Squiz Kids

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.