

Short & Curly
ABC
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.
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.
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
Mentioned books

Jun 26, 2018 • 26min
A sad tale about Matt Beard’s pet fish, Bucket and Spade
Matt was so excited when he bought two pet fish and named them Bucket and Spade. It wasn't long though before one of those fish got sick. Very sick. The pet shop said he needed special chemicals for the water, so he spent a lot of money to make things better. Sadly, things didn't improve for Bucket. Or was it Spade? Anyway, did Matt do the right thing for his fish? And is a fish's life as important as other types of pets?

Jun 26, 2018 • 22min
Who should decide when you can get your ears pierced?
Some kids really want to get their ears pierced but their parents won’t let them. So, who should get to decide when and how you’re allowed to decorate your body with a piercing or even a tattoo? We get out the piercing gun and the tattoo ink and find out how much control we should have over our own bodies.

Jun 26, 2018 • 20min
What’s the point of school uniforms?
School uniforms have been around for hundreds of years but what's the point of them? Do they kill your individuality, or do they help you focus on learning, without all the worries about fashion and how you dress? We hear from children who wear uniforms and children who don't.

Jun 26, 2018 • 23min
Was Robin Hood right? Should you rob the rich to help the poor?
Robin Hood and his band of merry men of Sherwood forest reckoned rich people had it too good. So, they roamed around the countryside robbing the rich to give to the poor. Do you agree?

Jun 26, 2018 • 24min
Is it okay to use technology to help you sing better?
Molly Daniels thinks she has what it takes to be a superstar pop singer. The only trouble is, she's out of tune and can't hit the notes properly! Eek. But wait, there's a program many musicians use which "fixes" their voice. Is it wrong to use technology to make you sound better than you are?

May 28, 2018 • 2min
INTRODUCING — Short & Curly update!
We've got exciting news for you — Short & Curly is coming back soon! Molly, Carl and Matt haven't just been lazing around at the beach eating lollies, they've been super busy making you brand new episodes. And they're awesome! Hit play for a sneak peek. And tell your friends to subscribe now, so you can all hear the new shows as soon as they come out.Producer: Kyla SlavenExecutive Producer: Ian Walker

Dec 13, 2017 • 22min
Life, death and a runaway train
An out-of-control train is heading straight for a group of people who don't know they are about to be hit. You, as the driver, have some life and death decisions to make. What will you do? Hop on for a journey into one of the world's most famous thought experiments.This season is a special collaboration between the ABC Audio Studios and WNYC Studios in New York City.Hosts: Carl Smith and Shumita BasuSeries Producer: Kyla SlavenExecutive Producers: Emily Botein and Ian WalkerProducer: Amy PearlSound Engineers: Isaac Jones, Hamish Camilleri, Jolen CamilleriProduction Support: Sarah Sandbach and Brigit Berger

Dec 13, 2017 • 27min
When is it okay to dob on someone?
Kids dob to parents and teachers for all kinds of reasons. It often feels bad when someone tells on you. And, if you're the one doing the dobbing (or snitching as our American friends say), the kid who gets in trouble might not like you for it. So should we tell on people at all? When is it right to speak up and when is it better to keep your mouth shut?This season is a special collaboration between the ABC Audio Studios and WNYC Studios in New York City.Hosts: Carl Smith and Shumita BasuSeries Producer: Kyla SlavenExecutive Producers: Emily Botein and Ian WalkerProducer: Amy PearlSound Engineers: Isaac Jones, Hamish Camilleri, Jolen CamilleriProduction Support: Sarah Sandbach and Brigit Berger

Dec 13, 2017 • 28min
Were the Ancient Romans bad people?
The Ancient Romans were a bloodthirsty lot. As entertainment, they headed down to the local arena, to watch people and animals fight to the death. Today this would be illegal in many parts of the world. But the Roman Empire was a long time ago, and maybe they didn't know any better. So were the Romans wrong in how they lived their lives and can we judge them for it?This season is a special collaboration between the ABC Audio Studios and WNYC Studios in New York City.Hosts: Carl Smith and Shumita BasuSeries Producer: Kyla SlavenExecutive Producers: Emily Botein and Ian WalkerProducer: Amy PearlSound Engineers: Isaac Jones, Hamish Camilleri, Jolen CamilleriProduction Support: Sarah Sandbach and Brigit Berger

Dec 13, 2017 • 24min
What sort of life should an elephant have?
Elephants are extremely intelligent and highly social creatures who traditionally live in large family herds. But their traditional natural world isn't perfect. In the wild, they face many dangers, including from humans. An elephant living in a zoo has a very different life, a much safer one. But they must live a life controlled by humans and cope without the support of their social herd. So, are zoos a good place for elephants? Would a 'wild' life necessarily be a longer, safer or better life? And, how do we even know what counts as a 'good life' if you are an elephant?This season is a special collaboration between the ABC Audio Studios and WNYC Studios in New York City.Hosts: Carl Smith and Shumita BasuSeries Producer: Kyla SlavenExecutive Producers: Emily Botein and Ian WalkerProducer: Amy PearlSound Engineers: Isaac Jones, Hamish Camilleri, Jolen CamilleriProduction Support: Sarah Sandbach and Brigit Berger


