Squiz Kids Shortcuts
Each week we take a deep dive into a high-interest news or current affairs topic, answering kids' burning questions about everything from the Olympics to Islam. A new episode is released every Monday morning.
Looking for curriculum-aligned comprehension activities for each shortcut? We've got you covered. And check the episode notes for more resources to dig deeper.
LATEST SHORTCUT
Your Shortcut to… Understanding Racism
Join Christie and Bryce as they explore what racism is, why humans sort people into groups, and how fear, stereotypes and echo chambers can make unfair ideas spread.
Squiz Kids Shortcuts dive into the who, what, when, where, why and how of the big news stories.
PREVIOUS SHORTCUTS
Girl Power!
Girls are more likely to do housework, less likely to go to school, and … they’re doing something about it. October 11 is the United Nations’ International Day of the Girl Child, so it seems like the perfect time to talk about WHERE the phrase “girl power” comes from, WHY there’s an international day for girls, WHAT chores and weddings have to do with it, and HOW superheroes and sports stars are a sign of better times.
The Galápagos Islands
It’s home to the world’s only swimming iguanas… fish-eating snakes… and some little birds that changed the course of science. We’ll take you through WHERE the Galápagos Islands are; WHY they are so important to science; and WHAT incredible creatures you’ll find there.
Mars
It’s the same colour as our red Australian dirt… it could hold clues to life itself… and one of YOU might be the first human to go there. We’ll take you through where exactly Mars is; why people want to go to Mars so badly; and what the Negev desert in Israel has to do with it.
Barbie
She’s been around since 1959, she’s shorter than a 30 centimetre ruler and her movie is the highest grossing film of 2023. We’ll take you through WHO created Barbie in the first place, HOW she’s remained relevant for so many years, and WHAT lessons Barbie still has for us in the 2020s.
Sugar
It can be used to treat wounds… maybe even drive cars… but most of you know it from delicious, sweet, treats. We’ll take you through WHY humans love sugar so much… HOW we use it … and WHERE to sample some unusual sugary items.
Burke and Wills
It was the most expensive, tragic, mistake-riddled expedition in Australian history… and for some reason, it’s better known than any other. We’ll take you through WHO were Burke and Wills, WHAT went wrong on their expedition, and WHY they are so famous.
Book Week
The first one was printed in the year 868… the first one just for kids not until the 1600s … and Bryce and I cannot agree on the best of all time. We’ll take you through WHEN the first ever books were published; WHO wrote the first book for kids; and WHAT are the best children’s books of all time.
Aussie Inventions that Changed the World
Without them, we’d have no wifi… no antibiotics… and no Google Maps. we’ll take you through WHAT are some of the biggest Aussie inventions that changed the world; WHO are the inventors who’ve revolutionised medicine in particular; and WHY Australians are so good at inventing things.
Space Race
Ever since ancient times, humans have been gazing up at the sky and dreaming about what might be up there. And in the last century, we’ve been competing against each other like crazy to get there. We’re going to take you through why it’s been called a “space race” for almost 100 years; where that race is going now; and who is involved.
The History of Vaccines
They can be sniffed, swallowed, or jabbed in your arm…. the earliest attempts involved scabs … and they’ve saved millions of kids from sickness and death. We’ll take you through how vaccines work, when the first vaccines were developed, and what diseases vaccines have prevented and eradicated – which means gotten rid of – through history.