How wonderful it is to be introduced to a force you can feel but not see!
Kids are obsessed with fridge magnets. From pulling them out of their attached position, to gleefully moving them closer until that magnetic force binds them to the refrigerator again.
Have you ever thought of upping that Fridge Magnet Play experience, integrating science with Magnetic Play? It’s about time you encouraged your children to indulge in even more magnetic fun, through experiments that educate them about basic Science concepts, too!
Magnetic Exploration Activities for Kids
Here you will find a list of some pretty amazing things to do with magnets, that include Science Experiments with kids. Allow the magnetic pull of curiosity to suck you in, as you explore some really cool magnet experiments for kids.
Magnetic Discovery Bottles
This one makes playing with magnets a whole lot more interesting.
To do: Fill an empty bottle with rice or beans. Add magnetic and non-magnetic items, and shake it up. Your child has to run a magnet along the outside of a bottle, to move items inside it.
Iron Filing Art
Have a budding artist at home? They will love magnet experiments for kids, like this one.
To do: Place a magnet amongst iron filings, and see the patterns that are formed, showing where the magnetic forces are at work. Tip: Use different magnets to create different patterns. Let your child revel in creating fine works of magnetic art!
Mini Magnet Maze
Yet another fun activity with magnets, for kids to indulge in.
To do:
- Create a maze on a piece of paper. The difficulty level of the maze should be in keeping with the age of your child.
- Glue one magnetic button to a popsicle stick, to create a ‘magnetic wand’.
- Placing a separate magnetic button on top of the maze, hold the wand underneath the paper and navigate it through those twists and turns.
Magnetic or Not?
Science experiments with kids entail their making use of the Scientific Skills of Investigation and Prediction.
To do: Give your child a selection of objects, and ask them to make predictions vis a vis which they think are magnetic, and those that are not. You will be surprised at what they bring up in this one!
Magnetic Painting
Yet another one of those magnetic experiments, that brings out the artist in little ones.
To do: Place a piece of paper at the bottom of a shoe box. Then, place a few drops of paint and a paperclip, on the paper. Tell your child to move a magnet underneath the box. They will get fascinated as they see how the colours blend together.
Magnets All Around Us
Your children will be surprised to learn how many magnetic objects are present in the environment around them.
To do: Let them take a magnetic wand in their hands, and go outdoors. For instance, to the park. Have them explore the vast number of objects their wand sticks to. We are guessing they will find more metallic surfaces than you might expect them to!
Magnetic Fishing
‘Fish’ is not the only thing you can go out there fishing for!
To do:
- Make printouts of letters and numbers. Then cut them out with scissors. Note: You want to do this ‘cutting’ job yourself.
- Let your child colour those cutouts, and glue paper clips to each one.
- Make a fishing pole. This is easy. All you have to do is attach a button magnet to the string, and then tie it to a popsicle stick.
- Have your child use that ‘pole’ to fish for those paper cut-outs. Bonus: This is a great exercise to teach them letters and numbers, too.
Jumping Magnets
Another great Science Experiment with magnets.
To do:
- Place a long piece of masking tape on a table. Draw a red dot on the far end of the tape. This signifies the spot where the ‘Magnets’ will start.
- Place a magnetic object on the red dot.
- Placing a magnetic wand on the other end of that masking tape, move it slowly towards the magnetic object.
- Mark a spot on the tape where the object ‘jumps’ to reach the wand.
- Try several different objects, to see which one jumps the farthest!
Making your own Electromagnet
A truly awesome Science Experiment, for older kids.
To do:
- Take a long piece of copper wire, and strip a small amount of copper insulation off it on both ends.
- Wrap the wire around a large nail.
- Make a circuit with the ends of the wire attached to the terminals of a lantern battery. Note: You can use alligator clips to connect and disconnect the wires.
- Before connecting the wires, let your children try picking up paper clips with simply the nail wrapped in wire. It won’t pick up any clips.
- Have a wire run from one battery terminal to the end of the wire around the nail.
- Another wire should run from the opposite end of the nail’s wire, to the other battery terminal.
- Make sure all connections are secure.
- Once the circuit is complete, voila! You have your electromagnet.
Magnetic Compass
Creating their own compass, will have kids delighted!
To do:
- Filling a shallow bowl with water, label it with the four directions: North, South, East, West.
- Stick a paper clip to one end of a cork.
- Let your child forcefully rub a magnet against the paper clip. Tell them that by doing so, they are creating a magnet that might last a couple minutes.
- Place that cork with the magnetized paper clip, in the bowl.
- Get your child to notice the paper clip that will be facing north. Congratulate them on creating their very first makeshift compass!
At EuroKids, we believe that playing with magnets provides scientific fun for kids of all ages. Further, it also improves coordination and fine motor skills. We encourage all parents to get their children to indulge in Magnetic Play, through as many magnetic activities and experiments as possible.
