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… The 2026 Commonwealth Games
In this Squiz Kids Shortcut, we find out WHAT the Commonwealth actually is, HOW the Commonwealth Games began and changed over time, and WHO will be swimming, sprinting, lifting and rolling their way through Glasgow 2026.
Squiz Kids Shortcuts dive into the who, what, when, where, why and how of the big news stories.
PREVIOUS SHORTCUTS
Refugees
In the last few weeks, more than 2,000 have arrived in Australia from Ukraine … there are millions all over the world… and some are pretty famous. We’ll take you through WHAT a refugee is; WHERE refugees in Australia have come from; and WHO are some refugees that have made a big contribution to life in Australia.
Blood
Some people faint at the sight of it, but we couldn’t live without it! With World Blood Donor Day coming up on June 14, we thought it was a good time to take you through WHAT exactly blood is; WHY doctors test your blood when you’re sick; and HOW you can have fun learning more about blood.
Australian Megafauna
Massive marsupials taller than your teacher… lizards longer than your car… birds with the thighs of a rugby player. We take you through WHAT megafauna are; HOW mega we’re talking, exactly… and WHY they went extinct.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe
Iron Man. Spiderman. Black Widow. Black Panther. These Marvel characters are on your lunchboxes and pyjamas, as well as our TV and movie screens. We’ll take you through what exactly the Marvel Cinematic Universe is, who was behind the thousands of characters in it, how the movies are made, and why they’re so popular.
Ancient Egypt
It was a place where men wore makeup, and women could be kings… where the rich were mummified in tombs, and the poor in the desert. We’ll take you through WHAT are some of the main myths about Ancient Egypt; WHY Egyptian men and women wore makeup; and HOW to make a mummy at home.
Real History of Star Wars
It’s a worldwide pop culture phenomenon… its value is estimated to be $70 billion… and even though it’s space fiction, it has some very real historical roots. We’ll take you through how the Vietnam War shaped Star Wars; what the Galactic Empire has in common with Nazi Germany; and on whom the Jedi knights are based.
ChatGPT
We’ve heard SO much about ChatGPT lately. High schools and universities are really worried that students will start using it to cheat on their assignments. But before we get into that, let’s take you through WHAT exactly ChatGPT is, HOW it works, and then move on to WHY people are worried about it.
The Great Barrier Reef
It’s one of the seven natural wonders of the world… the only living thing visible from space … and experts are worried it’s in danger. We’ll take you through WHY the Great Barrier Reef is so famous; WHAT exactly is a coral reef; and HOW one of Australia’s top tourist attractions is in trouble.
All About Autism
It’s a common disability, and some people call it their superpower… Boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed than girls… and some people who have it, have no interest in a cure. We’ll take you through WHAT autism is… WHO are some famous people on the autism spectrum, and HOW to be a good friend to someone who is autistic.
Water
It covers 2/3 of our planet’s surface… it’s the reason there’s life on Earth… and still, two billion people on our planet don’t have enough. We’ll take you through WHY there’s a water crisis … HOW unsafe water can make you sick… and WHAT kids can do to help.