Squiz Kids

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.