Guardian children’s quiz puts five science and big-picture questions to readers
The Guardian has published a children’s multiple-choice quiz built around five questions submitted by young readers. It covers why sloths hang upside down, what time is, whether counting has a largest number, why Earth has seasons and what gamma rays are. The feature invites children to submit their own questions for later quizzes and notes that its host, Molly Oldfield, also hosts the Everything Under the Sun podcast.
The story
The Guardian published a new instalment of its children’s quiz on August 8, 2026. Written by Molly Oldfield, the article presents five multiple-choice questions attributed to children aged four to 12. The questions ask why sloths hang upside down; what time is; what the largest number one can count to is; why Earth has seasons; and what gamma rays are and where they come from. For each, the article offers four possible answers and identifies one as the answer. It says sloths hang upside down to save energy and reach leaves; describes time as a way of measuring days, weeks and years across past, present and future; says there is no limit to counting while citing a current world record of 1,070,000; attributes seasons to Earth rotating on a tilt; and describes gamma rays as powerful energy waves from the centres of radioactive atoms. The article is presented as a quiz rather than a detailed science report. Alongside the questions, it asks readers to submit junior brainteasers for future editions. It also identifies Oldfield as host of the Everything Under the Sun podcast, which answers children’s questions, and mentions related books. No results, participant numbers or selection process for future submissions are included.
Why it matters
The concrete value is an invitation to engage with subjects through questions children have already chosen, rather than through a fixed lesson sequence. The range of topics may help families or educators identify where a short answer is useful and where deeper explanation is needed. The submission request also makes the audience potential contributors, not only consumers. However, the article supplies no evidence that participation improves knowledge, and its quiz structure cannot substitute for sourced teaching material on complex issues such as radiation, planetary motion or the nature of time.
Evidence and context
The quiz places biology, mathematics, Earth science and physics side by side: sloths’ inverted posture, the idea of time, unlimited counting, Earth’s seasons and gamma rays. Its format gives each child’s question four proposed answers, with one presented as the answer. That makes it a lightweight public-learning resource rather than a reported explainer: readers can test an initial response and identify the topic areas they may want to investigate further. The source also links the feature to Molly Oldfield’s Everything Under the Sun podcast, which answers children’s questions, and invites submissions for future quizzes.
Limits and unknowns
The supplied article does not provide references, named scientific experts, explanatory notes, or links supporting the quiz answers. Its short answer choices necessarily compress complex subjects: “what is time,” for example, is framed as a way to measure days, weeks and years rather than as a full scientific or philosophical account. The article also does not say how questions are selected, how answers are fact-checked, how many submissions it receives, or when a submitted question might appear. These gaps limit what can be concluded about educational accuracy or reach.
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Guardian children’s quiz puts five science and big-picture questions to readers
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Highlights
- Children’s science quiz launched
- Explaining nature’s wonders
- Introducing big science ideas
- Inviting young contributors
Transcript
A new children’s quiz features five science questions submitted by kids aged four to twelve.
The quiz covers why sloths hang upside down and explains Earth’s seasons simply and clearly.
It also explores concepts like time, counting limits, and gamma rays with easy-to-understand answers.
Children are encouraged to submit their own questions, making them active participants in learning.
This quiz helps families and educators spark curiosity and identify topics for deeper exploration.