MORE Magnet Mayhem!: 1/11/26 Session

Wowwwwie... did we have some MAYHEM on Monday!! We kicked off our first session of Curiosity Club at Northside Library by bringing some new magnetic activities to inspire curiosity in our little learners! We absolutely loved hearing kids share their curiosities as they dove into magnetic free exploration, problem solving, and even a creative craft. 

Magnet Mayhem Stations

Stations 1 and 2 focused on open-ended, free exploration. Kids experimented with magnetic blocks, wands, paperclips, balls, chips, cars, and even a butterfly. Many began discovering how magnetic poles work. They learned that sometimes magnets stick together, and other times they push away from each other. One particularly curious 6-year-old shared how he used his prior knowledge to explore, explaining:

One kid using a magnet to push a car, while another picks up chips and paperclips with a magnet wand.

“I was exploring how the south pole and the north pole, they don’t go together... it’s like they’re running away from each other!... and I was using how I knew the poles worked to make the car move around!”. 

We also saw lots of divergent thinking as learners used magnetic blocks to design structures like a rocket ship, skyscraper, and a bird! 

A kid's bird made out of colorful magnetic blocks!

At Station 3, kids took a deeper dive into exploring magnetic poles by stacking magnets along a pencil pole. They observed how magnets would either float apart or snap together depending on which sides touched. As one caregiver watched, she shared:

Donut shaped magnets floating on a pencil pole!

“Watching her being able to figure out which magnets go together and how they work, I thought it was brilliant and awesome to watch her go outside the box of what was just on the table.”

We couldn’t agree more!

Finally, Station 4, our most popular station of the day, combined science and art. Kids created paintings without ever touching a paintbrush or the paint itself, using only magnets! By moving a magnetic wand underneath the paper and tray, they dragged magnets and magnetic balls through paint to create unique designs. We loved seeing how some kids discovered ways to spin or fling the balls using just the magnetic wand. 

Cultivating Curiosity

Here’s a closer look at just some of the ways that we encouraged curiosity in Magnet Mayhem: 

1. We embraced the unknown! We showed our own wonder and uncertainty about the science of magnets, showing kids that it’s okay to not have all of the answers! 

2. We had kids using different strategies! Kids were tasked with figuring out different ways to make magnets push and pull. Coming up with new ideas encourages creative thinking and curiosity! 

3. We gave opportunities to freely explore! Kids had time to explore the materials and come up with their own questions and solutions. Free exploration gives time for kids’ curiosity to blossom! 

Now you can cultivate curiosity at home! Giving children time to think through their questions allows their little wheels to turn, explore ideas, and make connections. Here are a few simple ways you can intentionally nurture and support curiosity at home: 

• “That’s a great question! Let’s think about it for a minute.” 

• “I can tell you are thinking hard about this, would you like some more time?” 

Catch us Next Time

Missed out on the Magnet Mayhem at Northside Library this week? Check out our parent handout below, or come see us at our next sessions at the Virginia Discovery Museum on Monday, January 26^th or at Northside Library on Monday, February 9^th!