Ages 8 and up
40 page science book with materials

Awards

• National Parenting Magazine Award
• Creative Child Magazine Award

This should be one of your child's first science kits. The large, color coded magnets should be played with in Kindergarten. The first 15 activities explore which metals stick to magnets, magnetic poles, attract and repel, magnets through materials, and temporary magnets. The kits includes high quality, color coded, SAFE ceramic magnets.

Activities in the first part of the book

• Draw with iron filings
• Discover what sticks to magnets
• Levitate and bounce rings
• Swim a duck
• Make a temporary magnet
• Detect iron
• Go fishing
• Play with magnetic poles

Sometime between second and third grade children should revisit this book, repeat their favorite activities, and do the more advanced projects in the second part of the book.

Advanced Activities

• Build an electromagnet - then flip the poles
• Construct a compass
• Visualize the lines of magnetic force
• Explore compass directions
• Discover how motors work

Item #7810.................................list price $19.95 USD

Requires one D-cell battery

 

Ann Einstein M.A.T. editor's comment: I think it is imperative that young children have a lot of experience with magnets. They need to hold the magnets in their hands to see what "sticks". As they explore with magnets, they are learning the scientific method at a formative age. They are gathering information, forming a hypothesis, testing their theory, and coming to a conclusion. I do this kit with Kindergarten children who love running around the room with their magnets saying, "I think it's going to stick, I think it's going to stick. Oh it doesn't!" The book begins with very simple concepts but the last sections of the book deal with larger concepts, such as that the earth itself is a large magnet.

As a grandmother of a five year old, I give this kit as a gift to all of her friends!