Why Bluey at Fruit Break Isn’t Helping (Even Though It’s Brilliant)

Nicole Nolan | WiseLearn Education

Let’s be honest: Bluey has taken the world by storm.

It’s clever and funny.

The SEL messages woven into each episode are gold.
And it’s easy to see why children — and adults — love it.

I’ve watched some episodes myself, and I can see the appeal. The humour is sharp, and the focus on family and emotions is powerful.

But here’s the thing: in classrooms, when fruit or snack time rolls around, some teachers put on Bluey (or Numberjacks, or similar shows) just to get a break.

And I get it. Teaching is exhausting. Sometimes you just need the kids to be quiet while you breathe, eat, or catch up. No guilt in that.

The challenge is that snack + screen time doesn’t always do what teachers hope.

Why It Often Doesn’t Help

Children are riveted… in the moment.
Screens do grab attention. For those 8–10 minutes, the class is quiet and focused — which can feel like relief.

But what happens after?
As soon as the screen is off, some children are more restless, not less. Their nervous systems have been overstimulated at the exact time their bodies were fuelling with food. Instead of resetting for learning, they return to lessons a little more wired.

Missed opportunity for rest.
Fruit break is a natural pause in the day. Pairing food with calm, connection, or quiet creativity often sets kids up for smoother learning. Screens can cancel out that potential.

Not always a true teacher break.
It can seem easier, but sometimes teachers still find themselves managing behaviour — “sit still,” “don’t spill,” “stop talking.” It may not restore the adult as much as hoped.

Snack Time Options: What Can Work Better

Not all “quiet snack” strategies are equal. Here are a few approaches teachers try — and why they land differently:

Story on Screen (e.g. Storytime Online)
What happens: Kids are riveted visually + auditorily. It can hold attention.
The effect: Still overstimulates the nervous system because of moving visuals. After the screen goes off → some children are more restless.
Best for: An occasional treat, but not always ideal as a daily rhythm.

Note: I should add: I’ve covered classes where the norm was to put a show on during snack. And honestly, sometimes I kept the routine going — because it wasn’t my classroom, and keeping the flow mattered more in that moment. Sometimes it really does feel like “choose your poison.” I say this not to judge, but because I’ve been there too.

Audio Book or Teacher Read-Aloud
What happens: Kids listen while eating, but without visual overload. Their brains engage imagination and language pathways.
The effect: Calmer than screens. Supports literacy, imagination, and listening skills. Teacher can still get a breather by sitting to read or pressing play on audio.
Best for: A gentle daily snack routine — predictable, calm, restorative.

Mindful Eating + Creative Break + Breathing Reset
What happens:

• Snack → eaten calmly, maybe with music or silence.

• Quick creative break → doodle, colouring, or tiny drawing challenge.

• One minute of breathing before moving on.

The effect: Meets multiple Daily Needs at once — food, rest, creativity, connection, and air (breath). Children regulate and return ready to learn.
Best for: A reliable classroom rhythm that benefits both students and teacher.

The Bigger Picture

Teachers aren’t miracle workers. You can’t control tired mornings, skipped breakfasts, or how wired kids arrive at school. But you can use snack time to layer in the 7 Daily Needs: food, rest, connection, and even self-expression.

And Bluey? Keep it for home, family, and laughter. It absolutely has a place — just not as the everyday filler during fruit break. Because in school, those 10 minutes can be so much more than just getting through. They can reset the whole day.

Personal Note

I don’t watch a lot of TV myself anymore. It’s not that I never do, but I’ve become mindful about it. I prefer to spend my time in ways that help me rest, create, or connect.

That’s why I see snack time in classrooms as a similar opportunity. It’s not about cutting out screens completely — they absolutely have their place — but about being intentional. Using those 10 minutes for calm, connection, or creativity can transform the tone of the whole day.

What about you? How do you run fruit/snack breaks in your classroom — and what works best for you and your students?

#WiseLearn #SEL #CalmConnectionCreativity #Education #Neuroscience