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Experiencing magnets for the first time can be an almost magical experience for kids.
“What is going on with this object that so many things stick to it?”
“What happens if I touch this magnet to this object?”
“Why does this object stick but this one does not?”
There are truly so many questions to explore with magnets, which is part of what makes discovering them so exciting!
In this post I share three hands-on, play-based, activities I have done with my kids to help them learn about magnets.
Note: Find more hands-on science activities for young children on my Science Activities for Kids page!
Magnet sensory bin
Our day started with a magnet sensory bin. (I LOVE sensory bins!) I used white rice as the base and then put in in some magnets from our Fun with Magnets kit. Then, I tossed in a variety of magnetic and non-magnetic objects for the kids to explore.
Both of the kids picked up a magnet and started exploring with it.
They liked to see what objects would stick to the magnet.
Using a magnet to remove a paperclip from a bottle
After they had explored the contents of the sensory bin for a while, I showed the kids how they could use a magnet to get a paperclip out of a bottle. QBoy and XGirl took turns doing this several times each.
Painting with magnets
Then I introduced them to magnet painting.
I had the kids squirt globs of paint onto a paper plate.
Then, they dropped a paperclip and a metal nut onto their plates.
Then they used a magnet beneath the plate to move the paperclip and metal nut through the paint. This was a bit more challenging then I had anticipated as the items on the plate did not seem to stick to the magnet as well as I had thought they would. But it worked well enough.
The kids loved this activity, and asked to do it more than once. Here is the end result!
Do you have other ideas for learning about magnets we should try? If so, please leave me a note in the comments. I’d love to hear your ideas!
Looking for more hands-on activities that incorporate Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM)? Then you’ll love STEAM Kids! This book features 52 hands-on activities are helpfully identified by category (science / technology / engineering / art / math) so you know exactly what skills your kids are developing.
Grab a copy of the e-book delivered as a PDF download (or this e-book for EU residents) and in print at Amazon.
More science activities for kids
More science posts from Gift of Curiosity:
- Dancing raisins
- Candy experiments
- Jumping colors science activity
- Make your own glycerin soap
- Crystallized snowflakes
- Dissecting an apple
- What do ants like to eat?
- Make your own telescope
- The great baking soda and vinegar experiment
- Magic inflating balloons
Find more great science activities on my Science Activities for Kids page and my Science Activities Pinterest board.
Great activity! Can’t wait to make a trip back down soon and see how QBoy and XGirl are doing! Miss you all sis!
Love that magnet painting idea. Thanks for sharing at Mom’s Library!
I love the paper plate idea…I will have to try that with my boys!
Wow what a neat activity! I will have to try this with my 3 year old.
Great magnetic ideas! I will have to pin them for later. Thanks for sharing at Mom’s Library!
I love the magnetic sensory tub! I have a basket of magnets like that in my classroom…LOVE Magnatiles!
Magnatiles are the best! We get so much use out of them at our house.
Great activity! I love tha magnet painting.:)
What awesome magnet activities! Thanks so much for linking up with Montessori Monday. I featured your post at the Living Montessori Now Facebook page and pinned it to my Kids’ Science Activities Pinterest Board at http://pinterest.com/debchitwood/kids-science-activities/
Fun ideas…we have magnet painting on our to-do list 🙂
Thanks for sharing at Sharing Saturday!
I LOVE this magnet and paint idea. We will be trying it soon!
Thanks for linking up to the Hearts for Home Blog Hop! Blessings!!
I like the challenge of getting the paper clip out with a magnet.
Thanks for linking up to Science Sunday!
Thanks for linking up to Tuesday Tots! I’m featuring your post this week on In Lieu of Preschool. Please feel free to stop by and grab a featured button! Off to pin your post. Thanks again for sharing! 🙂 ~Genny
Great post! Have to get a magnet wand.
I like the posts so much I featured it on our “The Kid’s Co-op” post!
Thanks for featuring our fun with magnets post!
I featured your post and magnet sensory bin photo in my post today at Living Montessori Now.
Thanks Deb!
Magnet bins are awesome to play with & I love the challenge of moving a paperclip through the rice! The following is an easy & fun activity that’s heavy on problem-solving & critical thinking. Use recyclable plastic water bottles to make 5 Discovery Bottles. Fill one with colored water & oil, one with rice, one with popcorn kernels, one with store-bought sand, and one with corn syrup. Inside each bottle add different little items that are magnetized and others that are not (small plastic letters, glitter, coins, shells, glass beads, screws, paperclips, pony beads, nuts & bolts, etc). If you have magnet paddles, they’re perfect to manipulate the items inside. If not, get a child size pair of thin winter gloves & hot glue heavy duty magnets to a couple of the fingertips. The sensation of feeling the “pull” of the magnets is pretty cool, too.