On President's Day we played games, the kids each got their hour on the Wii, we read stories, played play dough and still had oodles of time left. The boys were bored. Heck I even made them run the length of our street and back 6 times, do 100 jumping jacks and jump rope 50 times (which turned into more), but even that ran out. Now I realize it is very good for kids to think of their own things to do, but a kid can only think of so much before hanging around mom telling her he is bored sounds like the funnest thing they can think of. I recently made compasses with the scouts in our ward, so I decided the time had come to make them with my kids.
This really is a project for older kids as it has to do with needles. I had to have strict rules with the boys when it came to handling the needles (I ended up with one in my heel, all the way in mind you, when I was little and my dad had to pull it out with pliers, so I am a little hyper when it comes to "needle safey".) The boys had to be sitting all of the way up to the table the whole time they did this. Each of the kids got a magnet and ran it down the length of the needle (you want long ones for little hands) about 50 times (you could also set a timer, we did it once and it was easier). Once it is magnetized you stick the needle in a cork (of course an adult needs to do this) and drop it in a bowl of water. It will point north.
The boys thought that this was great and they would spin their bowls to try and get it to point another direction. We also learned all of the ways NOT to magnetize a needle. They have to rub it all one direction. If it is rubbed back and forth it WILL NOT WORK. Hunter rubbed it sideways which also ruined the needle. We tried to go back and fix it, but it didn't work. We had to get a new one.
We also wanted to do a science experiment out of our book "
365 Science Experiments," and found another compass idea. Since we had already magnetized the needles we didn't need to do that part (although they did, because they liked doing it so much).
For this experiment you need a jar, magnetized needle (so also a magnet), pencil, small piece of cardstock, hole punch and thread. You punch a hole in the cardstock, tie the thread to it as well as to the middle of the pencil, place the pencil over the middle of the mouth of the jar, making sure that the cardstock is hanging freely (not touching the bottom of the jar), poke your needle through the center of the cardstock and it will also point north. Did that make sense? Hopefully if it didn't the picture will help you.
I think that this was the favorite experiment only because it was a little more involved. The kids kept asking if they could keep their new compasses. Of course I told them I wasn't too thrilled about them having a sharp pencil, needle or glass jar in their room, so they decided to go and play with their pirate compasses that we handed out as prizes at Hunter's birthday party.
On President's Day we played games, the kids each got their hour on the Wii, we read stories, played play dough and still had oodles of time left. The boys were bored. Heck I even made them run the length of our street and back 6 times, do 100 jumping jacks and jump rope 50 times (which turned into more), but even that ran out. Now I realize it is very good for kids to think of their own things to do, but a kid can only think of so much before hanging around mom telling her he is bored sounds like the funnest thing they can think of. I recently made compasses with the scouts in our ward, so I decided the time had come to make them with my kids. 
This really is a project for older kids as it has to do with needles. I had to have strict rules with the boys when it came to handling the needles (I ended up with one in my heel, all the way in mind you, when I was little and my dad had to pull it out with pliers, so I am a little hyper when it comes to "needle safey".) The boys had to be sitting all of the way up to the table the whole time they did this. Each of the kids got a magnet and ran it down the length of the needle (you want long ones for little hands) about 50 times (you could also set a timer, we did it once and it was easier). Once it is magnetized you stick the needle in a cork (of course an adult needs to do this) and drop it in a bowl of water. It will point north.
The boys thought that this was great and they would spin their bowls to try and get it to point another direction. We also learned all of the ways NOT to magnetize a needle. They have to rub it all one direction. If it is rubbed back and forth it WILL NOT WORK. Hunter rubbed it sideways which also ruined the needle. We tried to go back and fix it, but it didn't work. We had to get a new one. 
We also wanted to do a science experiment out of our book "365 Science Experiments," and found another compass idea. Since we had already magnetized the needles we didn't need to do that part (although they did, because they liked doing it so much). 
For this experiment you need a jar, magnetized needle (so also a magnet), pencil, small piece of cardstock, hole punch and thread. You punch a hole in the cardstock, tie the thread to it as well as to the middle of the pencil, place the pencil over the middle of the mouth of the jar, making sure that the cardstock is hanging freely (not touching the bottom of the jar), poke your needle through the center of the cardstock and it will also point north. Did that make sense? Hopefully if it didn't the picture will help you.
I think that this was the favorite experiment only because it was a little more involved. The kids kept asking if they could keep their new compasses. Of course I told them I wasn't too thrilled about them having a sharp pencil, needle or glass jar in their room, so they decided to go and play with their pirate compasses that we handed out as prizes at Hunter's birthday party. 
2 comments:
Oh, I just had a flashback to when you stepped on that needle-it was horrible! Seriously brave for you to do a project like that!
Melanie
I wondered if you remembered that Mel! You probably need therapy too from that experience!
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