Monday Blues? Not with Bluey! - November 2024

If there was anything I loved more than lollipops as a child, it was watching cartoons on the television while waiting for mealtime. I especially loved watching cartoons that were all about adventures - they made me feel so connected as a child! Like whoa, other kids do these too? If your kids are just like me, constantly wanting to watch cartoons with unique storylines, I have good news for you! An Australian seven-minute animation series called ‘Bluey’ would be your kids’ cup of tea - and yours! What makes this show so special is that it could be relatable to both parents and kids! Bluey is a six-year-old Blue Heeler that lives with her parents; Bandit and Chilli, together with her four-year-old sister, Bingo. The curiosity kids have are being represented in the series through the characters, Bluey and Bingo, going through their little adventures with both their parents. Charlie Aspinwall, the executive producer and writer for Bluey mentioned that the series was created for the sole purpose of entertainment for kids. “That's what Bandit and Chilli do in the show. They try and just find a way through all these little problems that are presented to them, and to just be the best parents they can be.” So, although this series doesn’t necessarily aim to give out tips on becoming better parents, it is a show that people can relate to. As Aspinwall mentioned in an interview conducted with him, the show presents some everyday experiences that can be related to many: any parent or guardian of a child or any child that has a parent or guardian. If you are a parent or a guardian looking for a way to connect with your children, this show could also help you understand a little bit or two about your children. Bluey and Bingo would play games with their parents and the experiences are basically the experiences kids go through when they’re out in the real world. An example would be when they explore what can come out of going to the vet and what that experience may be like. Personally, I would appreciate putting myself in their situation. I mean, if someone had walked me through what it would be like to go to the doctor, perhaps I wouldn’t be too scared of needles! Aspinwall stated that if there were any messages they were trying to convey, it is “through the experience of these games and situations.” “We make it a point, really, not to put messages into the show. We think as soon as a child and a parent, or an adult watching, as soon as they start to feel like they're being preached to or being taught something, I think that's when people shut off and stop listening and stop enjoying the show, really.” So, why the games in the cartoon show Bluey? It’s to show how kids ages of four and six are really so playful and they interact with games to understand the world. It’s to let the kids have a taste of being adults by role-playing as adult roles, too! Some of the games they play would make the kids copy adult roles and they would drag their parents into that - sounds like a lot of fun! The experience of ‘play’ is said to be the way for the children to socialize with other children and to learn how to be individuals in the world and to relate to others. The games on the show teach the value of compromise, so you get both entertainment and valuable lessons! Although the show was created solely for the sake of entertainment for kids, it has some valuable lessons. Aspinwall shares the top five pearls of wisdom you can get from this show: Always keep plenty of extra bum worm medication in the cupboard Try not to pop your child's last balloon Don't be tempted to steal your child's last chip just because it's been sitting on the edge of the plate for the last 10 minutes. Don't bother trying to get to the campsite early if your children are between the age of four and six. To stop bedwetting, try a tactical wee before bed. Now, if you’re wondering how they get these ideas to write such adventurous stories, here’s why! There are some events from the show Bluey - created by Joseph Brumm - that are based on true events from both Aspinwall’s and Brumm’s lives! “I know bum worms is a funny thing that happens in one episode, but it's a real thing for humans too you know, and this is the gross part of having young kids is that you're like, ‘Wow, I've got to deal with that,’ and suddenly, the whole family is eating bits of medicated chocolate.” The situations in the cartoon Bluey are the things that happen to us, humans, as mentioned by Aspinwall. One of the episodes that Aspinwall based on his experience is the beach episode where it shows a child’s first experience of really being alone. According to Aspinwall, the scene where Bluey travelled through the wide sandy beaches all alone finding her way to Chilli, is based on the story of his daughter walking down the beach to catch up with his wife. It was in that moment where Aspinwall thought to himself "Oh, well, maybe she's, too far from me and too far from her mom.” This had sparked the idea of Bluey exploring the beach’s exciting creatures alone. This scene, just as explained by Aspinwall, is where parents and kids would be able to relate as these are the kinds of experiences at home. Fun fact! Aspinwall and Brumm, together with Dave, the voice of Bandit, share one thing in common: the three of them have two girls aged the same as the girls in the show! Bluey managed to become so popular that it has been recognised by a couple of awards programmes. It won the Most Outstanding Children’s Program (2019) and International Emmy Kids Award. Aspinwall explained that this could be contributed by Joe Brumm’s extraordinary talent in animation. Brumm started out as an animator, but his creativity does not stop there. He’s a writer, an animator, and has a strong musical sense on top of being a great storyteller. Not just that, but Brumm is also described as someone that is funny and who structures the stories beautifully. Brumm’s talent doesn’t stop there though! This is such a long list, I am so amazed. He is such a great writer that he manages to make every episode a standalone story, making it feel like “each series is like 52 short films.” Another contributor to making the show a premium experience is it appeals to both parents and their children, making the show’s target audience wider. In the beginning, both Aspinwall and Brumm were concerned that they might have made a show for adults and that the kids won’t like it. Brumm’s ability to write from both a child’s perspective and an adult’s perspective saved them from that - both kids and adults love their show. By telling the stories from both perspectives, both parents and kids enjoy watching the show, resulting in the most trusted form of marketing for this show - word of mouth! I don’t know about you guys, but personally, I feel like I miss viewing life as a child. Their minds are like a wonderland and it makes me wonder where the imaginative mindset went. I miss the days when floors were lava… If you’re in for some more adogable characters, don’t I have a treat for you! There are many other child characters from the cartoon Bluey that would occasionally show up on the series. If you’re wondering who the voice actors are for the children on the show, well… you and I are on the same boat. Aspinwall said that they don’t really talk about the child actors nor are they planning to - totally understandable and respectable of them to do so! What I know is that Aspinwall shared that they wanted to make an Australian show and therefore, they used Australian voices. Brumm’s curiosity about his children and the kinds of issues within his own family is something that pushed him to find out more. And so he did. He read up on literature parenting and he realized that within that literature, there was a huge resource for a show like Bluey. Why should you start watching this cartoon show? Simple! It is a feel-good show that is also called a sitcom for preschoolers. The warmth of the show combined with its humour will make you laugh and cry! Bluey is a wholesome show about a very modern family who is very relaxed and honest with one another. If you ever run out of games to play with your kids, this show will give you numerous ideas - I feel like playing the games on the show after watching a few episodes of it! Since we can’t travel nowadays, Bluey brings Brisbane to us. The places in the show are based on real places around Brisbane where the Heelers live. If that’s not enough reason for you to start watching Bluey today, you have to keep in mind that the music in this show is extremely beautifully conceived, according to Aspinwall. So, mummies, what are you waiting for? Heal your days with this bunch of Heelers! Bluey is now available on BBC Player and will launch on 14th June 2021 on CBeebies (unifiTV channel 553), every Monday to Friday at 6:50 pm.

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