Making Magnets Float: Understanding Attraction and Repulsion

SciShow Kids

In this engaging episode of SciShow Kids, host Jessi and her robot friend Squeaks introduce young learners to the fascinating world of magnetism through a "magic" levitation trick. The video uses a simple hands-on experiment involving ring magnets and a marker to demonstrate how magnets can float in mid-air, transitioning from this visual hook into a clear scientific explanation of magnetic forces. The content covers fundamental physics concepts appropriate for early elementary students, including what magnets are, how they exert non-contact forces (pushes and pulls), and the properties of magnetic poles. Through clear visual demonstrations and animations, Jessi explains the rules of attraction (opposites attract) and repulsion (like poles repel), using these principles to solve the mystery of the floating magnets. This video is an excellent classroom resource for introducing physical science units on forces and motion. It provides a ready-made experiment that teachers can replicate in class and offers vocabulary building for terms like "attract," "repel," "force," and "magnetic." The video concludes with several creative extension ideas, encouraging students to apply what they've learned to build forts, create art, or design engineering challenges using magnets.