Squiz Kids

A racing heart, a startled scream… and then a request to do it all again! Why can a good scare feel so much fun?

In this Halloween edition of Squiz Kids Science Shorts, Christie investigates what happens inside your brain and body when you’re frightened, how pretend danger can produce a real reaction, and what scientists discovered when they fitted haunted-house visitors with heart-rate monitors. From spooky movies to rollercoasters, we explore the sweet spot between boring and TOO scary... and why it’s different for everyone.

Got a science question you’d love answered? Send it to ⁠[email protected]⁠ so Christie can investigate!

Get ready for a ghostly adventure with Squiz-E! 🎃

Check out more of what we do at ⁠https://www.squizkids.com.au/

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.

ChatGPT warning for kids; Iceberg diving in Canada; sleeping jumping spiders; and noodles made from geckos?

Twelve-year-old Blake Mackenzie has taken out a national slam poetry title with a powerful warning about relying too much on ChatGPT.

Get your costumes, lolly buckets, and spooky screams ready! Halloween is here.

Professional cliff diver Molly Carlson has become the first woman to dive off an iceberg into the ocean!

Sweet dreams, creepy crawlies! Aussie scientists have found evidence that jumping spiders experience REM-like sleep.

A revolting viral video supposedly showing geckos being turned into instant noodles has fooled people across the Pacific. But Squiz-E has sniffed out the truth

For the full episode transcript, click here.

Researched and hosted by Bryce Corbett.

Your daily kids news podcast.

Ancient treasures found in WA; a South African train goes to great lengths; a snake that turns cartwheels; and a spud that’s no small potatoes!

Six years after the devastating destruction of an ancient Aboriginal rock shelter, Traditional Owners and archaeologists are uncovering extraordinary pieces of its past.

South Africa says its whopping 7.6-kilometre freight train has broken a world record, previously held by Australia, with 696 wagons and 13 locomotives working together.

Forget slithering... this tiny snake prefers gymnastics! Scientists have filmed Southeast Asia’s dwarf reed snake cartwheeling away from danger.

One very lucky prospector nearly walked straight past a fortune! His metal detector led him to the “Tibooburra Spud”, a whopping 1.2-kilogram gold-and-quartz nugget

For the full episode transcript, click here.

Researched and hosted by Christie Kijurina

Squiz Kids Q+A with kids' author extraordinaire Aaron Blabey. Aaron braves the Hot Seat for the second time with his new book... Game of Pets: The Boy Who Knew Too Much.

Has Pig the Pug EVER learnt his lesson? Why is a guinea pig the villain in The Bad Guys? And should we be suspicious of our pets?

Bestselling author and illustrator Aaron Blabey returns to the Squiz Kids Q+A Hot Seat, joining Bryce Corbett to answer questions from the kids of Australia.

From the childhood fears that inspired The Bad Guys to seeing his characters become Hollywood movie stars, Aaron shares the stories behind his stories. There’s advice for budding authors, a tricky favourite-book decision, and the all-important question: why so many butts?

Plus, meet Griff and Bob the talking axolotl from Aaron’s new series, Game of Pets, where an intergalactic game show and some very sneaky pets spell trouble for our planet.

Book one in Aaron’s new Game of Pets series, The Boy Who Knew Too Much, is available now from wherever you normally get your books.

For the full episode transcript, click here.

Your daily kids news podcast.

Kindness shines after dark week; South Korea’s curious shark; Van Gogh’s stars revealed; and Zara Larsson’s Lush Life dancers.

Australians have responded to a frightening event with an enormous act of kindness, donating more than $1 million to Save the Children.

Meet Bukangi, the three-metre shark who has apparently decided a canal in Busan is home sweet home.

Researchers believe they’ve used astronomy to pinpoint when and where Van Gogh painted a famous starry scene.

Zara Larsson’s Australian tour has sent the Lush Life dance into overdrive, with fans joining her onstage to bust out the viral moves.

For the full episode transcript, click here.

Researched and hosted by Bryce Corbett

Why do we dress up for Halloween? Where did trick-or-treating begin? And what did people carve before pumpkins took over?

With Halloween around the corner, we’re dusting off a Squiz Kids Shortcut from the Vault to uncover the stories behind the spooky fun. Join Amanda and Bryce as they explore Halloween’s Celtic roots, discover how songs and poems once earned people treats, and meet the legendary Stingy Jack and his rather unusual lantern.

There are haunted houses, apple-bobbing adventures and even costumes for pets. Listen carefully … there’s a S’Quiz at the end!

How do trees take in carbon dioxide and make the oxygen we breathe? Dylan, eight, from Karrinyup has sent in this week’s excellent question and Christie’s heading inside a leaf to investigate!

Discover how trees use sunlight to make their own food and produce oxygen in the process, and how microscopic ocean organisms help produce the oxygen our planet depends on. From roots to treetops and out to sea, there’s a lot behind every breath!

Got a science question you’d like Christie to investigate? Email ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠.

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.