| If you're short on kids' science activities, pick up some | | | | activity until all five are retrieved.) |
| small magnets from your local hardware store. They're | | | | -Cut out construction paper fish with your child (colors |
| inexpensive and lots of fun. In addition to keeping your | | | | should vary). Tape a magnet onto each fish. Place the |
| child's full attention, magnets also: | | | | fish on the living room floor and let your child go fishing |
| - Arouse a sense of wonder | | | | with her magnetic fishing pole. This time have her |
| - Expose your child to science and scientific laws of | | | | group the fish by color. (Advanced: group the fish by |
| nature | | | | size or fin type.) |
| - Stimulate self-motivated desire to explore and | | | | -Take a poster board (or large sheet of paper) and |
| experiment | | | | make an line down the middle using a marker. Make |
| - Raise questions and generate discussion | | | | small dots in pairs on either side of the line. Place |
| - Provide a means to additional activities such as | | | | magnets on the dots. Have your child use her finger or |
| counting and grouping | | | | a Popsicle stick to try to push a magnet along the line |
| Here are some basic magnet activities to get you | | | | without attracting any of the magnet pairs. Repeat the |
| started. Be prepared--during the course of these | | | | activity with a wiggly line instead of a straight line. |
| activities, your child may suddenly decide to go around | | | | (Advanced: have your child make the line and then |
| the house pressing a magnet against things, or may | | | | allow her to mark where the magnet pairs will go. Let |
| empty and pick up a box of staples five times in a | | | | her set up the course the way she's planned it. Allow |
| row. Be flexible. Allow for this kind of variation. Your | | | | her to predict whether you'll be able to navigate the |
| child is conducting research at her own level. Try these | | | | course she's made. Allow her to adjust her strategy |
| activities for starters: | | | | as a game maker by creating a new course. Continue |
| -Fill your kitchen sink with water. Drop nuts, bolts and | | | | to play on her terms. Put a check mark on the |
| paper clips into the water. Make a fishing pole: tie a | | | | courses you navigate successfully. When you're |
| string to a stick. Attach a small (donut hole) magnet to | | | | finished, review the results.) |
| the end of the string. Let your child go fishing. Have | | | | -Of course, there's also the time honored favorite: let |
| your child place the items into groups as she catches | | | | your child use a magnet under the table to move |
| them. (Advanced: play the part of a purchaser from | | | | objects on top of the table. This is a great starter |
| the market. Tell your child you only purchase items in | | | | activity and provides ample opportunity for your child |
| groups of three. Let your child arrange the items into | | | | to amaze mom or dad, or a neighbor with the |
| groups of three for purchase.) | | | | seemingly magical properties of magnets. |
| -Fill a glass with water and drop a paper clip into it. | | | | Magnets are a great way to introduce your child to |
| Have your child try to take the paper clip out of the | | | | the world of science. They're inexpensive, easy to get |
| glass using a magnet (along the side of the glass). | | | | out and clean up, and provide enough variation to |
| Repeat the activity with a tall vase with a narrow | | | | stimulate your child's curiosity for years to come. |
| neck. (Use an inexpensive one from a thrift or dollar | | | | Consider supplementing magnet activities with easy to |
| store.) The vase should be dark in color so the | | | | read, age appropriate books on the subject. Don't |
| contents cannot be seen. Your child will love the | | | | overshoot the mark with complex material explaining |
| challenge of navigating the unseen paper clip to the top | | | | the properties and significance of electrons. It's enough |
| of the vase. (Advanced: count five paper clips with | | | | that your child is exposed to the wonders of magnets |
| your child. Drop them into the vase. Now let your child | | | | and has fun playing with and exploring their unique |
| retrieve the paper clips with the magnet. Continue the | | | | characteristics. Enjoy! |