Happy holidays from the Kids News team
just for funKids News is taking a break to enjoy the school holidays. We’ll be back ready for 2022 from January 31. We hope you have a relaxing time either at home or away
Cartoon Contest winners unveiled
artsThe absurd side of pandemic life and a rugby obsessed penguin have inspired the winning entries in the inaugural Kids News Cartoon Contest. Check out the winning cartoons here
Face mask litter a major problem
environmentNearly two years since the pandemic began, the world is awash in discarded single-use face masks and this chief Covid protection poses a threat to wildlife and the environment
Bird sounds set for ARIA success
animalsEndangered Australian birds could knock pop songbirds from their perch, with an album of birdsong in the running to debut in the ARIA Top 10
Happy holidays from the Kids News team
just for funKids News is taking a break to enjoy the school holidays. We’ll be back ready for 2022 from January 31. We hope you have a relaxing time either at home or away
Cartoon Contest winners unveiled
artsThe absurd side of pandemic life and a rugby obsessed penguin have inspired the winning entries in the inaugural Kids News Cartoon Contest. Check out the winning cartoons here
Face mask litter a major problem
environmentNearly two years since the pandemic began, the world is awash in discarded single-use face masks and this chief Covid protection poses a threat to wildlife and the environment
Bird sounds set for ARIA success
animalsEndangered Australian birds could knock pop songbirds from their perch, with an album of birdsong in the running to debut in the ARIA Top 10
Do you know your landmarks, are you a sports nut and have you been reading this week's Kids News stories? Try to beat the Quiz Word clock.
The Short Story Competition will be back in 2022. Congratulations to this year's winners.
Join our book club to receive discounts on new books and fantastic prizes.
Healthy Harold has been visiting schools for 40 years and now he's here on Kids News. Check out his health and safety advice - and ask him a question.
Sam Kerr takes out pitch invader
sportAustralian soccer superstar Sam Kerr has been applauded for giving a pitch invader an AFL-style bump in England but not everyone was happy with her actions
Time to have some fun with Gangsta Granny
just for funDownload four great activity sheets to celebrate the end of the school year and the release of international best-selling author David Walliams’ new book, Gangsta Granny Strikes Again!
Pooch patrol solution to seagull woes
animalsMan’s best friend has a new role: banisher of seagulls and protector of chips. Meet the dogs recruited to shoo marauding seagulls away from diners at the Sydney Opera House
Australians having fewer babies than ever
humanitiesAustralia’s birthrate hit a record low amid the Covid-19 pandemic last year, but one billionaire reckons we need to boost the world’s population
Djoker’s toughest opponent in record bid
sportOne man stands between tennis superstar Novak Djokovic and his bid to win a record number of Grand Slams with victory at the Australian Open, according to cartoonist Mark Knight
Mystery object spied on the moon
spaceWild theories – and more logical explanations – abound as images from China’s lunar rover reveal an unidentified object on the dark side of the moon
Great Barrier Reef’s coral baby boom
environmentCorals born during an innovative IVF project have reached maturity in time for a reproductive rush at the Great Barrier Reef’s annual mass spawning event
3D printer pumps out a pizza
technologyMicrowave ovens were huge when they hit the market, but this revolutionary food appliance prints food using edible paste as ink
Seaweed for cows lowers climate cost
animalsSeaweed shows promise as an additive to cut the methane produced by dairy cows, a major source of greenhouse gas
Get a sneak peek of Matt Stanton’s new book
book clubOne of Kids News’ favourite authors, Matt Stanton, is back to round out our year with his latest graphic novel, The Odds: Run, Odds, Run. Start reading it here
Covid jabs for kids by January
healthPrimary school kids are on track to receive their first jabs before school returns next year, with the Pfizer vaccine cleared for use
Pygmy hippo birth, hip hip hooray!
animalsWith fewer than 3000 pygmy hippos estimated to be left in the wild, the birth of a waddling little calf at Taronga Zoo is certainly cause for big whoops of welcome
Dino’s slashing tail weapon sets it apart
animalsPalaeontologists have unearthed fossils from a dinosaur with a unique tail they have likened to a weapon used by ancient Aztec warriors
Robotic bird feet designed for drones
technologyEngineers have built robotic graspers that can be fitted to drones to help them catch objects and perch on tree branches just like birds
Short Story Comp 2021 winners revealed
short story competitionOur Short Story Competition has unearthed some amazing new writing talent and given a past champ another chance to shine. Find out who the winners are and read their stories here
Tense time for Australian teens
healthAussie teens spend too much time on screens, not enough time exercising or sleeping, and they’re worried about Covid and the environment, a new survey reveals
Acting legend at one with the land
indigenous newsCartoonist Mark Knight has paid tribute to Indigenous acting legend David Gulpilil Dalaithngu whose death was announced this week
Kids News Cartoon Contest is now closed
artsWell done to all the budding cartoonists who sent in cartoons. The judges are checking them out now
Barbados breaks from Britain and becomes republic
historyPrince Charles won’t be head of state in Barbados when he succeeds Queen Elizabeth II – but he was on hand at the historic inauguration of the first president to wish the nation well
Aussie teen’s world record twist
just for funA Tassie teen has set a new trampoline world record for the most ‘cat twists’ in a row. Can you guess how many he landed?
How to swap screen time for green time
ask healthy haroldIt’s easy to lose track of time when you’re on a screen. It even happens to Healthy Harold! See Harold’s tips for swapping screen time for green time – and send him your questions
Spelling Bee champs blitz PM
spelling beeThird time proved a charm for winners of the inaugural Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee, who finally met the man himself after several Covid cancellations – and Kids News was there
Saving Mawson’s remote Antarctic huts
historyExtreme isolation on ice awaits a team tasked with preserving Sir Douglas Mawson’s 110 year old Antarctic timber huts
Wild horses to be reined in
animalsBrumby numbers will be slashed in Kosciuszko National Park in NSW under a plan to reduce environmental harms caused by wild horses
Who is this cricket star?
sportDo you recognise this young cricketer? He’s all grown up now and a key member of the Australian cricket team. Find out who he is and how he turned his love of the game as a little kid into an impressive career
Risk plus adventure equals fun at the park
just for funFlying foxes, trees for climbing, swings and obstacle courses are on the park wishlist for Aussie kids, new research reveals
Cheetah Kulinda is just wild for zoo life
animalsLife is never boring for cheetah Kulinda thanks to special enrichment programs designed to keep animals healthy and happy at our zoos
Hybrid coral could withstand heat
environmentCoral that survived multiple mass bleaching events added to Great Barrier Reef’s mass spawning mix so heat-resilient hybrid could be born
Great white an underwater warhorse
animalsStunning images of a heavily scarred great white shark suggest a battlefield lies beneath the surface of the ocean
Should have called in an expert
artsCartoonist Mark Knight reckons a teenage fangirl would have been the perfect option to pull off Channel 7’s botched interview with singing megastar Adele
Enter the Kids News Cartoon Contest
artsSharpen your pencils, we want budding cartoonists to create a cartoon about a news event that matters to them. Get tips from some of Australia’s best cartoonists and find the Kids News Cartoon Contest entry form here
Cold, wet summer Down Under
weatherDreams of the perfect Aussie summer have been dashed as La Niña starts to lash eastern states with rain, wind and cold