We studied the bacteria on kids’ sports mouthguards. The results were eye-opening

Galitskaya/ Getty Images Many young Australians are beginning their winter sports season, gearing up for sports such as football, hockey and rugby. Apart from the training sessions, weekend games and

Taking your child to an Anzac service? Prepare for loud noises and big questions

Tens of thousands of Australians are expected to attend Anzac Day marches and services over the weekend. Many children will also be there with their families or school groups. Anzac

Pretend play is a magical part of childhood. New research suggests it can also help mental health

Liliana Drew/ Pexels Pretend play is a significant and often magical part of childhood. Children have huge imaginations and use these to turn rocks into spaceships, tables into forts or

Australia has access to 20,000 migrant teachers, but is not using them. Why not?

Vanessa Garcia/ Pexels Australia needs more teachers. It ranks among the worst-performing countries in the OECD for teacher shortages. This is particularly so for public schools. As of December 2025,

Does your school do mental health checks? They should be regular, not just a one-off

Klaus Vedfelt/ Getty Images Students’ mental health is one of the biggest challenges facing schools. In Australia, half of all adult mental health challenges emerge before the age of 14.

Google promotes ‘teacher approved’ apps for kids. Here’s what parents should know

Ron Lach/ Pexels As school holidays continue around Australia, many parents are looking for educational ways to keep their children entertained. If you own an Android device and have young

Fixating on a ‘magic number’ of childcare hours misses what’s most important for kids’ development

Lisa from Pexels/Pexels Families with kids juggling full-time work may have been alarmed by media reporting this week, suggesting “too much” time in early childhood education and care could harm

Choosing a school holiday program can be tricky. Here’s how to identify a good one

Phynart Studio/ Getty Images When the bell rings at the end of each term, there is a happy buzz as kids leave school for the break. But for many parents,

I hate it when other adults ‘parent’ my kids. What can I do?

Suzanne Walstrom/ Getty Images Long weekends often bring family and friends together in a mix of generations. Somewhere between the egg hunt and hot cross buns this weekend, there might

Does AI mean more uni students are plagiarising their work?

dusanpetkovic/ Getty images People using other peoples’ ideas, words and creations without acknowledgement is a widespread problem. Plagiarism occurs everywhere from restaurant menus to political speeches and music. Within academia,