Humanities
Drawing the Queen and Prince Philip
artsMark Knight reflects on choosing to depict the Queen accompanied yet again by her husband, so that despite her being seated away from others, she is not totally alone
What does Anzac Day mean?
historyEach year on April 25 we commemorate Anzac Day. Kids News explains how the day began, what it means and how it will be observed this year as we continue to live with COVID-19
Kimberley cave reveals ancient bone tools
historyAboriginal people in north Australia were making sharp tools from kangaroo leg bones as far back as 46,000 years ago, based on dating of bone tools found in limestone caves in WA
Latest
Kids quizzed by app to gain phone access
Two Australian parents have invented an app that asks kids a maths or English problem before they can unlock their phones.
Crayola launches inclusive crayons
Crayola has teamed up with MAC Cosmetics to create a range of racially inclusive crayons, pencils and textas.
Meet the Bee’s perfect score kids
As top scoring students nationally advance to the state and territory round, Kids News speaks to 10 of Australia’s perfect score kids. Discover their spelling secrets and how they are tackling the next stage of the competition.
Captain Underpants author sorry for spin-off book
A graphic novel spin-off of the Captain Underpants series is being pulled from libraries and bookstores after its publisher and author apologise
Boy in boat rescues people and pets from floods
Archie Cross has displayed courage beyond his 13 years, rescuing about 10 residents and a handful of pets from their flooded homes in NSW with his little fishing boat
Sydney Swans change their song
AFL team the Sydney Swans have announced a more inclusive team song – part of a growing movement that includes the recent change to Australia’s national anthem
Cyber bullies still a big problem for kids
One in two young people say they have been the target of cyber bullying with a quarter threatened with harm, according to new research that suggests the situation isn’t improving
Girls want school uniform rule change
Students at a girls’ school in Sydney sick of not being allowed to wear shorts or pants as part of their uniform are fighting to have strict rules dating back more than 100 years changed
Australia’s incredible women of influence
March 8 is International Women’s Day, a day of celebration when all women are recognised for their achievements. Kids News profiles 10 incredible Australian women of influence
‘Hurtful’ Dr Seuss books will no longer be printed
Six Dr Seuss books that ‘portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong’ will no longer be printed as part of a commitment to represent and support all communities and families
No shortcuts for Sir Tom, a hero of the pandemic
While editorial cartoons are generally designed to give their readers a laugh (usually at a politician’s expense), it’s not always the case. Mark Knight pays tribute to Captain Sir Tom Moore
Kids give gender stereotypes the boot
Respectful relationships lessons have changed the games boys and girls want to play and the jobs they want to do when they grow up
Bushfire Poetry Comp: smoky skies, burnt leaves
It’s the last week to get your Kids News Bushfire Poetry Competition entry in. Looking for some inspiration? Read 12-year-old Kirra Dangerfield’s poem, “The ash black land”
Welcome to the Year of the Ox
Millions — perhaps billions — of people around the world are preparing for a very important annual celebration — Chinese or Lunar New Year. Here’s what you need to know to join the fun
Big roos to help Kangaroo Island bounce back
A mob of roos is about to be moved off the front lawn of an Adelaide school, but it’s not because they’re eating too much grass. It’s all to help raise money for bushfire recovery
Kids set sail on adventure of a lifetime
Three Australian children are ditching regular life on land to sail the Atlantic Ocean on a yacht with their parents ‘for as long as it’s fun’, which could mean two, five or even 10 years at sea
Friends first for young Aussies in Kids News survey
Aussie kids are most looking forward to spending time with their friends this year after an interrupted 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to the results of a survey by Kids News
Australia’s ‘word of the decade’ revealed
A phrase that was widely used in 2016 when Donald Trump first became US President has been crowned the “word of the decade”, outperforming “Karen”, the people’s choice winner last year
How to tell if your dog is a genius
An experiment that’s easy to try at home has shown “talented” dogs are able to learn the name of a new object after hearing it four times, an ability previously thought to be confined to humans
Hard work ahead to clean up at Collingwood
Racism is something we should all seek to bring to an end, whether it be in our daily lives, politics or in sport, writes Mark Knight in his column explaining the story behind this cartoon
Farewell Sir Tom, inspiration to millions
Captain Sir Tom Moore, the UK World War II veteran who walked up and down his garden to raise money for health care workers, has died after testing positive for COVID-19. He was 100
Queensland schoolgirl gets special 3D-printed ear
A 10-year-old girl has become the first person to receive a patient-matched 3D-printed ear in groundbreaking surgery just in time for the start of the new school year
Education drives Kirrah’s dream
Meet Kirrah Stothers, one of the stars of an inspirational documentary about young indigenous students following their dreams to change the world
During fire season, we are all in this together
Mark Knight chooses a favourite cartoon from 2020 and explains the process of starting with a news event, gathering ideas and working towards a drawing to tell even more of the story
Meet Baby Charlie, the doll with Down syndrome
Kmart has added to its range of inclusive toys with the Baby Charlie with Down Syndrome dolls, just in time for International Day of People with Disability on December 3
Santa gets special permission to travel at Christmas
The coronavirus pandemic continues to disrupt travel around the world but the Prime Minister has confirmed that no matter what happens to Australia’s borders Santa will be able to do his job
Young fundraisers’ crafty idea to save koalas
Watching the devastation of Australia’s koalas during last summer’s bushfires was too much to bear for these nature-loving kids — so they are doing something about it
Dogs then cats top list of favourite pets
Australians love pets and our favourite pets are definitely dogs, according to the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey, which, for the first time, asked us about animals
‘Iso’ declared Australia’s word of the year
The Australian National Dictionary Centre has named ‘iso’ — slang for self-isolation — as the word of 2020 from both a year and a shortlist of words dominated by the coronavirus pandemic
Huge find in Egypt’s ‘City of the Dead’
Archaeologists have unearthed 100 Ancient Egyptian painted coffins — some with mummies inside — plus 40 precious statues at the Saqqara necropolis near Cairo, Egypt
New names for Red Skins and Chicos lollies
Red Skins will be renamed Red Ripper and Chicos will become Cheekies as Nestle scraps the old names over fears they are offensive
At work with a Sydney Harbour Bridge climber
Could Nick Hayes have the best job in the world? Or perhaps you think it would be the worst job. Find out what happens on a typical day for a climb leader on the Sydney Harbour Bridge
New push to change Australian anthem lyrics
The NSW Premier has called for a change to the lyrics of the national anthem to better acknowledge Australia’s proud Indigenous history but some say it’s not enough of a change
Step up and step out for a kinder world
It’s World Kindness Day on November 13 and Fly High Billie — a charity to empower children to make a difference through kindness — is setting a challenge called Walk for a Kinder World
World unites for Remembrance Day
Millions will fall silent tomorrow for Remembrance Day to commemorate those who fought and died in World War I
Aussies are living longer as boys close the gap on girls
A girl born today can expect to live to 85, while boys can expect to live to almost 81. But males are slowly closing the life expectancy gap on females
Aussie kids need less homework, more play
Homework headaches and “competitive parenting’’ are fuelling kids’ anxiety, Australia’s new National Children’s Commissioner warned, calling for kids to get more time to relax and play
Study reveals benefits of all-girls schools
Girls at single-sex schools outperform their peers at co-ed campuses, new research shows. There is less bullying and less skipping class and fewer friendship fights at single-sex schools
Special ‘covid stamp’ printed on toilet paper
A European postal service has printed a stamp on toilet paper to reinforce an important coronavirus message — as Australia releases its own pandemic-related stamp
Teen boys more confident than girls, study shows
Smart girls suffer a fear of failure even when they beat boys at school, a new global study of 600,000 reveals. The study also found that girls are better than boys at conflict resolution
What is dyslexia? Is there a cure?
Dyslexia is the most common cause of reading, writing and spelling difficulties. But the good news is dyslexia is not a disease and you can have dyslexia and be really good at lots of things
2000-year-old cat found carved in desert
A huge cat carving has been unearthed on a hillside in southern Peru and is thought to be a 2000-year-old Nazca Line. Around 1000 have already been discovered
What type of saver are you?
Learning to save is a vital life skill and can help you get the things you want. Knowing what type of saver you are can help you reach your savings goals
World Lego honour for Aussie schoolboy
Jack Berne is the boy who made news after launching fundraiser A fiver for a Farmer. Now, the 12 year old has been picked to contribute to a global Lego project called Rebuild the World
Rat wins top bravery award for landmine work
Magawa, a giant African pouched rat, is the first rat ever to win a British charity’s top civilian award for animal bravery, receiving the honour for searching out unexploded landmines in Cambodia
Ancient Egyptian coffins sealed for 2500 years
Archaeologists in Egypt have discovered 27 unopened, ancient coffins ornately painted and covered in hieroglyphs near one of the world’s oldest pyramids
Alligator-squeak research wins big science prize
Scientists have won an international prize for research intended to make you laugh — and then think — for testing whether an alligator that breathes in helium squeaks like Minnie Mouse
World’s loneliest elephant free to find friends
An elephant famous for being called the ‘world’s loneliest’ has been cleared by vets to leave the Pakistani zoo where he has lived in terrible conditions for more than 35 years
Bullied by a friend? It’s still bullying
Young people are less likely to recognise behaviour as bullying if it is coming from someone they consider a friend, according to a new study from online mental health organisation ReachOut
School drops old uniform in favour of activewear
A Victorian school has decided to ditch its traditional school uniform, hoping new activewear will helps students be happier and healthier and take part in more physical activity
Hope for gold at the end of the tunnel
Victoria is on the verge of a second gold rush fuelled by gold’s high world price and modern mining methods, with hopes the precious metal will help the state recover after COVID-19
How to protect yourself from scams
More of us are buying and banking online, especially during the coronavirus pandemic, and scammers are taking advantage of this. But there are ways to protect yourself from becoming a victim of a scam
How to find your voice and talk to a crowd
A teenage public-speaking whiz is on a mission to help kids reeling from coronavirus disruptions master the art of talking to a crowd, finding their voice and their confidence
Kids urged to get real on fake news
You might have heard US President Donald Trump use these words, but what exactly is fake news and how do you spot it?
Do you recognise this face?
Most Australians will have seen her face but few would know the remarkable story of Mary Reibey and how she came to be on our $20 banknote
Kids helping kids with One=One campaign
In rural and remote Australia, one in four kids comes to school without breakfast or lunch. To help, Kids News is supporting One=One, which means $1 raised provides one meal
NASA to drop harmful space nicknames
The US space agency will stop using the nicknames of some cosmic objects — such as NGC 2392, the “Eskimo Nebula” — in an effort to address discrimination and inequality
Tough battle ahead for state of disaster
In a cartoon, using a visual metaphor can help describe another issue we may not have much understanding about. But just like with bushfires, if Australians band together, we can beat this
‘Karen’s’ mask fight not just about her rights
Like a school essay, a cartoon is a way to compare and contrast two sides to an issue. In this case it’s about someone demanding their rights but forgetting their responsibilities to the vulnerable
Awesome iPhone photo award winners
It’s hard to believe the winners from the annual iPhone Photo Awards — described as the ‘Oscars of mobile photography’ — were taken with an iPhone or iPad. Which is your favourite?
Uncomfortable uniforms could force girls out of sport
Girls are dropping out of sport at high rates as they move from tweens to teens and a new study is looking to see if uniforms are part of the problem
Dog becomes essential worker during pandemic
A chocolate Labrador has been doing an important job to help people stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, delivering food in a straw basket around his neighbourhood
Making ISO bears for friends to cuddle
Grace and Chloe knew how much comfort a cuddly toy could be during the stressful times of social isolation, so they decided to spread the joy and make ISO bears for people to adopt
How you can help stop a bully
You might not have been bullied but chances are you’ve seen it happen to one of your classmates. Experts say bystanders make a choice to be part of the problem or part of the solution
Getting used to our strange ‘new normal’
A WWII Lancaster bomber aeroplane in the COVID-test queue? Our lives have changed so much in recent months not much surprises us any more, writes cartoonist Mark Knight
Teens making music about COVID-19
June 20 is World Refugee Day. Kids News shares a film by a teenager at Bidi Bidi refugee camp in Uganda about young people making music to help stop the spread of COVID-19
Around an Aussie campfire of statues
Mark Knight explains the issues behind the cartoon of two Aussies sitting by this particular campfire and wonders how Australia will react to this period of self-examination
Dream job of Lego master builder
Lego master builder Kieran Jiwa — whose job it is to play and create with Lego for most of every day — has known he wanted this career since he was six years old
These kids rock their kitchen
Three young Brisbane siblings are turning a passion for baking into a sellout success, barely keeping up with demand for their scrumptious creations.
Cartoons are not always meant to make you laugh
Sometimes cartoonists have to cover serious issues, such as war, famine, injustice and even death, about which it’s not appropriate or possible to make people laugh. This was one of those times
Why are there big protests around the world?
Protests — some peaceful and some violent — continue across the US and elsewhere around the world over police treatment of black people. Kids News explains why people are protesting
Young minds rise to the challenge
They might be young but they’re thinking big. Find out how the Westpac Youth Impact Challenge is inspiring kid entrepreneurs who want to make the world a better place
Who’s most excited about going back to school?
Kids are returning to school as COVID-19 restrictions ease. After working from home with his kids, Mark Knight wonders who in each household is most looking forward to getting back to normal
Dear Australia: memories of the nation in isolation
Australians are being invited to record their coronavirus experiences for future generations in a new campaign by the country’s postal service
No joke! Experts agree laughter is good for us
Humour is as ancient as human life itself, but the joys of laughter never grow old and amusement experts believe we’re on the cusp of a COVID-19 comedy revolution
Unleash the little scribes to make mischief!
Beloved Australian children’s author Andrew Daddo says storytelling platform Littlescribe invites kids to imagine breaking all the rules
Billie’s kindness lives on
Australian schoolgirl Billie Kinder always believed she could make the world a better place. Now her family hopes the third annual B Kinder Day on June 22 will take her message worldwide
Cave find rewrites history of early humans
Scientists have found human bones and a tooth up to 46,000 years old that rewrite the history of early humans’ arrival in Europe and time spent living alongside Neanderthals
Record history in your COVID-19 time capsule
Kids News has produced a ‘time capsule’ activity book so children can document their time in isolation and how it’s made them feel so they can always remember this unique period in their life
Tassie mayor orders residents to take silly walks
Silly walking is encouraged along the Tasmanian town of Latrobe’s main street after the mayor declared it a jurisdiction of the Ministry of Silly Walks during the COVID-19 disruption
How the tradition of Mother’s Day was born
Celebrating mothers on a special day of the year isn’t a modern idea. Kids News researched the history of honouring and thanking mothers across Australia and around the world
Aussies spreading joy with sidewalk chalk talk
People everywhere are covering footpaths with beautiful chalk art to spread joy during COVID-19, providing meaning to their lives, connecting communities and keeping children entertained
Exploring the 250th anniversary of Cook’s arrival
Wednesday, April 29, 2020 marks the 250th anniversary of James Cook’s arrival at Botany Bay. We explore why Cook came to Australia and why some celebrate and some lament this day
Toy Story star surprises bullied Aussie boy
A Gold Coast boy named Corona has received a heartfelt letter and special gift from Hollywood actor Tom Hanks after revealing he had been bullied at school
Making music in times of trouble
A Queensland music shop expected tough times during COVID-19 restrictions but it’s been “busier than Christmas” as people turn to playing musical instruments for pleasure and comfort
Big find about origins of human language
By comparing brains of humans and apes, scientists have discovered the origins of human language could be 25 million years old — 20 million years older than previously thought
How flamingoes hang out with their friends
Despite being part of a large flock, flamingoes mostly spend time with a small group of close friends and others avoid certain individuals, suggesting some just don’t get along
Mystery WWI Aussie soldiers finally identified
Face-recognition technology has identified unknown Australian WWI soldiers in photos from a precious collection uncovered in a wooden chest in an attic in France in 2011
Rice ATM helps feed jobless during pandemic
A businessman in Vietnam has invented a rice ATM to help people who can’t afford to buy food because of the shutdowns to prevent the spread of coronavirus
Astronauts recall flawed Apollo 13 mission
It is 50 years since the near-disastrous Apollo 13 mission and though younger generations may think of it as a failure, its astronauts and others regard it as NASA’s finest achievement
Easter eggs, bunnies and traditions around the world
For many, Easter means chocolate eggs, bunnies, hot cross buns and church services. Kids News researched why we celebrate Easter, when it will be and how common traditions began
Oldest fossil of early human species is discovered
Australian and international scientists have unearthed a two-million-year old skull bone — the oldest known fossil of the earliest human species named Homo erectus
Breaking the rules is no laughing matter
In his weekly series, award-winning cartoonist Mark Knight explains why it’s impossible to laugh off the foolish behaviour of beachgoers who break social distancing rules
Keeping tigers happy without visitors
A small team of wildlife carers in Queensland is spending the COVID-19 disruption playing and swimming with tigers to keep the animals happy and prevent them from becoming lonely
Outside gatherings cut to two to slow Covid-19
Sunday update: Prime Minister Scott Morrison has limited outside gatherings to just two people and encouraged the elderly to not leave home as the nation continues to try and slow the spread of the coronavirus
We’re going on a bear hunt, we’re not scared!
Australian children are joining a global bear hunt inspired by the popular storybook, making walks around the neighbourhood lots of fun during the COVID-19 disruption
Leaders have different schools of thought
In his weekly series, award-winning cartoonist Mark Knight explains why he drew the Prime Minister and two state leaders as musicians playing to a different beat on schools closures
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