Magnets
A magnet pulls on things made of iron, like paper clips and nails.
A magnet can pull some things toward it without touching them! It sticks to things with iron or steel inside, like paper clips and nails. It won’t stick to wood, paper, plastic or a leaf.
Words to know
Tap a picture to hear it.
Did you know?
- The Earth is like a giant magnet, which is why a compass points north.
- Magnets can pull through paper, water and even your hand!
- Not all metal sticks to magnets. Most soda cans are aluminum, and magnets won’t stick to them.
- Every magnet has two ends, called poles.
- Keep small magnets away from babies and toddlers: swallowing magnets is very dangerous.
Try it! Hands-on activities
Simple things to do together with stuff you already have.
Printables
Play
Talk about it
Questions to ask while you read, play or walk.
- What in the kitchen do you think a magnet will stick to?
- Can a magnet pull a paper clip through a piece of paper?
- What happens when you put two magnets together?
For teachers
What this topic supports:
- Head Start ELOF: Scientific Inquiry, predicting, testing and describing results
- NGSS 3-PS2-3 (preview): magnetic forces between objects not touching