expression and listening (Yoga Ball).

If we want children to grow into adults who can trust themselves and others, we need to trust them first. That means giving them room to listen to their bodies, to say “no” to foods they don’t want, to decide whether to hug a relative, and to practice setting boundaries in play. When we model respect for those choices, we lay the foundation for secure, respectful, and healthy relationships in every stage of life.

Additional Resources for Parents

Want to know more about how consent applies to kids? Below are additional resources specific to parents:

Sources

[1] Mary Pflum, “A Year Ago, Alyssa Milano Started a Conversation about #MeToo. These Women Replied,” NBC News, October 16, 2018, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/year-ago-alyssa-milano-started-conversation-about-metoo-these-women-n920246

[2] Tarana Burke, “Get to Know Us: History & Inception,” Me Too Movement, accessed October 13, 2025, https://metoomvmt.org/get-to-know-us/history-inception/

[3] Australian Government, “Consent,” eSafety Commissioner, 2024, https://www.esafety.gov.au/key-topics/staying-safe/consent

[4] Enough Abuse, “Why We Should Teach Children Proper Names for Private Body Parts,” Enough Abuse, February 22, 2024, https://enoughabuse.org/why-we-should-teach-children-proper-names-for-private-body-parts/

[5] American Academy of Pediatrics, “10 Tips for Parents to Teach Children about Body Safety and Boundaries,” American Academy of Pediatrics, accessed April 13, 2023, https://www.aap.org/en/news-room/news-releases/health–safety-tips/10-tips-for-parents-to-teach-children-about-body-safety-and-boundaries/

[6] Razinobakht, P., “Fries & Consent”. Power to Decide, May 20, 2024. https://powertodecide.org/news/fries-consent

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