Victorian kids acting out violent Squid Game challenges

Videos shared online show young children copying the Netflix show’s challenges, as Victorian primary schools issue a warning to parents.

Victorian primary schools have urged parents not to let their kids watch Netflix’s violent Squid Game series after students mimicked the games in the playground.

The South Korean survival drama, which has been a global success, features cash-strapped contestants who compete in deadly tasks inspired by playground games.

Marymede Catholic College in South Morang student wellbeing co-ordinator Lisa Murray issued a warning in the school’s recent newsletter about the show.

“You may have read in the media about a popular show called Squid Game which sounds like a children’s show, but it is a highly violent adults only program.

“Unfortunately, we are aware that primary students have accessed and watched these violent shows and they can then re-enact them on the playground,” Ms Murray wrote.

Mount Evelyn Christian School also issued a warning on its Facebook page last week saying the level of violence in the show was not “appropriate for primary children and young teens”.

Schools have written to parents urging them to not let their children watch Squid Game.

It comes after viral TikTok challenges inspired by the show have emerged and resulted in three children being admitted to a Sydney hospital with burns last month.

The videos on TikTok, which have had thousands of views, shows the hashtag #honeycombchallenge, which involves carving a shape into home made honeycomb without breaking it.

The children were burned while melting hot sugar and transferring it to baking paper.

The injuries ranged from mild scalds to nerve damage, with all three children requiring ongoing treatment.

The Herald Sun also found several videos showing schoolchildren taking part in various Squid Game challenges at school.

In a post to their Facebook page last month, national cyber safety educators Safe on Social Media said that “several schools” had contacted them recently to express their concerns about Squid Game.

Children have been taking part in various Squid Game challenges at school.

“The messages in Squid Game are not appropriate for young teens and tweens. Parents should know that the level of violence is highly intense in Squid Game, and it is not suitable for young teens and primary school-age children,” the statement said.

Royal Children’s Hospital trauma service director Warwick Teague said the RCH was aware of the concerning viral challenges trend and he supported measures against children taking part in them.

“We have not seen any presentations related to the show yet and are actively alerted to the seriousness of the trend,” Mr Teague said.

Victorian Principals Association president Andrew Dalgleish said he urged parents to be mindful of the content their children are watching on streaming services and online.

“Some of these offerings may not be suitable for certain ages, so it’s really important to monitor what they are watching,” he said.

Originally published as Victorian kids acting out violent Squid Game challenges