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Champs share top tips for blitzing the Bee
spelling beeThe reigning national champs have some advice for kids preparing to take on this year’s Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee as the school round of competition kicks off
Japan tucks into Four’N Twenty pies
newsJapan’s ‘Field of Dreams’ Koshien Stadium will become a field of Four’N Twenty pies after a trade deal to export the iconic Aussie snack
Sleepy spiders caught on camera
animalsDo spiders sleep? New research suggests they just might. And not only that, but their human-like sleep patterns might also mean they dream
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David Walliams visits Kids News
Beloved children’s author David Walliams chats exclusively to Kids News cub reporters, answering big questions on character inspo and writing mega-selling books WATCH THE VIDEO
Famous movie scene captures ‘essence’ of Olivia
Cartoonist Mark Knight has used a famous scene from the movie Grease to pay tribute to Australian icon Olivia Newton-John and capture the joy she brought generations
Game, set, Spain for tennis sisters
Two talented Tasmanian sisters who turbocharged their tennis throughout Covid will soon be bouncing balls back and forth on clay courts as they relocate to attend an elite Spanish academy
T-rex reigns as king of dinosaurs
Rejecting calls for a queen and emperor to share the Tyrannosaurus title, dinosaur experts have declared there is only one T-rex
Comm Games close on golden note for Aussies
The Birmingham Commonwealth Games have drawn to a close with a final gold for Australia and a colourful ceremony featuring Indigenous artists and elders as the baton was passed to regional Victoria
Artefacts unearthed from old Melbourne slum
A buried Melbourne has resurfaced in the CBD with the discovery of excavated artefacts, drawing comparisons with the ancient city of Pompeii as a wonderfully intact portrait of our human past
Great Barrier relief as coral returns
Coral coverage on the northern and central parts of the Great Barrier Reef is at its highest level since monitoring began 36 years ago, a new report shows
Cartwheel Galaxy snaps have space fans in a spin
The latest cosmic snaps from the James Webb Space Telescope show the Cartwheel Galaxy in unprecedented clarity
Aussies ‘crush it’ in Comm Games pool
Australia has cruised to the top of the Commonwealth Games medal table as the Dolphins felt some serious heat from an energised England but finished on a high as the dominant squad
‘Fierce’ dino fossil fetches fortune
The 77-million-year-old Gorgosaurus skeleton sold at Sotheby’s in New York fetched a whopping $US6.1 million, but dinosaur experts say selling the mighty biter is a gigantic loss for science
Language gap gendered to the letter
Boys and girls write about different things and have distinct vocabularies, as an analysis of 150,000 writing samples builds a picture of why girls are better spellers than boys at all year levels
SpaceX junk crashes into Aussie farm at speed
An extraterrestrial torpedo travelling at around 25,000km/h, the trunk of the SpaceX Crew-1 craft, has surprised Snowy Mountains farmers by crashing back to Earth with a mighty bang
Sydney girl scouted by Manchester United
After showcasing her soccer skills for visiting Manchester United scouts, 10-year-old Sydney girl Michaela Togias has bagged a sporting scholarship and the chance of a big break in the UK
Emma McKeon makes Comm Games history
Swimming star Emma McKeon has become Australia’s most successful Commonwealth Games athlete after winning her 11th gold medal
Grazing goats called in to save little lizard
An ingenious trial is underway using grazing goats to munch on grasses threatening the habitat of long-term resident skinks
Party kicks off Comm Games in Birmingham
The Commonwealth Games are off and running after a party style opening ceremony bursting with light, colour, music and dancing
School’s back at Canberra High
Our federal politicians returned to the nation’s capital this week, a bit like kids on the first day back at school, according to cartoonist Mark Knight
Buzz Aldrin’s jacket sold for sky-high price
The jacket worn by US astronaut Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin on the historic Apollo 11 mission to the moon has sold at auction for almost $4 million
No mistaking author’s support for Spelling Bee
Andy Griffiths is a pretty good speller, which is kind of important for an author but also just about any path you take in life. And he says making mistakes is all part of the journey
Aussies’ secret weapon at Comm Games
Team Australia’s modest looking Biofire machine could be the difference between our athletes standing on the Commonwealth Games podium or being wiped out by a wave of Covid positives
Great white sharks in growth spurt
Bans on shark fishing and the creation of marine reserves have seen the size of great white and tiger species soar, as more food and greater safety mean these underwater beasts could get bigger
PM spells out importance of the Bee
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wants more buzz around spelling – so he’s urging kids to take on this year’s Spelling Bee
Molly’s message is changing the world
Queensland schoolgirl Molly Wright became the youngest person to give a TED Talk a year ago. Today her message has had more than 8 million views, trailing only Elon Musk and Bill Gates
Aussie claims historic high jump gold
Eleanor Patterson has shocked the world by becoming the first ever Aussie to take home the gold medal in women’s high jump
Back to the future for masked up school kids
Cartoonist Mark Knight has borrowed a time travelling DeLorean car to illustrate Victoria’s return to face masks in schools
Fears for Migaloo after dead white whale find
The discovery of a dead whale washed up on a Victorian beach sparked fears it was the famous white humpback Migaloo
Aussie golfer wins British Open
The hallowed ancient golf course St Andrews in Scotland has a new kid in town, after 28-year-old Brisbane golfer Cameron Smith claimed the 150th British Open sporting his signature mullet
World population to hit eight billion this year
India is set to overtake China as the world’s biggest country after the global population hits eight billion people on November 15 this year
Dino set to fetch millions of dollars at auction
The skeleton of a Gorgosaurus dinosaur is up for sale. But you’ll need more than your weekly pocket money to afford this fantastic fossil
Girls surfing new wave of sports
Females are riding a wave of sporting opportunity, as the latest activity snapshot shows surfing and skateboarding participation ramped up during the pandemic and girls got right among it
Turtle and croc strike up unlikely friendship
A fearless turtle appears to have struck up an unlikely friendship with a crocodile in northeast Queensland, with locals snapping a picture of it riding on the croc’s back
Baby woolly mammoth intact in ice
A near-complete infant woolly mammoth has been found mummified in Canada’s far north Yukon territory, complete with hair and skin preserved in permafrost for over 30,000 years
Bush and beach beat traditional kinder classes
Preschool students who can dump gendered toys and play outside in the bush or at the beach are more likely to perform better in maths, science and technology subjects once they start big school
Djokovic downs Kyrgios in Wimbledon final
There was some amazing tennis – and some fireworks – from Nick Kyrgios as the Australian’s Wimbledon dream was ended by Novak Djokovic
Ash Barty talks to Kids News about her new books
Retired tennis star Ash Barty has swapped her racquet for a pen to write her Little Ash children’s book series. She speaks exclusively to Kids News. WATCH THE VIDEO
Healthy Harold taps into the power of plants
Plants don’t just look great in the classroom, they can improve maths and spelling too! Find some great school garden ideas here and apply for a Growing Good Gardens Grant
Space junk crash leaves double crater in moon
The moon has a new and unusual double crater after a mysterious piece of rocket space junk slammed into the lunar surface
Bees in ‘lockdown’ to stop parasite spread
The NSW government has ordered a lockdown of bee hives after the discovery of a deadly foreign parasite that has decimated bee populations overseas
Census reveals changing shape of Australia
The 2021 Census data reveals a nation of 25.5 million people of diverse backgrounds, speaking a number of languages, practising different religious faiths and living in a mix of dwellings
Meet the ugliest mutt on Earth
An ageing Mr Happy Face has won the World’s Ugliest Dog crown – now he’s winning fans around the globe with his story of survival and a second chance at love after being rescued last year
Aussie teen drafted to the NBA
Bendigo teenager Dyson Daniels has hit the big time in style, picked by the News Orleans Pelicans at the annual NBA draft and rocking a snappy silver suit fit for a young instant millionaire
NASA rocket launches from NT
A NASA rocket lit up the skies above the Arnhem Space Centre at Sunday night’s launch, the first rocket to leave Australian soil in 26 years and the space agency’s first outside the USA
Aussie cities fall in world liveability ranks
The world’s best cities to live in have been revealed and there are some surprising results as we learn to live with Covid-19. Guess which Australian city finished the highest
Classroom ‘doggie dates’ reduce stress
Stress is bad for learning, behaviour, health and wellbeing – and there are many ways schools are trying to tackle it. But new research suggests the best way is having a canine classmate
La Nina’s over but don’t put your umbrella away yet
Just when we thought we had seen the end of the La Nina climate driver responsible for dumping all that rain, the weather bureau is warning it could be back for a third year in a row
World’s largest fish caught in Cambodia
A giant stingray weighing a whopping 300kg and measuring 4m long has been caught by Cambodian fishermen – and released back into the Mekong River
Extra-curricular kids happier and healthier
Children who play sport, learn an instrument or even just muck around with friends after school are more likely to feel happier and healthier than kids who are parked in front of a screen
Last days to enter Short Story Competition
There’s still two days to enter the Kids News 2022 Short Story Competition – prime time to forage through your family’s stories and give your favourite a fictional makeover before entries close
Aussie soccer kid to star in Spain
He’s just 10-years-old, but Sydney soccer player Cruz Cummins is flying high, bound for the IBER Cup International Youth Football Tournament before meeting talent scouts from Manchester United
Try Harold’s delicious and nutritious smoothie
Healthy Harold knows milk is a great way to get the calcium he needs. You can get yours too with Harold’s delicious rainbow smoothie recipe. WATCH THE VIDEO
Find the Short Story Comp entry form here
Don’t miss out on the Kids News Short Story Competition. Entries close on Friday, June 24. Find the online entry form and more info here
‘Little Picasso’ takes art world by storm
Parents cherish every artwork that makes it home, but if the exploding international interest in 10-year-old Californian Andres Valencia is any measure, not all classroom art is created equal
Black hole eats an Earth every second
A giant black hole 500 times bigger than the one in our galaxy has been spotted by an international team of astronomers led by the Australian National University – and this is one very hungry hole
Kids inspire sustainable switch
Some hard questions at a primary school careers day prompted MOO yoghurt boss Mick Sanders to find a sustainable packaging solution using 100 per cent recycled plastic washed up on beaches
Pet rock hitches ride on Mars rover
NASA’s Perseverance rover has picked itself up a pet rock as it explores Mars, carrying the rocky hitchhiker for about 8.5km and counting
Beetroot boosts sporting performance
If you’ve got a big sporting comp coming up, you might want to put beetroot on your menu after Australian researchers found the vegetable can give athletes a competitive edge
Cartoon celebrates wiggly World Cup win
What chance did Peru have against goalie Andrew Redmayne and his wiggly mates in Australia’s World Cup qualifier, asks cartoonist Mark Knight
Wiggly jig helps Aussies to World Cup
The Socceroos have qualified for the World Cup in a sudden-death shootout, won after goalie Andrew Redmayne’s rousing routine of what looked a lot like the Wiggles’ Hot Potato
Shark cam captures life and death struggles
Cameras fitted to tiger sharks in Western Australia are giving scientists an unprecedented view of the life and death struggles of the predators and their prey
Crackling campfire or healthy coral reef?
Scientists have discovered that a healthy coral reef sounds a bit like a crackling campfire. Now they hope to monitor coral health around the globe after training AI to listen to the surprise “song of the reef”
NASA to launch rockets from the NT
NASA rockets haven’t launched from Australian shores since the tail-end of last century – now three will lift off from the Northern Territory’s new space centre by the middle of next month
Louis’ antics steal the show at Jubilee party
Young Prince Louis calls an end to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations as only a child can in Mark Knight’s latest cartoon for Kids News
Look out for rare planetary show
Five planets will align in their natural order from the Sun in the early morning sky this month, the first time this planetary show has happened in almost 18 years
New Kosciuszko koalas adapted to survive
A previously unknown koala population in Kosciuszko National Park adds ‘insurance’ against species extinction as rare sightings over the past 80 years make the discovery an even bigger surprise
Teen puts pilot’s wings before wheels
The sky’s the limit for 16-year-old high school student Chloe Familton – a qualified solo pilot with more hours in the cockpit than behind the wheel of a car
Traffic noise spells trouble for school learning
Noise pollution policymakers may need to listen up, as a European study shows students need a little bit of shush around their school in order to develop working memory and improved attentiveness
Party time to mark Queen’s historic reign
Queen Elizabeth II has been on the throne for 70 years, longer than any other British monarch before her. You’ll never guess how Australia celebrated the milestone
Monster prehistoric Aussie plant discovered
Australian scientists have found the largest known plant on Earth in the UNESCO World Heritage Shark Bay of WA – and it’s 4500 years old
Lion with mullet causes uproar at Chinese zoo
Even lions can have a bad hair day. Just ask Hang Hang. The big cat’s once glorious mane looks more like a mullet, with keepers blaming hot and humid weather
Aussie rides into cycling history
Australian cyclist Jai Hindley has won the Giro d’Italia, becoming only the second Aussie to take a Grand Tour title as he reunites with his parents at the finish line after more than two years apart
Dig deeper on International Dinosaur Day
A Melbourne palaeontologist has shared some of his favourite dinosaur facts as the creatures take centre stage on their international day. WATCH THE VIDEO
Have you read these Aussie kids’ favourites?
Australian kids love funny, naughty and cheeky books. Is your favourite on the list of top 50 most popular children’s books of the past decade?
Funny photos focus on serious pothole problem
Alex Dyson looks like he’s having a laugh but his funny photographs aim to highlight a serious problem on rural roads
Demons adopt Indigenous name
Melbourne Football Club has adopted its traditional Indigenous name for two rounds of the AFL season in a move the club hopes will promote education and important conversations
Young Aussies quite keen on Queen
An unusual poll that floats the idea of Australia inventing its own royal family finds a surprising number of young adult Australians are in favour of being ruled by the British one
Young Ivy rollerskates to ‘mini’ World Cup win
The ‘mini’ division of the Artistic Skating World Cup in Italy delivered a major victory for an Adelaide roller girl, who first laced up and skated onto a local rink at the tender age of two
Ariarne sets world record at Aussie swim trials
Aussie Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus has stunned the global swimming community, breaking the world record in her pet event after Zac Stubblety-Cook breaks the 200m breaststroke barrier
Moments that made sporting history
To celebrate Indigenous Sport Month, Kids News is looking at 50 sporting firsts achieved by Indigenous athletes through history, from Patty Mills to Cathy Freeman and everyone in between
Waddle they think at school?
A Victorian family’s pet goose shows birds of a feather don’t always flock together, preferring the company of his humans and canine best friend
Meet Australia’s new prime minister
Labor leader Anthony Albanese is to be sworn in as Australia’s 31st Prime Minister after his party won the federal election at the weekend
Australians love ‘true blue’ homemade TV
There’s laughter, tears, the relaxed local lingo, a familiar family and a relatable, authentic Australian vibe – no wonder a new study has found we want more Bluey-style TV
Bulldozer PM crashes into young soccer player
Under-8s soccer player Luca Fauvette has become the unexpected star of the federal election campaign after his tangle with the PM on the pitch
Eurovision has a new winner
First Ukraine took out Eurovision, now its leader Volodymyr Zelensky is the winner in cartoonist Mark Knight’s political version of the famous song contest
Get our free Elections Education Kit
Australia is off to the polls. Let’s learn more about how and why we have federal elections
Aussie teen’s triumphant Everest trek
There were happy tears as Melbourne teenager Gabby Kanizay made it the top of Mt Everest after a six-week trek and became the youngest ever Australian to conquer the world’s highest peak
Traditional Indigenous games build sports skills
Olympian Beki Smith loves learning traditional Indigenous – or Yulunga – games from her eight-year-old son. You can try them too by downloading the special Yulunga games guide in this story
TikTok teaching set to trump tired English tasks
TikTok, memes, blogs, podcasts and Instagram posts might shake up the curriculum and revamp old-fashioned English tasks as digital writing looks set to join the classics in the classroom
Tassie girl becomes face of AFL team bid
The young star of Tasmania’s campaign for its own AFL team is a ten-year-old girl who dreams of tackling the opposition on her home turf as a future AFLW talent, not moving to the mainland
Barty: I want to inspire kids to chase their dreams
Indigenous Sport Month ambassador and retired tennis champ Ash Barty reveals her heroes and hopes for the future
Leo’s a cut above in the charity stakes
Animal mad Melbourne boy Leo Saw is planning to cut off his prized mullet to raise money for the Lost Dogs’ Home
Footy ump would have been great in debate
The Great Debate between our political leaders was more like a contact sport, according to cartoonist Mark Knight. If only there had been a football umpire to pull them into line
Marilyn Monroe pop art makes a motza
Screen star Marilyn Monroe’s lasting allure was the perfect match for Andy Warhol’s pop art style, with one famous portrait now the most expensive 20th century work ever sold at public auction
Turn a fast food favourite into a healthy feast
Who said pizza wasn’t a health food? Certainly not Healthy Harold, who knows homemade pizza can be both delicious and nutritious. And he's got a great recipe to share. WATCH THE VIDEO
NAPLAN testing moves online
As 1.2 million students around Australia start NAPLAN testing from Tuesday, the national assessment authority confirms extra security measures for students completing the assessment online
Monstrous megaraptor unearthed in Argentina
Boasting terrifying talons, one mighty big belly and a bulky body the length of a three-storey building, this Cretaceous era Argentinian dinosaur was once the apex predator of the Andes
eSports in line for Brisbane Olympics debut
Competitive video gaming could be included at the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games – but there are fears it will come at the cost of some iconic Australian sports
Injured flying fox spreads her wings again
A broken wing is really bad news for a flying fox. But this girl is back gliding through the night thanks to life-saving surgery by vets from Werribee Open Range Zoo