What’s Magnetic? A Toddler Science Activity

Can your toddler learn what’s magnetic? Of course they can!

Playing with magnets is a go-to activity at our house. We can’t get enough of it! Our latest game “What’s Magnetic?” is perfect for toddlers of all ages and full of scientific learning (and fun!).

Please note that the magnets used for this activity are large and do not pose a choking or swallowing risk. Tiny magnets are dangerous and shouldn’t be used with toddlers for games like “What’s Magnetic?”.

Setting up a What’s Magnetic bin is so easy!

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• Magnets – these wands are AWESOME
• Random junk from your house
• Curious toddler

The set up for this is cake: I went around our house gathering up items in a plastic tub. I started in the garage at the work bench, moved to the kitchen, and finally grabbed a few toys. I picked items that I thought were magnetic, some that I knew weren’t and others I was sure of. See, even Mom can learn too…

I set the bin and the magnetic wand on the floor for my toddler. He took one look and happily said, “Do I need to find what’s magnetic?” He is totally used to magnets but they are still magical. He was so excited to play with this! Discovering something that is magnetic is like unlocking the secret garden.

We started experimenting with magnets when he was just 21 months old. I can’t believe it’s been a year of magnets for us! Even at 21 months old, he could “feel” the pull of the magnet and identify what was magnetic and what wasn’t. Of course, back then, he thought it was called “maymetic”.

Throughout this activity, he came up with a variety of ways to vary his play. He tried to pick up as many magnetic items as possible. He also sorted magnetic from not magnetic. He drove a lot of this activity and just explored the science of it all – which is fantastic. This round (at 2.5 years old) we started talking about making guesses at whether or not an item would be magnetic. He did really well!

The items I chose for Sam were perfect for him, but do what is best for your toddler. Sam works with nails and screwdrivers often so having those in the bin didn’t concern me. Now, if this was an activity with his little sister…this bin would look a little different.

Playing “What’s Magnetic?” is definitely one of our go-to activities. We love playing with magnets – they never get old. If you liked the idea of “What’s Magnetic?”, you should see my other magnetic activities: magnet grab and magnet sort.

Would your toddler love a What’s Magnetic bin?