Mini‑Professors NI Visit: Exploring Magnets Through Play and Discovery
We were delighted to welcome Adam from Mini‑Professors NI to Nursery today for an exciting, hands‑on workshop all about magnets and how they work. The children were immediately captivated as Adam introduced the idea that magnets have a special kind of force, called magnetism, which is an invisible force that can make objects push and pull without even touching them.
Adam brought a selection of everyday objects, and the children were invited to predict and test which ones would stick to a magnet. Together, we discovered that a tin can does not stick because it is made of aluminium, while the spanner and metal spoon do stick because they are made of iron. This helped the children understand that only certain metals are magnetic, giving them lots of new scientific vocabulary to explore.
To demonstrate magnetic force in action, Adam used a magnetic train and invited the children to investigate which side of the magnet would make the train push away and which side would pull it towards them. The children were fascinated as the train moved “all by itself,” learning that magnets have two ends called the North Pole and South Pole, and that these poles behave differently.
Adam also showed the children how a paper clip under a piece of cardboard can be lifted by a magnet placed on top, helping them see how magnetism can travel through materials. He explained that many metal objects are made from magnetised iron, which is why they respond to magnets.
To finish the session, Adam introduced another type of force—static electricity. Using a balloon, he demonstrated how rubbing it can create enough static charge to make it move forward or attract small objects. The children were amazed to see how different types of invisible forces can make things move.
This workshop was filled with rich scientific language, hands‑on investigation, and lots of excitement. The children thoroughly enjoyed exploring magnets, testing materials, and discovering how forces can make objects move, stick, push, and pull. It was a wonderful opportunity to build early scientific thinking and curiosity through meaningful, playful learning.
