Exploring magnets is a fun way for preschoolers to learn about science and experiment! Fishing with Magnets is classic hands-on activity that kids love! By playing with magnets kids can learn the difference between metals and plastic or wood. They can also learn about compasses, other uses for magnets, geology and the Earth. In this activity we go Fishing with Magnets to learn about what sticks to a magnet and what doesn’t.
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For Christmas Caden received a Lauri- Fun with Magnets kit and the book What Makes a Magnet? by Franklyn Branley. We’ve had lots of fun with magnets lately! One of the activities in the book is fishing with a magnet. For this activity I added water for a sensory element, plus Caden enjoys anything with water!
To do this activity you’ll need a bin of shallow water, an assortment iron objects (nuts, bolts, washers, paper clips, etc.) and some non-magnetic objects such as rubber bands, tin foil, buttons and twigs. Then build a “fishing pole” using a pencil, some string and a magnet.
Once you have this activity all set up, you can invite your child to “go fishing” with a magnet. Have them fish out all the magnetic objects and put them in a pile. Tell them what is left in the bin is non-magnetic.
If they don’t believe you, have then test the other objects for themselves. Here Caden is trying to tell me this pompom is magnetic…
For some kids, it may be difficult to “go fishing” using a magnet on a string and a magnet wand might be easier to use to pick up the objects.
This post is part of the A-Z STEM series hosted by Little Bins for Little Hands. Check out more great STEM posts in this series by clicking on the image below.
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So fun!!