Podcasts · Kids & Family · Society & Culture
Short & Curly
ABC Australia
194 episodes
Short & Curly is the fun and educational ABC Kids and Family podcast that makes philosophy and ethics easy, entertaining, and thought-provoking. Hosted by Molly Daniels, Carl Smith, and philosopher Eleanor Gordon-Smith, the show explores big questions for kids about right and wrong, fairness, truth, knowledge, logic, beauty, and art.
More about the show
Perfect for kids aged 8–12, Short & Curly is loved by families, parents, and teachers worldwide. One of the best kids shows for curious minds, it inspires learning, laughter, and big ideas that help children learn how to think, not what to think.
Created by the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), trusted makers of award-winning children's content.
Binge this free educational ABC kids podcast series on the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts worldwide
Classroom Resources: Listen to the podcast in the classroom or as homework and use these resources to explore and expand upon the diverse themes and subjects covered in the show.
Episodes page 2 of 4
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What if you can’t invite all your friends to your birthday party?
Is it okay to not invite all your friends to your birthday party? Molly has an exciting plan for her next birthday party and she can't wait to invite her best and closest friends. The only trouble is she has five close…
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Who should get the magical gemstone? A tale of elves, fairies and justice
There's a small village of elves who have a magical gemstone that brings them great prosperity. But one day a group of fairies turn up claiming the stone originally belonged to them. Hundreds of years ago, the elves'…
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Is it okay to jump the queue at a waterslide park?
Queuing up for HOURS to go on a 30-second water slide is so annoying! But what if you could pay money to go straight to the front of the queue? Going on a water slide can be so much fun, but not when you're standing in…
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Should grown-ups lie to you?
Molly has never been afraid of getting a needle because she knows the Needle Ninja will reward her bravery with a basket of Japanese lollies, cakes and toys. Carl has never heard of this person and thinks Molly has…
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Do you want to become a vampire?
Would you like to live forever? Molly and Carl like the idea of being immortal. The upsides: you won’t ever die, you’ll never run out of time to try new things and meet new people. The downsides: drinking blood and…
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Why is your room so messy?
We visit the bedroom of one of the messiest kids we know, Harriet. She hates cleaning her room more than anything in life and it always looks like someone opened every drawer and threw all the contents into the air.…
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Do you have to forgive someone who says sorry?
If someone does or says something bad to you, but then apologises for it, should you forgive them no matter what? Even if you don't really feel it in your heart? Brains Trust: Lyneham Primary School: Neve, Ashwyn,…
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Is a child's life more valuable than an adult's?
The Titanic cruise ship hit an iceberg in 1912 and sank to the bottom of the ocean. Lots of people died because there weren't enough life rafts for everyone. Women and children were offered seats on the lifeboats first…
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Matt's pick: Is Santa Claus a bad person?
Imagine if you were being watched every second of the day to make sure you behaved well. And then you got rewarded or punished depending on how you acted? In this episode, we take a long hard look at Santa Claus,…
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Carl's pick: Oedipus – The Musical
Meet Oedipus. He's the main character in one of the world’s oldest stories. He lived a long time ago and he did some pretty bad things. But was it his fault or was it fate? Was there anything he could have done to…
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Molly's pick: Is it ever okay to be a cannibal?
Molly, Carl and Matt become lost at sea, they've run out of food and they lack basic survival skills. So, would it be okay for them to eat each other if they get really really really hungry? Maybe don't listen to this…
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INTRODUCING — new series A World Without …
This season we go on a little adventure in our minds. Join Molly, Carl and Matt as we imagine what the world might be like without things like schools and sadness and punishment. Would everything be better without them?
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A World Without … Privacy
Imagine if something private you told a friend could be shouted out for the whole world to hear? Or if an embarrassing bodily function was shared with everyone? Some people say privacy is only necessary if you have…
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A World Without … Heartbreak
We often feel sadness and heartbreak when something bad happens, like when a much-loved pet dies or someone at school doesn't want to be friends anymore. Or even when your sports team loses the grand final after you've…
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A World Without … Schools
What's the point of school anyway? That's a question lots of you have written to us to ask. Nearly every day of the week for years and years and years, you have to get up, put your uniform on and go to a big building…
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A World Without … Punishment
What if there was no fine for letting your dog poo on the footpath? No consequences for hitting your brother or sister? And teachers never gave detention for breaking a school rule? If we lived in a world without…
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A World Without … Winning and losing
Would you still want to play sport if there was no one keeping score, there were no winners or losers, and no trophies at the end of the season? What would be the point? On the other hand, can competition actually ruin…
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BITE — Money on the Street
If you find a $20 note on the street, can you keep it? Does it make it okay if it's just $5? Money is complicated, especially because everyone has a different relationship with it. So, when it comes to money, things…
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BITE — Loopholes
Do you have a favourite game? Maybe it's 'tip' or 'snap'? There are rules everywhere: from playing a game, watching TV, and even how to ask a question in class. But where there are rules, there are often loopholes.…
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BITE — Independence
The word ‘independent’ often sits with other words – like independent learning, independent thinking, independent adult, and lots more. So, what is independence and at what age should we get it? Thank you to Leela…
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BITE — Scared of Change
Getting comfortable can feel warm, nice, and sometimes even soothing. So, when we're happily floating along in life, a sudden tide change can really rock the boat. How do you deal with change? Should you be scared?…
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BITE — Mistaken Beliefs
Beliefs can shape the way someone speaks, acts, and even dreams. Everyone believes different things, but sometimes those things aren’t true. If your friend’s belief isn’t quite right, should you tell them? Does it…
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Should children swear?
Lots of adults think children should never swear. Many Short & Curly listeners tell us they secretly swear behind their parent’s backs. So what’s wrong with swearing anyway? Aren't they just harmless words? Brains…
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The ethics of "getting even"
Have you ever wanted to give someone a taste of their own medicine? They might have hurt you or been mean to you or taken something that's yours. But is it okay to do the same thing back to them? Brains Trust – Anula…
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When does curiosity become rudeness?
Short & Curly listener Luca often gets stared at when he is in his wheelchair. His parents think the people who look too long are just being curious but Luca thinks it's just plain rude. So when does curiosity become…
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Should you kill insects?
There are about 10 quintillion insects in the world. Yes, that's a real number. And it's a lot! They're very small and very different from us humans. We might not stop to think about it before we poison a cockroach,…
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Humans – good or bad?
War, environmental destruction, inequality. We humans can do some pretty bad stuff. Lots of listeners have asked us if humans are more good than they are bad. Maybe it's time for you to be the judge. Brains Trust –…
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BITE – Cartoon Violence
If you love watching cartoons where the good guys battle the bad, it probably has fighting, explosions, and maybe guns too. Is it okay to watch violence if it's in a cartoon? Can we laugh and find it funny? Thank you…
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BITE – Friends with Teacher
Friends are like flowers. There are lots of different ones out there, but you pick a couple to be your favourites. But what about your teacher? Can you be friends with them? And if they're a friend, can they still be…
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BITE – Truth Telling
What if your friend asks if their shirt looks cool and you don't think it does? Or your dad asks if you like his gift, but you actually don't? The truth can be so hard to say – especially to the people we love the…
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BITE – Bullying the Bully
Bullying is being mean to someone over and over again. It can happen at home, school, online, on the bus… and it's not always physical. When you're bullied, you can feel hurt, angry, and sad, all at once. So, if a…
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BITE – Family Sacrifices
Sacrifice is a big word, and it's often said in a big situation. How much should a family sacrifice for one person's happiness? What if you're the only one sacrificing? Thank you to Eli for this curly question – hope…
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Should we ban homework?
It's one of the most requested topics ever – homework! Nobody loves doing it, but is it something we should do or not? Molly and Carl find out whether teachers should be allowed to give you work to do outside of school…
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Should you be punished for something you did a long time ago?
Molly has a confession to make. In her youth, she was a famous cat burglar, who stole precious jewellery and never got caught! But now as an elderly woman, justice has caught up with her. But if her crimes were a long…
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The backyard chicken dilemma
Short & Curly listener Tabitha thought it would be great to get some backyard chickens. Delicious, fresh eggs every morning and cute birds to name and look after. But in reality, it wasn't so easy. Like, what happens…
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Is it okay to yell at a robot?
Have you ever found yourself being rude to a smart speaker because it doesn’t understand you? As robots get better and smarter and more human-like, how should we treat them? Does it matter if we act badly towards…
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Is envy always a bad thing?
If you've seen the movie The Lion King, you'll know that envy and jealousy play a big part in the story. Scar's envy of his brother King Mufasa takes him down a very dark and murderous path. But is envy always a bag…
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How to win an argument with your parents
Have you ever been trying to convince your parents of something and just ended up crying, yelling or storming off to sulk in your room? Grown-ups might be bigger than you, they might have more power than you, and they…
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Is it okay to read someone else's diary?
Anne Frank was a young Jewish girl who was killed by the Nazi's a long time ago. Before she died she wrote a diary which ended up become a book. It has now been read by millions of people and is often given to school…
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Do toys and games shape who we'll become?
People often give certain kinds of toys and games to girls when they are young and other kinds of toys and games to boys. But do the toys and games you are given as a child shape what sort of person you will become in…
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Do you have to forgive someone who says sorry?
If someone does or says something bad to you, but then apologises for it, should you forgive them no matter what? Even if you don't really feel it in your heart? Brains Trust: Lyneham Primary School: Neve, Ashwyn,…
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Whose job is it to clean up space junk?
There's so much junk flying around in outer space – broken bits of old rockets and thousands of dead satellites. There are even golf balls left on the moon! But who has the responsibility for cleaning up all this…
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ANNOUNCEMENT — From Short & Curly headquarters
Molly has an update about when new episodes are coming out.
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BITE — Who gets the biggest piece of cake?
If you make something delicious to eat, do you have to share it evenly with other people? You did all the work, so is it fair to have to share? Today's BITE: If you make a cake is it okay to have a bigger slice than…
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BITE - Parents playing favourites
If parents give more attention to one of your siblings does that mean they're playing favourites? Is it okay to give you less attention than you RIGHTLY DESERVE??? Today's BITE: Is it okay for your parents to give…
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BITE — You look funny
People get judged for how they dress, the way they do their hair and what kind of body they have. But what would life be like if we just ignored all our differences completely? Today's BITE: Would the world be a…
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BITE — Girls’ teams and boys’ teams
Why are most sports trams girls only and boys only? Even when it's the same type of sport they are playing! Today's BITE: Should we get rid of separate boys and girls' sports teams? Thanks to Charlie for this…
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BITE — Murdering murderers
If someone does something bad, is it just and fair to do that same thing back to them? Today's BITE: Is it wrong to murder a murderer? Thanks to Maddison for this excellent question.
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Molly's PICK — Would you donate your kidney to a stranger?
Molly went on a deep dive into the Short & Curly archive to find you one of her fave episodes. It's all about whether you should donate a kidney to a family member or friend if they needed one.
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Carl's PICK — Should we kill feral cats?
We all know Carl loves cats, but today he has an important feline update, as well as bringing you one of his favourite episodes from the archives. It's all about whether it's okay to take the lives of some animals,…
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