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 History of Money – Boulders, Banks and Bitcoin
In this episode of Squiz Kids Shortcut, Christie and Bryce explore the weird, surprising and sometimes downright bonkers history of money.
Squiz Kids Shortcuts dive into the who, what, when, where, why and how of the big news stories.
PREVIOUS SHORTCUTS
Clever Critters
Rats that save lives… frogs that pretend to be insects … and plants that can count? We’ll take you through why some animals have these amazing abilities, how humans are using clever critters, and what we know about plant intelligence.
Valentine’s Day
It has its roots in an Ancient festival that featured goats… Shakespeare was a fan… and it was changed forever by the Hallmark company. We’ll take you through WHEN Valentine’s Day got started, HOW it is celebrated by different people, and WHAT are some of the craziest real-life romantic gestures we’ve discovered.
Learning Disabilities
Up to one in ten Aussie kids has one… so did Albert Einstein… and they can make school really hard. We’ll take you through WHY learning disabilities are different from other disabilities… WHAT types of learning disabilities are common… and HOW kids with learning disabilities get help at school.
Australia in Antarctica
It’s a desert… it’s the coldest place on earth… and 60 Australians live there all winter long! Who are the people who choose to live in the coldiest, windiest, and driest continent on earth? What work are they doing there? And how do they survive in such a harsh place?
Australia Day 2023
It started as a celebration of freedom for ex-convicts… it’s been known as Landing Day, Foundation Day, Invasion Day, and Survival Day… and it was only in 1994 that it became official.
Sneakers
They’re known as sandshoes, plimsolls, trainers, and more… some are worth tens of thousands of dollars… and they have a pretty big impact on the environment. Wwe’ll take you through WHEN sneakers were first invented; WHAT a sneakerhead is; and HOW sneakers are contributing to climate change.
Sharks
They live in every ocean in the world… they’re been on our planet since before the dinosaurs… and lots of people are absolutely terrified of them. Because Bryce is at the beach, Amanda talks sharks with Dr. Adrian Gutteridge, a mad keen surfer from Brisbane who also happens to be a shark expert with the Marine Stewardship Council. He’ll take us through HOW he went from being terrified of sharks to studying them; WHAT are some of the weirdest and coolest things he’s learned; and WHY so many sharks species are endangered.
Presented in partnership with the Marine Stewardship Council
Fireworks
They started out as a way to scare mountain men… they cost Disney $50 million a year … but if you live in the NT, you can set them off yourself. We’ll take you through HOW fireworks work; WHERE you can see some of the biggest and best fireworks in the world; and WHY Cracker Night is controversial.
The World’s Christmas Menu
Depending on where you live, it could involve a sheep’s head… whale blubber… or throwing food at the ceiling! We’ll take you through WHERE you can find some of the most unusual Christmas dishes—to our Aussie palates, at least; WHY some families sit down to a 12-course meal; and WHAT is on the menu for dessert.
Hanukkah
It’s a religious celebration with candles, games, yummy food and sometimes presents… and no, we’re not talking about Christmas.