Have you ever heard your child repeat something wild that they saw online that made you stop and think “Wait…where did they hear that?”

With kids now being exposed to more information than ever (some of which is seriously questionable), it’s never been more important for them to learn how to tell what’s real and what’s not. That’s where a clever classroom tool called Newshounds is making a difference, and kids are loving it.

Newshounds is a fun, nine-part interactive game being used in over 4,500 Aussie classrooms, designed to teach kids aged 8-12 how to spot misinformation, understand the difference between fact and opinion, and become more savvy online , all while playing a game.

Kids take on the told of Squiz-E, an animated detective dog, and go on little missions through online ‘newsrooms’ and media challenges. So instead of zoning out in a boring lesson, kids get to engage in a fun game that’s secretly teaching them important life skills.

Why It Matters (Especially Before They Get a Phone)

Let’s be honest — most of us worry about our kids getting caught up in clickbait or believing dodgy things they see online. But what’s great about Newshounds is that it teaches them to think before they click, swipe or share.

As Bryce Corbett from Squiz Kids put it:

“Kids have more information coming at them than at any other time in history. It’s why there’s never been a more important time for them to learn, at an early age and before they have a smartphone in their hands, how to tell online fact from fiction. 

Newshounds teaches them just that. And we were so pleased to have MPF [Miroma Project Factory] help us reimagine the resource to make it even more engaging.”

The game has been built with educators, tested in real classrooms, and even lines up with the Australian school curriculum. Teachers can track progress and start discissions in the classroom, but it’s also super accessible and free to use at home for families too

The platform features:

• Gamified modules exploring truth, bias, misinformation, and source evaluation.
• Age-appropriate quizzes, videos, and prompts to support class discussion and reflection.
• A teacher dashboard for lesson planning and tracking student progress.
• Scaffolded content mapped to cognitive development and curriculum standards.

Our kids are growing up in a world full of content, opinions, ads and let’s face it, a lot of nonsense! If they can learn early about how to spot the difference between reliable info and rubbish, we’re setting them up for safer, smarty online lives.

Free for Schools and Families

Newshound is totally free to access. Just head to squizkids.com.au to find out more o ask your child’s teacher if they’re using it in class.