Children love science experiments.
The mystery and magic holds even the most busy child captivated.
This little experiment is a nice learning through play idea to teach children about magnets and the metals that attract to them.
Fishing for magnets
You will need
- Glass or jar ( use a clear plastic container for smaller children)
- Paper clips
- Fridge magnet
Method:
Let your child place the magnets into the glass.
Give them the magnet and show them that the paper clips attract to the magnet.
Allow them to continue fishing for paper clips.
You can also turn this into a game by taking turns and see who catches the most at each turn or by giving a group 9f children each a glass and set a timer, who will finish collecting all their paper clips first?
Video
I absolutely loved Hamish’s reaction to this. You can see how he enjoyed catching his paper clip fish in this video.
Why do magnets attract paper clips ?
The magnetic field from a magnet creates a magnetic force, attracting other ferromagnetic materials.
Paper clips are usually made from steel wire. The steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. Iron is a ferromagnetic material and that will make the paper clip attract to the magnet.
I’d love to hear if your children enjoyed this experiment. Let me know in the comments.