

ABC KIDS News Time
ABC Australia
Every Friday, join Emily for News Time as she counts down the week’s most interesting news stories for kids. From amazing animals to special events, the natural world to outer space, News Time is made especially for children to help them understand the world around them.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 2, 2026 • 12min
Anonymous good and whittling wood
This episode of News Time is a wholesome one! We’ll hear about a generous donation from a stranger, then travel to a small-town footy field for a community-wide kickaround. We’ll take it slow for a surprising hobby that’s making a comeback, and for our Wow of the Week, we’ll cherish a furry friendship that’s lasted much longer than we realised! Quiz Questions1. Who donated all the food to the flooded town? 2. What sort of football do the Thargomindah Bulls play? 3. What was Dame Sarah’s job before she became the Archbishop of Canterbury? 4. What is the word, starting with W, for carving spoons and shapes out of wood? 5. How long have humans had dogs around as companions? Answers1. We don’t know! They chose to stay anonymous. 2. Rugby league 3. Nurse 4. Whittling 5. About 15,000 years

Mar 26, 2026 • 13min
Tree lobster and bowling bumper
It’s a wiggly, squirmy episode of News Time today – we’ll hear about a creative environmentalist using fly larvae, or maggots, to make a positive difference.Plus, we’ll go island hopping to spot a special stick insect with a surprising nickname. And I’d say you should pack your sunscreen for our intergalactic Wow of the Week, but where we’re going? That wouldn’t help much… Quiz Questions1.What do Shane and Charli feed their fly larvae?2.Can you name one of the nicknames for the Lord Howe island stick insect?3.What do the dancers with disability say you need to be able to do, to learn and grow?4.Which two sports have been combined to create Squalleyball?5.What would it smell like on the lava planet?Answers1.Food waste from local businesses. 2.They’re tree lobsters, or walking sausages. 3.Fail.4.Squash and Volleyball5.Rotten eggs!

Mar 19, 2026 • 13min
Tuneful honeyeater and footy fever
I hope you’ve got something orange to wear, because on News Time today we’re celebrating Harmony Day, and multiculturalism in Australia. We’ll welcome people from all over the world in another way, too – the Women’s Asian Cup Football Competition is on! And the best female soccer players from all over Asia are here in Australia for the big tournament. Plus, hear baby birds learning old songs, and take a dive deep underwater to explore a long-lost shipwreck.Quiz Questions1.What’s the word, starting with m, for lots of different cultures living in harmony? 2.Who is the captain of the Matildas? 3.How many years of dancing is the company celebrating? 4.What species of bird has been re-taught their own long song? 5.Which Australian city was the sunken boat named after? Answers1.Multiculturalism2.Sam Kerr3.50 years4.Regent Honeyeater5.The City of Hobart

Mar 12, 2026 • 13min
Racing fast and a brand new class
Today’s episode has a little bit of everything. You’ll hear about some sportspeople taking on the best in the world at the Paralympic Winter Games, then meet a sporty, speedy teen travelling the world to follow her dream.After that, we’ll get a little bit sticky learning something new about sweet, runny honey before grabbing a turtle and a toothbrush for the Wow of the Week!Quiz Questions1.Aussie flag bearer and Paralympian Ben Tudhope has already won a medal at the games… was it a gold, silver or bronze medal?2.What bee behaviour made the honey even stronger at fighting germs?3.What country is Joanne going to for her racing career?4.What is it called when someone is both Deaf and blind?5.What part of the turtle did Josh fix with the dental supplies?Answers1.A silver medal. 2.The bees visited lots of different kinds of flowers. 3.Japan. 4.Deafblind. 5.It’s shell.

Mar 5, 2026 • 13min
Odd horse sounds and basketball rebounds
Rev your engines News Sleuths, because on today’s episode we’ll take a ride in a classic car fixed by hundreds of hardworking students.Plus, we’ll hear about a colossal coral colony before we meet a scientist pulling something very useful out of thin air for our Wow of the Week.Quiz Questions1.True or false? Coral is a living thing.2.What sport are the Indigenous All-Stars heading to the US to play?3.After they sell the car, what will the community use the money for?4.A whinny is a combination of two sounds… singing and what?5.Professor Omar says that the technology to save the environment is already here. What does he say we need next?Answers1.True2.Basketball3.To fund a rescue helicopter4.Whistling5.Courage

Feb 26, 2026 • 13min
Seagrass sowing & Nippers clubs growing
On today’s episode, we’re meeting some marine biologists saving endangered seagrass meadows!Plus, we're hearing about a new board game that is helping build people’s confidence…and their dragon knowledge.Quiz Questions1. Where are they trialling the environmentally friendly mooring? 2. How many gigalitres of water does the company want to take each year?3. How far is the Canberra Broulee Nippers club from the beach?4. What is the new board game called, in story number 2?5. How long had it been since a quoll joey had been born in the wild, in NSW?Answers1. The Sydney harbour!2. 40 gigalitres of water!3. 150km!4. DOTS or Dragons of the Spectrum5. A century!

Feb 19, 2026 • 13min
Sun safe grapes & flood escapes
On today’s episode, we’re hearing how Australian farmers are keeping their grapes sun safe.Plus, we're meeting a man named Bruce who stumbled upon a fossil!Quiz Questions1. What are grape growers putting on their grapes to protect them from the sun?2. What country did the school kids travel to?3. What type of dinosaur did the fossilised footprint belong to?4. How many animals did Ingrid and her children save from Daly River?5. What is the name of the micronation?Answers1. Sunscreen2. Aotearoa or New Zealand3. A Sauropodomorph4. 10 dogs and 1 cat5. Verdis

Feb 12, 2026 • 14min
Frogs in spas and winter sports stars
On today’s episode, we’ll strap our skis on and head to Italy for the Winter Olympics.Plus, we’ll bliss out in a spa with some frogs and meet a scientist bringing a little bit of stardust down to planet Earth. Quiz Questions1.According to the Chinese zodiac, this year is the year of which animal?2.In which country are the winter Olympics being held this year?3.How far did Austin swim to get help for his family?4.What sort of disease do they hope the frog spas will cure?5.Can you name one of the ingredients in the earth-made cosmic dust?Answers1.It’s the year of the horse2.Italy3.4km, or the length of 22 football fields4.Fungus (Chytrid Fungus to be exact!)5.Nitrogen, carbon dioxide or acetylene gas… or 10,000 volts of power!

Feb 5, 2026 • 14min
Runaway black holes and movie roles
Spacesuits on, News Sleuths! On today's episode, Emily is taking you into the belly of a runaway black hole. Plus, we'll meet movie makers, code breakers and magic flowers.Quiz Questions1.What’s the name of the movie that the children helped shape?2.What’s the word, starting with M, for the little things on trees that are eating the harmful gasses?3.What is a runaway black hole?4.What’s the thing, starting with the letter C, that Neth is helping teach people to do?5.What colour are these mostly magic flowers?Answers1.Imagine2.Microbes3.A blackhole that travels through space4.Coding5.Red

Jan 29, 2026 • 14min
Ocean saviour and an albino alligator
Emily has got you covered with five fantastic stories in this week's episode. Hear the quiz questions at the end of the episode, or read them here. Quiz Questions1.What’s the name of the condition that made the alligator a light white colour?2.What is the first name of the young artist? hint! It’s the same as the name of the alligator!3.How many countries have ratified the agreement?4.What town is wind surfer Sarah Kenyon from?5.What did Veronika the cow use to scratch herself?Answers1.Albinism2.Claude3.834.Geraldton5.A brush


