Squiz Kids

It’s time for a Bumper Kids v Adults Holiday S’Quiz, and this one’s all about Easter! 🐣 From hot cross buns and chocolate eggs to bilbies, bunnies and big Easter traditions from around the world, kids take on ten egg-cellent questions before the adults step up for their turn. There’s a mix of fun, food, faith and a few tricky surprises in this one… so sharpen your brain, grab a pen, and keep score. Who knows Easter best — kids or adults? 🐰 Let’s find out. For the full episode transcript, click here.

Your daily kids news podcast. New privacy rules for YouTube and Roblox; Moon mission countdown; fake climate news; and a cute set of capybara triplets. By age 13, kids could have 72 MILLION bits of data collected about them. That’s like a giant digital puzzle of your life! New rules might soon make apps ask both kids AND parents before collecting info. Four astronauts might be heading to the Moon to orbit it for a week. It’s all practice for future Moon landings—and maybe even a Moon base! Three baby capybaras (called pups!) were born at a zoo. These chill, giant rodents can grow as heavy as a kid! For the full episode transcript, click here.

What happens when a 12-year-old from regional Queensland steps into the shoes of Australia’s Prime Minister… and then sits down with the real one?In this special episode, we head to Parliament House to follow Jett Jarvis, our PM for a Day winner, as he lives a day most adults will never experience.After almost 500 incredible entries from kids right across Australia, Jett’s idea stood out: tackling food waste by helping Australians understand that wonky fruit and veg still taste just as good.You’ll hear Jett sit down with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to ask what it’s really like to lead the country every day, whether the job ever gets tiring, and why it matters for Australians to understand that imperfect fruit and veg are just as good as the perfect-looking ones.It’s a conversation about big responsibilities, small actions that ripple outward, and why young voices matter more than ever.A huge thank you to everyone who entered PM for a Day. Your ideas, creativity, and enthusiasm prove one thing loud and clear: The future is in very good hands!

Your daily kids news podcast. Our PM meets the real PM; a traditional Mexican bird parade; electric planes take flight; and lucky socks avoid the wash. 12-year-old Jett swapped the paddock for Parliament and met the Prime Minister! He shared a clever idea about saving “wonky” veggies from the bin—and even got a shoutout in Parliament. Imagine walking through streets full of singing birds stacked in sky-high cages! 🐦🎶 In Mexico City, this colourful tradition is still alive—but it’s slowly fading as people work to protect the birds. Planes that sound like whispers? Yes please! ⚡✈️ New electric planes are zipping mail across Scotland without noisy engines or fossil fuels. Would you wear smelly socks for luck? Lots of people do! Some even refuse to wash their “lucky” clothes before big moments. For the full episode transcript, click here.

Drumroll, please… 🥁 After sifting through almost 500 incredible entries from kids right across Australia, the moment has finally arrived — we’re announcing the winner of Prime Minister for a Day! In this special episode, you’ll hear some of the brilliant, bold, and downright creative ideas Aussie kids came up with to make the country a better place, from big, world-changing plans to clever, kid-powered solutions (and a few that might just make you smile). We also reveal our standout runners-up before crowning the one student who is in Canberra to step into the Prime Minister’s shoes for a day. Who will it be? What was their big idea? And what happens next? Hit play to find out… and get ready to feel very optimistic about the future of Australia!

Your daily kids news podcast. Counting down to a moon mission; Maryland’s stinky sock festival; a Little Athletics legend; and making music with mayonnaise. NASA hit pause after some pesky rocket problems—but now Artemis 2 is ready to roar! Four astronauts will zoom around the Moon for the first time in 50 years. In Maryland, people celebrate spring by tossing their stinky winter socks into a giant bonfire! Rylan Wooster isn’t your average 11-year-old—he’s breaking records left, right, and centre! With wins in multiple races, this speedy star is racing toward big dreams. Believe it or not… mayonnaise can be a musical instrument! Scientists say squishing and tapping it makes different sounds. Patrick Star might’ve been right all along... For the full episode transcript, click here.

We’re cracking open the Squiz Kids vault this week to bring you back one of our most mind-bending episodes — the Shortcut to the Deep Sea. It’s a place where sunlight never reaches, creatures glow in the dark, and survival means adapting to some of the toughest conditions on Earth. In this episode, we explore what lives deep beneath the ocean’s surface, how these animals survive, and why scientists are still uncovering new discoveries down there. Strange, surprising, and still full of mystery — the deep sea is a world like no other.

Why do humans have chins… and no other animals do? It’s one of the strangest little features on your face — and scientists still aren’t entirely sure why it’s there. In this episode, we explore what a chin actually is (hint: it’s more complicated than you think), why it’s unique to humans, and what new research suggests about its origin. It’s a short, curious look at one of the most human things about being human… and a reminder that evolution doesn’t always follow a plan.

A fun kids vs adults news quiz to test who’s been paying the most attention to the week in news. For the full episode transcript, click here.

Your daily kids news podcast. Ebike ban for under 16s; creatures from the deep in the Caribbean; Squiz-E on the propaganda trail; and the world’s tallest baller. Some kids might have to park their speedy e-bikes. New rules are saying “not so fast!” to under-16 riders. Scientists peeked into the dark ocean and found super strange creatures! Think glowing, wiggly, and totally weird. This basketball star is HUGE—like, really HUGE! With sky-high height, they’re dunking like it’s easy peasy. Opponents might need a ladder just to keep up! For the full episode transcript, click here.

Your daily kids news podcast. A global squeeze on oil; droids deliver fast food; Aussie athletic excellence; and a do-it-yourself quantum computer. Leaders are in a tense “do this or else” standoff over a super important oil route! The good news? There’s still hope they’ll talk it out instead of escalating. In Shanghai, robots dressed like McDonald’s staff are flipping the script on fast food! Jessica Hull ran like the wind to make history, smashing the four-minute mark! Meanwhile, Aussie teammates grabbed medals and records too. Imagine building a quantum computer like Lego… but way more complicated (and expensive!). For the full episode transcript, click here.

It's been used in wars, shaped big moments in history, and today… it is popping up in your social media feed. But what exactly is propaganda — and how can you spot it? In this episode of Squiz Kids Shortcut, Christie and Bryce unpack what propaganda is, when and where it’s been used throughout history, and why it works so well on our brains. And most importantly, they share simple ways to help you think critically, ask smart questions, and spot propaganda in the wild. 🎧 Perfect for curious kids who want to understand how ideas spread — and how to stay one step ahead of them. For the full episode transcript, click here. LINKS: An anti-Chinese cartoon titled ‘The Mongolian Octopus’ The anti-suffrage campaign

Your daily kids news podcast. Cyclone Narelle packs a punch; Historic win in SA; Tillies take a tumble; and Punch has a brand new friend. Cyclone Narelle sounded sweet—but acted super stormy! It smashed trees, cut power, and soaked everything across northern Australia. Seoul went bonkers as BTS made their epic comeback! No army uniforms—just dancing, singing, and screaming fans everywhere. So close! The Matildas gave it everything but lost 1–0 in a nail-biting final. One amazing goal made the difference—but wow, what a fight! Best news ever—Punch the lonely monkey has a new best friend! For the full episode transcript, click here.

What does it mean to leave your home and start again somewhere new? In this From the Vault episode, we revisit our Squiz Kids Shortcut to Refugees — exploring who refugees are, why people are forced to flee their countries, and where many of the world’s refugees come from today. Released during Harmony Week, this episode is a reminder of the importance of kindness, inclusion, and understanding — and the strength people carry with them when they begin a new chapter in a new place.

What will humans look like in the future… and could we ever evolve into something completely different? In this Squiz Kids Science Short, we explore how evolution works, how humans are still changing today, and why something as simple as drinking milk can tell a surprising story about our past. It’s a fascinating mix of science, history, and big questions… including whether the future of humans will be shaped by nature, technology — or us.

A fun kids vs adults news quiz to test who’s been paying the most attention to the week in news. For the full episode transcript, click here.

Your daily kids news podcast. Cyclone chaos up north; California’s super sticky traffic jam; a planet made of lava; and is that a mountain-climbing lion? A mega cyclone is heading for northern Australia—and it might cross the country THREE times! With super-strong winds and heaps of rain, flooding could follow. A truck spilt tonnes of syrup all over a California highway—turning it into a gooey mess! Scientists found a wild planet where the ground is basically melted rock—everywhere! With boiling-hot lava oceans and no solid land, it’s like the game “the floor is lava”… but for real. A viral video showed a “Tibetan snow lion” climbing a mountain—but it turns out it’s totally fake! For the full episode transcript, click here.

Your daily kids news podcast. Basketball madness in the US; Demon Hunters conquer the Oscars; the croc that hunted our ancestors; and the search for future Olympians Australia is hunting for future Olympic heroes! You don’t need medals yet—just speed, strength, or quick reactions. In the US, college basketball goes wild with “March Madness”! Millions of years ago, a massive crocodile may have hunted early humans like Lucy! A K-pop movie dazzled the Oscars, winning big and making history for Korea! Meanwhile, Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first Black woman to win for cinematography. For the full episode transcript, click here.

Science legend Dr Karl Kruszelnicki joins Squiz Kids for a very special Q+A — answering questions sent in by curious kids from around Australia. From the size of the universe and whether aliens might exist, to why fish can’t breathe air, how dogs stay cool, and the mystery of where Dr Karl gets his bright shirts from… nothing is off limits. Tune in to hear Dr Karl tackle big science questions, share his love of curiosity, and help Squiz Kids listeners understand how the world works. For the full episode transcript, click here. Learn more about Dr Karl at his website drkarl.com Watch Dr Karl on YouTube

Your daily kids news podcast. Petrol pump politics; Matildas through to semis; Oscar time in LA; and whale-munching micro fish. Ever noticed mum or dad groaning at the petrol pump? A lot of the oil used to make petrol comes from the Middle East. When conflict makes it risky for ships to move oil through places like the Strait of Hormuz, less oil gets through—so petrol prices go up! The Oscars have rolled out the red carpet in Los Angeles, and an Adelaide visual effects team is right in the spotlight! Australia’s Matildas scored a big 2–1 win over North Korea to leap into the Asian Women’s Cup semi-finals! Goals from Sam Kerr and Alana Kennedy sealed the deal. When a whale sinks to the ocean floor after it dies, it becomes a giant underwater buffet called a “whale fall.” Sharks, crabs, worms—even spooky “zombie worms”—move in to feast. For the full episode transcript, click here.

Cute little bunnies. Fluffy cats. Tiny mice. They might look sweet and harmless — but in Australia, some introduced animals are causing big problems for our environment. In this From The Vault episode of Squiz Kids Shortcuts, we explore the fascinating story of invasive species. What exactly makes a species “invasive”? How did animals like cane toads, feral cats and Indian myna birds end up here? And why can they cause so much trouble for Australia’s unique plants and animals? Listen carefully… there’s a Squiz at the end!

Algorithms are quietly running huge parts of the modern world — from the GPS directions that guide you to school, to the videos that pop up on your screen. In this week’s Squiz Kids Science Short, we explore what an algorithm actually is, where the word comes from (hint: it traces back more than 1,000 years to a mathematician often called the Father of Algebra), and how simple step-by-step instructions power computers, coding platforms like Scratch and Minecraft Education, and the apps many of us use every day. Tune in to find out how algorithms work… and why understanding them might just change the way you look at your feed.

A fun kids vs adults news quiz to test who’s been paying the most attention to the week in news. For the full episode transcript, click here.

Your daily kids news podcast. NAPLAN gets underway; Tap water turn off in NT; Tillies do or die match; and satellite crashes to Earth. Huge rains caused flooding in northern Australia, muddying water supplies in Darwin and sending the Burnett River spilling into Bundaberg streets. A 13-year-old satellite called the Van Allen Probe is heading back to Earth. Most of it will burn up in the atmosphere like a giant space fireball. The Matildas battle North Korea in a must-win quarter-final in Perth, while the 2026 Super Netball season kicks off with exciting matches this weekend. Plus, Paralympian Michael Milton showed incredible grit competing just days after surgery. A flood of fake videos online is spreading confusion about the war in Iran. Some are created with AI to trick people. For the full episode transcript, click here.

Your daily kids news podcast. Iran’s footballers seek safety; NASA nudges an asteroid; an emu at the Paralympics; and a library filled with ants! Five Iranian women footballers made a brave choice after their tournament in Australia. Worried about punishment back home, they asked Australia for asylum. At the Winter Paralympics in Italy, Aussie snowboarder Ben Tudhope won silver — even after dislocating his shoulder! Meanwhile, Australia’s lucky mascot, Bruce the Emu, has mysteriously vanished from the team village. NASA tested a real-life asteroid defence plan by crashing a spacecraft into a space rock called Dimorphos. Scientists say even a tiny nudge could stop a dangerous asteroid from hitting Earth someday. Scientists have created a huge online collection of 3-D ant scans called Antscan. Using powerful X-ray machines, they captured detailed images of over 2,000 ant species. For the full episode transcript, click here.

Squiz the World goes to... Iran Each fortnight, we give the world globe a spin and see where we land. Then we take the kids of Australia, and the world, on an audio excursion to visit that country and its people. Join your captain, Christie Kijurina, on an audio adventure. Today, we're flying to Iran, a country once known as Persia, with a history stretching back thousands of years. From the ancient ruins of Persepolis and the poetry of Hafez and Rumi, to saffron-filled kitchens and bustling modern cities, there’s so much to discover. So, buckle up and get ready to explore Iran. For the full episode transcript, click here. Links: Map of Iran and the Middle East Landscapes of Iran Timeline of the MANY rulers of Ancient Persia A Persian fable - Bozee the goat, and the fox Famous Persian poems and poets Khoresh recipe Saffron facts for kids

Your daily kids news podcast. International Women's Day on the football pitch; Matildas draw with South Korea; Sweden’s lolly Saturday; and news of a new Xbox. International Women’s Day celebrates girls and women everywhere! But one brave soccer team from Iran is in a tricky spot after protesting during a match in Australia. Now they’re worried about going home. Kids in Sweden have a delicious tradition: a big lolly treat every Saturday! Maybe because sweets are mostly saved for that one day, many Swedish kids have super healthy teeth. It was a big sports weekend! The Matildas drew 3–3 with South Korea and now head to the quarterfinals. Meanwhile in Melbourne, George Russell zoomed to victory in the Grand Prix. Gamers are buzzing! Microsoft says a brand-new Xbox console is on the way—and it might play both Xbox and PC games. For the full episode transcript, click here.

Today is International Women’s Day — a moment to celebrate the achievements of women and girls around the world. In this Squiz Kids Shortcut, Amanda and Bryce explore the story behind the phrase “Girl Power” — from its punk music roots to the Spice Girls who made it famous. They also explain why the United Nations created the International Day of the Girl Child, and look at the challenges still facing millions of girls around the world. The good news? Opportunities for girls are growing, with more role models than ever in sport, science, politics and the movies. Listen carefully — there’s a Squiz at the end!

From sports shirts and washing machines to sea salt and seafood, tiny pieces of plastic are travelling through our world in ways scientists never expected. In this week’s Squiz Kids Science Short we investigate microplastics — what they are, how plastic breaks down into microscopic fragments, and why researchers are now detecting them in water, food, air and even human tissue. It’s a fascinating look at the invisible journey of plastic around our planet… and inside our bodies.

A fun kids vs adults news quiz to test who’s been paying the most attention to the week in news. For the full episode transcript, click here.

Your daily kids news podcast. A time machine for the nose; the surprising fashion of black teeth; a footballer’s seagull rescue; and AI fakes in the Iran war. Scientists are recreating smells from the past — from ancient Egyptian mummies to royal cars and even dinosaur breath! By studying tiny scent molecules, they’re building a “time machine for the nose.” Archaeologists in Vietnam discovered a skeleton with shiny black teeth — and it wasn’t an accident! During a football match in Turkey, a seagull was accidentally knocked down by the ball. One quick-thinking player rushed over and performed CPR on the bird. Some shocking videos about world events are spreading online — but many aren’t real. Fact-checkers use clever tools to trace images, detect AI fakes, and reveal the truth. Newshounds TinEyeSnopesReuters Fact CheckAAP Fact CheckPolitiFact For the full episode transcript, click here.

Your daily kids news podcast. Mr Beast tops YouTube charts; London’s hard drive heaters; T-Rex on tippy toes; and human brain cells learn to game. A new survey says nearly nine in ten Aussie kids are glued to YouTube! Gaming tops the charts and MrBeast is the king of clicks. In London, computers aren’t just crunching numbers — they’re warming houses! Heat from giant data centres is being piped into nearby homes. Forget the thunderous stomp — scientists say T-Rex may have tiptoed! Scientists trained real human brain cells to play the video game Doom! Grown on tiny chips, these neurons are learning faster than ever — but no one fully knows how. For the full episode transcript, click here.

It’s a big month for football — with the Women’s Asian Cup now underway and the Matildas already on the scoreboard with a 1–0 win over the Philippines! To celebrate all the action, we’re bringing back this Squiz Kids Shortcut to Women’s Football — where we explore how the game began, what was happening in Australia, and why women’s football has become one of the fastest-growing sports in the world. You’ll hear the incredible history of women playing soccer — from queens kicking balls in the 1500s, to record-breaking crowds in the 1920s, to the rise of Australia’s very own Matildas. Note for listeners: This episode was originally recorded in 2023, before the FIFA Women’s World Cup hosted by Australia and New Zealand — so you may hear references to that tournament coming up. 🎧 Perfect for curious kids aged 8–12 — and anyone who loves sport, history, and a great comeback story. Listen carefully… there’s a Squiz at the end! For the full episode transcript, click here. LINKS: Women's football - primary sources: ⁠http://www.donmouth.co.uk/womens_football/womens_football.html⁠ The story of women's football in England: ⁠https://www.thefa.com/womens-girls-football/heritage/kicking-down-barriers⁠ History of women's football in Australia: ⁠https://www.footballaustralia.com.au/history-womens-football-australia⁠ How the Matildas' got their name: ⁠https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/sometimes-you-strike-it-lucky-how-a-25-cent-phone-poll-gave-the-matildas-their-name-20230517-p5d93q.html?instance=2023-06-24-06-06-AEST&jobid=29705766&list_name=E2446F7A-1897-44FC-8EB8-B365900170E3&mbnr=MzE0NDQ1OTU&promote_channel=edmail&utm_campaign=am-smh-weekend&utm_content=good_weekend&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=2023-06-24⁠ Everything we need to know about the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023: ⁠https://www.refinery29.com/en-au/2023/06/11417703/fifa-womens-world-cup-2023-details

In this special edition of Squiz Kids, Bryce hits pause on normal programming to explain the big news out of Iran. Over the weekend, the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, and Iran retaliated with its own attacks across parts of the Middle East. Leaders say the strikes were aimed at stopping Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, and the biggest shock was the reported death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has ruled for decades in a strict religious system. Bryce breaks down what all that means, what might happen next, and why it’s extra important to use your Newshounds “Stop, Think, Check” skills when misinformation spreads online. For the full episode transcript, click here.

Travel back thousands of years to one of the world’s most fascinating civilisations in this From the Vault episode of Squiz Kids Shortcut — Ancient Egypt. It was a place where pyramids scraped the sky, powerful pharaohs ruled the land, men and women wore eye makeup for surprising reasons, and the rich were carefully mummified for the afterlife. But how much of what we think we know about Ancient Egypt is actually true? Perfect for curious kids — and especially handy if Ancient Egypt is popping up in your classroom this year. Listen carefully… there’s a Squiz at the end! Link: ⁠How to mummify a chicken

Why does an ice cube melt… water boil… and steam disappear into thin air? This week’s Squiz Kids Science Short unpacks the states of matter — solids, liquids, gases… and the one you may not know, plasma. What are they really? What’s happening at the tiny particle level? And why does adding heat completely change how matter behaves? From frozen jumpers to glowing neon lights and the blazing Sun, we explore how energy makes particles move, spread out, or even lose tiny pieces called electrons. Solid. Liquid. Gas. Plasma. It’s not magic. It’s motion.

A fun kids vs adults news quiz to test who’s been paying the most attention to the week in news. For the full episode transcript, click here.

Your daily kids news podcast. Tillies go for glory; Ukraine’s sad anniversary; Kiwi bird makes berry bounce back; and the cave-dwelling cheetah mummies. Green and gold fever is here! The Matildas are launching into three huge weeks of Asian Cup action, facing teams from across Asia. Four years on, the war in Ukraine continues, affecting millions of lives. While leaders prepare for more peace talks, the world hopes for calmer days ahead. Archaeologists in Saudi Arabia have uncovered ancient mummified cheetahs—up to 4,000 years old! New Zealand’s quirky, flightless kakapo is having a baby boom! Thanks to a bumper berry season, more chicks are hatching than usual. AI-made videos pretending to show immigrants saying untrue things are spreading online. Fact checkers sniffed them out! It’s a big reminder to double-check what you see—because not everything on the internet is real. For the full episode transcript, click here.

Your daily kids news podcast. A pay rise for kids; robots master Kung Fu; the Koala cupid strikes; and a big record for tiny things. Pocket money is getting a boost — but so are prices! With inflation making snacks cost more, kids in the UK and Australia are earning extra cash for chores. At China’s mega TV event, robots flipped, kicked and balanced like martial arts masters! Built by tech companies, these AI-powered performers amazed millions. Scientists at Guulabaa are playing matchmaker for koalas! By carefully pairing healthy, unrelated koalas, they’ve welcomed seven adorable joeys in one year A Queensland collector has earned a Guinness World Records title for owning 2,656 unique Shopkins items — and more than 4,000 in total! For the full episode transcript, click here.

Each fortnight, we give the world globe a spin and see where we land. Then we take the kids of Australia on an audio excursion to visit that country and its people. Join your captain, Christie Kijurina, as we soar to Colombia — a country bursting with colour, rhythm and resilience. It’s home to more bird species than anywhere else on Earth, snow-capped volcanoes that rumble high in the Andes, and a rainbow river that looks like it’s been painted through the jungle. From ancient civilisations to arepas on the dinner table, there’s so much to explore. So buckle up and get ready to discover Colombia. For the full episode transcript, click here. Links:A map of ColombiaColombia's Rainbow River How to play tejo The fabulous Chiva BusHow to make arepas!

Your daily kids news podcast. Is the Moon the eighth continent?; Historic tortoise release on Galapagos Island; Aussie Olympic flag bearers revealed; and Punch, the lonely monkey. Could the Moon actually be Earth’s eighth continent? Scientists think a Mars-sized smash-up billions of years ago created our rocky space buddy! Now four astronauts are gearing up to zoom around the Moon’s far side to uncover its secrets. Meet Punch — the baby monkey who found friendship in a stuffed orangutan after a tough start in life. From Aussie champs waving their nation’s flag to figure skater Alysa Liu spinning her way to gold “just for fun,” this Winter Olympics has been packed with sparkle! More than 100 giant tortoises have waddled back onto their island home after hundreds of years away! Thanks to clever scientists and a breeding program, these slow-and-steady heroes are ready to rebuild their ancient family line For the full episode transcript, click here.

Ramadan has begun — a special month observed by millions of Muslims around the world, marked by fasting during daylight hours, prayer, generosity, and time with family and community. So this weekend, we’re revisiting one of our Squiz Kids Shortcuts to help explain more about Islam — what Muslims believe, how Ramadan is celebrated, and why the city of Mecca is so important. In this episode, Bryce and Amanda explore the basics of one of the world’s biggest religions, unpack traditions like fasting from sunrise to sunset, and discover the meaning behind important practices followed by Muslims everywhere. It’s a great listen if you’ve ever wondered why some classmates might be fasting this month — or if you’re simply curious to learn more about the world around you. Listen carefully — there’s a Squiz at the end!

In this Squiz Kids Science Short, Christie explores what makes you… you. From the ancient Ship of Theseus to the science of cell turnover, brain rewiring and your gut microbiome, we discover your body is constantly changing. So if your cells replace, your brain updates and even your microbes shift… what actually stays the same? This episode unpacks when babies develop a sense of self, how memory and relationships might form the thread of identity, and leaves you with one big question: Where exactly does “you” live?