Magnetic Attraction

Provide magnets, cups, paper clips, rubber bands, toothpicks, pennies, metal nuts, crayons, tinfoil, etc. Have the children predict which items will be attracted by the magnets. Write down their predictions. Then let them experiment with the items and magnets to see which items are attracted by the magnets. Record the results and compare them to their predictions.

Magnets Sort

Provide many different types and shapes of magnets and have the children sort them by their physical properties (shape, size, color, etc.).

**BE AWARE: DO NOT TO GET SMALL MAGNETS THAT CHILDREN COULD SWALLOW, CHOKE ON OR PUT INTO THEIR NOSES OR EARS, ETC.

We have enjoyed the variety of magnets in our discovery kit from Lakeshore Learning: http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/seo/ca|searchResults~~p|HH222~~.jsp

Magnetic Treasures

Hide some magnetic objects (nuts, bolts, paper clips, etc.) in the sensory table under some sand, rice, or wood shavings, etc. Let the children use magnets to go on a treasure hunt and find the magnetic items.

Magnet Hunt

Have the children go on a hunt for magnets around their home and at school. After the hunt, make a list together of the types of magnets they found and discuss what the different uses are for magnets.

Magnet Painting

Provide trays/bins, paper, paint, magnet wands and magnet balls. Place the paper, a magnetic ball and some paint in the bin/tray and give the children a wand to run underneath the tray which will move their magnet ball through the paint on the paper.

The finished product (dried), along with the magnet tools we used

The Magnet Song

(Sung to the tune:" I'm A Little Teapot")

I'm a little magnet, can't you see.
Some types of metal are attracted to me.
If it is not magnetic you will see.
Because it just won’t stick to me.

Magnetic Walk

Give each child a magnet and go on a magnet walk around the house/school to see what the magnet will stick to. WARNING: stay away from electronics (computers, televisions, calculator, cell phones, cameras, etc.)

Magnet Tag

Have someone be "the magnet" (it) and chase the others. When "the magnet" touches someone, they have to stick together (hold hands) and continue chasing until everyone is stuck together.

Magnets Journal Pages

Read a book about magnets then hand out a journal sheet with this question on it: "If you were a magnet, what would you want to attract to you?" or “How have you used magnets before?” Record the children's responses and let them draw a picture to go along with their response.

Click on any of the above images to view and/or print.

Magnetic Food

Talk about how iron is something that we need in our bodies for us to be healthy and then explain that iron is a type of metal that is attracted to magnets. Let the kids run a magnet through Cheerios (or some other type of food with added iron in it) to pick up and see the iron that it is added.

Being Magnets

Have the children pretend like they are the magnets and decide what they can stick to around the room/school and which objects can stick to them.

Magnetism Pass

Provide magnets, water in a plastic cup, wood, paper, cardboard, and cloth; have the kids vote on which materials magnetism will pass through, then experiment; depends on the thickness of material and the strength of the magnet.

Magnets Lesson Plan

Click on the image to view and/or print.