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Short & Curly
ABC Australia · Kids & family
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…
More from this show
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Finders keepers
We’re travelling back to the stellar 1970s and Carl has spotted a totally far-out skateboard seemingly abandoned at the local skate park. Can he just… take it? When does finders keepers apply, and how much do we need to worry about the ‘losers weepers’ bit?
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Should you be forced to keep learning a musical instrument?
Molly’s newly adopted son Carl Smith Hyphen Daniels Jnr does NOT want to play the violin. He says it’s boring, and hurts his fingers. But Mamma Molly knows best. Why is it that parents can tell us what to do?
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The Tragedy of Commonalia
Commonalia is an idyllic paradise, and all the happy pixies that call Commonalia home spend their days exploring the grand forest. The trees of the forest have healing powers, their seeds can be used for medicine, and their branches used to build furniture and homes. But one day soon, the forest will disappear and…
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Is the number 5 real?
You can see 5 dogs playing in a park, you can hold 5 lollies, and you can be 5 years old. But is the number 5 itself real? Molly, Carl and Eleanor head on a road trip to find the number 5, and try to figure out what it even means for something to be real.
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Zombies Right to Life
After five years of brutal fighting, Carl and Molly have defeated all the zombies on planet Earth, including the zombified version of their Producer, Kyla. But is that zombie still Kyla? And what would it mean if that zombie was Kyla… should that make a difference to how we treat them?
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Wait... they didn't pay Indigenous workers and they stole their land?
Short & Curly will be back very soon, but while you're waiting you should check out the podcast Wait... They Did What!? Just like Short and Curly, Wait... They Did What!? examines some ethical conundrums and questionable behaviour. Like in the 1960s when Indigenous people were forced to work practically for free on…
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BITES – Being forced to step out of your comfort zone?
It feels soooo nice staying in your comfort zone – it's so comfortable there! But stepping and stretching outside your comfort zone is an important part of life. Is it right when schools or parents push us to do things outside our comfort zone, before we’re ready? Or is a gentle push sometimes the only thing that will…
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BITES – Is it fair if siblings get the same things at different ages?
It was supposed to be the greatest day of Carl’s life – finally, his parents said he was old enough to go on the big dipper ride at the fun park. But! Carl’s parents let his little sister go on the ride the same day! Is it fair that she only had to wait to be 8-years-old, but Carl had to wait to be 10? How do we tell…
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BITES – Getting annoyed when people don’t say your name properly?
Names are really important things – they form such a big part of our identities. But for people with less common names, or names with uncommon spellings, it can get really exhausting constantly correcting people's pronunciation. How important is it that we pronounce people's names correctly, and how annoyed can we be…
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BITES – Do adults-only areas discriminate against children?
There are heaps of seemingly cool places that kids aren’t allowed to visit – fancy resorts, or sometimes even rock concerts. Most of the time we accept these rules, but are they actually unfair? And if we were to let kids into adult places, would we have to start letting adults in kids' spaces?
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BITES – What is the meaning of life?
That’s right Curly Crew, we’re going there. We’re answering the big kahuna, the ultimate question – what is the meaning of life? No spoilers here! But it definitely involves snacks, I reckon.
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A fairy tale by the campfire – is it okay to scare kids into being good?
At Camp Short & Curly, the marshmallows are toasty, the swings are wild, and Molly’s Amazing Cool Book Club is about to begin — but her stories? YIKES! From creepy sea witches to thumb-chopping tailors, why were some old fairy tales so weird and scary? A quick warning: this episode includes some old fairytales which…
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The Emperor’s New Clothes - the nudie musical edition
In this epic musical retelling of The Emperor’s New Clothes, Molly and Carl take you deep into a kingdom where following fashion rules and telling the truth is harder than it looks. There’s a sneaky tailor, an emperor who’s obsessed with her wardrobe, and a whole crowd pretending to see invisible clothes — until one…
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Little Red Riding Hood - Why are wolves always the baddies?
Why are wolves always the villains in old European fairy tales? And is it OK to stereotype animals, or people for that matter? To investigate, Molly, Carl and Eleanor head off on a fairytale research trip to the snowy forests of Germany. But their adventure takes a spooky turn when they get lost on the way back to…
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Rumpelstiltskin – is it OK to break a promise?
Short & Curly's world-famous investigative journalist Molly Daniels uncovers a juicy fairytale scandal full of royal drama, magical gold, and a very peculiar little man named... Rumpelstiltskin. But things get serious too— what if a promise you make is made under pressure? Do you still have to keep it?
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The Ugly Duckling – when is excluding someone mean, and when is it OK?
A group of ducklings decide one of their own just doesn’t fit in. He can’t keep up with their games, and — let’s be honest — kind of ruins the vibe. But is it fair to leave someone out just because they don’t have rizz? And is it even possible to create a close-knit group of friends without turning someone else into…
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What were Molly and Carl like at 10-years-old?
Molly and Carl are celebrating a special anniversary... and you are, too! Happy 10th birthday Curly Crew, thanks for all your curly questions and phenomenal feedback. (And get excited for a new season, dropping soon!)
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BITES – Being scared of spiders
Molly’s just an itsy bitsy cutesy spider, but Carl is freaking out! Lots of people are scared of spiders. In fact, people can be scared of a whole range of things you might find surprising, like a fear of clowns or paper or pancakes. But is that OK?
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BITES – Driverless cars
Cars that drive themselves are no longer just something you’d see in a sci-fi movie… they’re on roads and highways right around the world. But what should happen if something goes wrong? Whose fault would it be – the passenger? The manufacturer? The... car itself?!
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BITES – Grown-ups making the rules
Who’s in charge at school? Why, that would be the teachers. And who is in charge at home? Your parents or carers. Who is in charge of running the country? Politicians, that’s who. And what do they all have in common?! They’re all grown-ups! How is that fair?!
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BITES – Cats VS Dogs
As long as kitties have been meowing, and puppies have been prowling, people have asked - which is better, Cats or Dogs? Finally, the Short & Curly crew tackle this colossal question... but is it even a philosophical question?
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BITES – Judging people because of who they're friends with
Molly is having a party so she’s invited over the usual gang – Carl, Eleanor, Tony Ravioli and… the Joker! Batman’s nemesis!! And he’s not a great guy, what with all the crimes he’s committed in Gotham City. Is Molly making the right call here? Should you judge people because of who they’re friends with? Thanks to…
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Should you have to pass a test to have kids?
We test for everything: to get a licence, to move to the next grade, to prove you're ready to use a pen. But when it comes to becoming a biological parent, there's no test to pass. Should there be? Would a parenting test be a good idea? Brains Trust — Gibbs Street Public School, Perth: Fitzroy, Shahla, Jorja, Nafi…
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Is it wrong to think bad thoughts about people?
We all have thoughts about other people that we’d never say aloud. But do our private thoughts say something about the kind of people we are? Or is it only our actions that count? Brains Trust - Gibbs Street Public School, Perth: Layla, Avjot, Johanna, Imogen, Sampada, Claudia. Listen to Short & Curly, the fun and…
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Graffiti or Gallery? When does graffiti become street art?
Ever walked past a spray-painted wall and thought, "That's actually really cool and beautiful!" But is it art or just stylish vandalism? Molly and Carl grab some spray cans and dive into the messy, colourful world of graffiti to ask: when does a rebellious scribble become art, and who gets to decide? Brains Trust —…
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Risky Rescues: Should you save someone who ignored warnings?
There's wild surf at the beach today, but people are still choosing to swim outside the area patrolled by lifeguards. If those swimmers get into trouble out there, should other people put themselves at risk to save them? Or does ignoring the warnings mean you're on your own? Brains Trust — Gibbs Street Public School…
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Bad dog or bad owner? Who’s really to blame?
Most dogs are loving companions, but what about the ones that bite, bark, or cause chaos? Is a dog's bad behaviour their own fault or is it down to the way they were raised? From neglected pups to misunderstood mutts, we dig into the debate: Who's really responsible when a dog goes rogue, and what should we do about…
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Can you lie even when you don’t say anything?
The line between truth and deception can be blurry. Is leaving out important information a lie? What about misleading gestures, or half-truths? Babysitting Matt's kids force Molly and Carl to confront these complexities firsthand as they lie to get out of tricky situations. Summer Hill Public School: Dimitri, Mia…
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Shape shifters — When is something no longer itself?
Join Molly and Carl as they valiantly attempt a world record sailing around the globe on their boat, the Theseus. Faced with a constant need for boat repairs, they are forced to confront a perplexing question: how many changes can you make to something before it's no longer the same thing it started out as? South…
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Do we need a rule book to be a good person?
Molly and Carl visit Greece in search of the mythical "Scroll of Rights and Wrongs", an ancient guide written by the smartest person to have ever lived: Adamantia The Wise*. The elusive ancient text contains the ultimate guide to morality, but what does it say? South Wagga Public School: Noah, Lucas, Jasmine, Hunter…
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