Magnets

We had a a great time today at the library! The forces of magnets can be amazing and seem like magic. If you have any wooden trains or other "take-a-long" toys, play with them and check out how the magnets work. Can they stick on to anything else? Can they stick to all metal?

We made predictions about what might be picked up by a magnet and what might not be attracted to a magnet. Our piles included pom poms, paper clips, tooth picks, chenille stems, pins, and barrettes. The one thing that stumped us all was the chenille stem. Was it attracted to the magnet or not? Then we tested everything in our Yes and No piles.

Our favorite activity was painting with magnets. We put paper in a box, then stuck paper clips in paint. We used the magnets underneath the box to move the paperclips and paint on the paper. We used red and yellow paint so we could also look at color mixing too.

Science words: observation, record, force, magnet, attract, repel

Always take care to use magnets safely with young children. Be sure they cannot be swallowed or used around video equipment and cameras.

Magnet hunt – what magnets are in your house? Fridge magnets, some fridge doors, cabinet doors, wallets, toys, etc

What will a magnet stick to in the house? Can you take your magnet and find things it will stick to? Try everything that strikes your imagination. One sometimes unexpected metal spot is the door into your house.

Magnet Fishing – tie a magnet to a string and the string to a pole. Put paper clips on the end of paper fish. You can “fish” over and over. How many fish can you catch at once?

Here's a funny song about magnets:
I'm a little magnet can't you see Anything metal comes right to me. If it is not metal you will see. It just will not stick to me.