LATEST NEWS

VIDEOSpelling Bee
UNDER EMBARGO UNTIL MAY 17, 2025, Do not use unless cleared by Kids News editor Di Jenkins and Sat Mags national editor Laura Chalmers. PMs Spelling Bee 5th birthday national feature for the Sat mags - Look back with the 11 national champions. Victorias three national champions - 2021 Green level (Years 3-4) champion: Arielle Wong 13 now year 8, 
2022 and 2023 Red Level champion Zachary Cheng, now in Year 10, and 2021 Year 5-6 (orange) winner Theekshitha Karthik, then 12 now 15 year 10. 
Picture: David Caird

Where are our Bee champs now?

With over 200,000 registered students since 2021, the Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee turns five in Term 3 when the fun, online Kids News comp opens. Meet our champions and TRY THE BEE

Sport
Oscar Piastri (back left), Bryce Fullwood (middle back row) and Will Brown (second from the left in the front row) in a karting grid group photo from 2014. Pic: Karting Australia

From go-karting kid to F1 crown

Some of Formula 1’s biggest names started their careers burning rubber on the go-karting track and the sport is growing fast in Australia. Find out where you can give karting a red hot go

UPDATEDSpace
Gilmour Space Technologies has set a date for the  launch of its Eris rocket from a space station near the northern Queensland town of Bowen. Picture: Supplied/Gilmour Space Technologies.,

Historic Aussie rocket launch holds

Australia’s historic Eris rocket launch has been delayed – are its makers on track to become the first space company in history to make orbit on their maiden attempt? Watch this space

Explainers
Mark Knight cartoon for Herald Sun, May 13, 2025

Pioneer wins Libs’ leadership duel

Cartoonist Mark Knight draws on the classic western plot of cowboys pulling pistols at dawn to capture the Liberal Party’s leadership vote – but is the female pioneer now on clean up duty?

VIDEOAnimals
The veterinary and zookeeping teams at Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo are currently hand-rearing a Cheetah cub delivered via c-section at the Zoo’s Wildlife Hospital in February. These pictures are at 7 weeks old. Picture: Taronga Western Plains Zoo,

Meet a miracle cheetah cub cutie

This tiny cheetah cub survived a traumatic premature birth thanks to an emergency caesarean section. Watch the adorable video of her drinking from a bottle at just two weeks of age

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SPECIAL FEATURES

The newshound hub

The newshound hub

Find facts sheets, classroom activities, How To videos, AI updates and related news HERE!

Continuous culture

Continuous culture

Welcome to our dedicated page for news and current affairs relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Ask Healthy Harold

Ask Healthy Harold

Healthy Harold has been educating Australian students about health and wellbeing for 40 years – he’s also a monthly contributor here at Kids News!

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EDITOR'S PICKS

News
KIDS NEWS 2025: reader survey artwork, 4:3 thumbnail plus subs. Picture: Darren Gover

Take the Kids News reader poll!

Welcome back – Term 2, here we come! Here’s a reader poll to help us make Kids News an even better free literacy resource for your classrooms. Tell us what you think by taking the poll HERE!

Space

Space find excites ET believers

A new claim of alien life has put the space world into a bind. Picture: Supplied

Humanity is a social species and the dream of alien contact may be cause for a big interplanetary party someday … but one team of astronomers is already celebrating – so what have they found?

VIDEOSpelling Bee

Bee winners put PM to the test

CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - NewsWire Photos - November 25, 2024: National Champions of the 2024 Prime Ministers Spelling Bee.  L-R  Journalist and editor Diana Jenkins, Orange level champion (Years 5-6) category Jillian Strong, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Red level (Years 7-8) National Champion Aditya Paul, Green level champion (Years 3-4) category Echo Feng and News Corp Australia's Community Ambassador Penny Fowler in the Prime Minister's office at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

It has become a tradition for the PM Spelling Bee winners to give the Prime Minister a little spelling test of his own, but there was one especially tricky word that Mr Albanese chose to pass on

ANIMALS

Animals
Baby saltwater crocodile found in Zuccoli pool. Picture: Facebook

Crocs in swimming pool surprise

Two crocodiles in 48 hours were plucked from separate suburbs in Australia’s Top End as the roving young reptiles decided to cool off in a couple of backyard pools – would you take the plunge?

VIDEOAnimals
What do you think of this kitten-in-a-cup - is it cute or cruel? Picture: screengrab/Newsflare via Reuters Connect. Copyright: This asset – including all text, audio and imagery – is provided by Newsflare. Reuters Connect has not verified or endorsed the material, which is being made available to professional media customers to facilitate the free flow of global news and information.

Cat carried inside cup in Vietnam

Footage of a sweet little kitten in Vietnam sitting squashed in a see-through cup seems funny at first glance – but is it cute or cruel? SEE THE VIDEO AND TAKE OUR KIDS NEWS POLL

VIDEOAnimals
Valerie the missing sausage dog on KI. Picture: Supplied

Lost for 529 days, dog is reunited

Alone and lost on Kangaroo Island for 529 days, Valerie the miniature dachshund has finally been reunited with her overjoyed owners after winning her rescuers’ hearts WATCH THE VIDEO

Animals
DAILY TELEGRAPH. APRIL 30, 2025. 
Pictured are the next litter of puppies destined to become assistance dogs and transform peoplesÕ lives has arrived. Now in training at the Assistance Dogs Australia puppy kindergarten in Waterfall, the seven black labradors have been dubbed the ÒE-litterÓ.
They are: Echo,  Everly,  Elroy, Emerald,  Euan, Else, and Eleanor, Picture: Tim Hunter.

‘E-litter’ puppies to change lives

Not only are they adorable, these puppies have a special ability to improve the lives of whoever takes them home. Find out what sets them apart and how you can help them help others

SPORT

Health
Walk Safely to School Day is Friday 16 May . Picture: supplied

Plan a Walk to School Day path

Walking to school is a fun way to get your body and brain into gear for a great day of learning – so let’s all arrange with family and friends to join Walk Safely to School Day this Friday 16 May

UPDATEDSport
McLaren's Australian driver Oscar Piastri celebrates on the podium after winning the 2025 Miami Formula One Grand Prix at Miami International Autodrome in Miami Gardens, Florida, on May 4, 2025. (Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP)

Piastri goes viral after Miami F1

Oscar Piastri has won his fourth Grand Prix this year, taking Miami and the world by storm in his bid to be crowned the F1 king as his celebratory dance goes viral WATCH THE VIDEO

SOCIETY & CULTURE

History
Hundreds of artefacts, some dating back to early 1800s, have been uncovered at Hunter Street’s metro site, including a property once owned by prominent Sydney merchant, Prosper de Mestre.  , , The sandstock brick footings believed to be part of the de Mestre residence and counting house, a traditional office where business finances were managed, were uncovered., , The footings date from the 1820s to 1840s. Hunter Street West site heritage investigations. Picture: Supplied

New Metro goes back to the future

What started as the construction of an underground rail network has ended in a journey through time after the long-ago home of a prominent Sydneysider was found hidden under the city streets

History
The walls were very intricate. Picture: Supplied

Pompeii home reveals new clues

The excavation of an ancient Pompeii home buried by disaster has helped archaeologists piece together the moment Mount Vesuvius went up in smoke almost 2000 years ago. But what did they find?

History
KIDS NEWS. Excavated hole with visible bricks and wood from the shipwreck. Photo: John Fhær Engedal Nissen, the National Museum of Denmark

Mutiny and the missing slaves

It was an unexpected series of events that led the crew of these two Danish slave frigates to abandon ship and steal away. But how did the 600 slaves on board vanish before the ships sank?

VIDEONews
VATICAN CITY, VATICAN - MAY 8: The newly elected Pontiff, Pope Leo XIV is seen for the first time from the Vatican balcony on May 8, 2025 in Vatican City, Vatican. White smoke was seen over the Vatican early this evening as the Conclave of Cardinals took just two days to elect Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who will be known as Pope Leo (Leone) XIV, as the 267th Supreme Pontiff after the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday.  (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Pope Leo the first American pontiff

Pope Leo XIV’s first words were of peace, as Bishop Robert Prevost became history’s first ever American Holy Father. Here is a translation of his speech, delivered in Italian and one part Spanish