Teaching kindergarteners about Newton’s laws might seem a little excessive but there are tons of craft and interesting ways you can start to expose them to the conceptions of forces and motion. These creative activities will get them to notice how forces are at play in their everyday lives and how a simple push or pull can have an impact on an object. Expose young ones to basic principles of science and help them foster a love for physics with these fun push and pull activities perfect for the classroom or at home.
1. Marble Maze
Kids and marbles are a match made in heaven, so why not introduce a fun marble game into their push and pull lesson plan. Let them create a simple marble maze with a paper place and some scrap paper and help them to see how their actions will affect the movement of the marble.
Learn More: Sowing Seeds Librarian
2. Gross Motor Activity for Push and Pull
Push and Pull forces are best explained with a few gross motor activities where kids can use their whole bodies to feel the effects. An oven tray, laundry basket, and a wagon will show kids how friction works and how both pushing and pulling have different effects on each item.
Learn More: Paper and Glue
3. Wind Force Activity
Not only should kids learn about the concepts of push and pull, but they should also be learning examples of these motions and how they can affect the movement of objects. Some pom-poms and straws quickly turn into a race, showing kids how wind can move these objects around.
Learn More: Love Those Kinders
4. Magnet Powered Car
Forces and motion are easily demonstrated with magnets. Tape a magnet to a toy car and let kids race the cars along a track to see when they can use the magnet to push and when to pull. Kindergarten students simply love the interactive nature of this lesson and will be begging for just one more round on the track.
Learn More: Science Kiddo
5. Cut and Paste Activity
A free printable activity sheet is a fun way to introduce kids to the basics of forces. The illustrations show relatable situations where these forces are applied and kids can quickly sort them into two easy-to-understand columns.
Learn More: The Kindergarten Connection
6. Read a Book about Forces
It is always a good idea to introduce new concepts during storytime, especially if the reader has fun and colorful images like this one. Enjoy free online reading resources for a variety of push and pull related stories.
Learn More: Get Epic
7. Row Your Boat Motion Activity
means of song or games is a fool-proof way to grab their attention. This simple back-and-forth motion game is done along with the ever-popular song “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”.
Learn More: The Inspired Treehouse
8. Push and Pull Venn Diagram
Once kids know the difference between push and pull, let them complete a simple Venn diagram to see if they can differentiate between the two and also identify which action uses both motions.
Learn More: Mrs. Wood’s Kindergarten Class
9. Watch a Youtube Video
This fun and interactive video lets kids see the difference between these two forces and introduces learners to concepts that might otherwise be slightly tedious to learn.
Learn More: Kids Academy
10. Make a Pocket Notebook
This fun science notebook includes a variety of activities where kids can color pictures of objects that move as a result of push and pull forces. There are plenty of pictures to cut out and paste in their own notebooks which they can use throughout your motion lessons as reference.
Learn More: The Barefoot Teacher
11. Tug of War
One of the most basic yet effective push and pull activities is a classic game of tug of war. Take a moment before and after the game to let kids observe the rope in its static position and how force had an effect on the rope and on each other.
Learn More: Ravenox
12. Put Balls in Motion
Kids play with balls all the time without thinking about what forces are at play. Use tennis balls or soccer balls to let kids figure out if they are using a push or pull force and how stopping the ball or interfering in the movement will affect the motion and direction.
Learn More: Science Buddies
13. Racing Ramps
Racing cars is always a hit with kindergarteners and they rarely realize this fun activity is also a major lesson about the forces of motion. Kids should take note of the impact on the car if it is pushed from a ramp or if the ramp’s incline is changed.
Learn More: The Owl Teacher
14. Bottle Bowling
A lesson on motion during science time can also include a fun game of bowling. Kids can see how the ball will move faster or slower depending on how hard they push and how the ball will push over the bottles.
Learn More: Crafts for Kids
15. Magnetic Maze
Magnets easily demonstrate the concept of “pull” so why not create a fun game out of it? Let kids draw a maze on a paper plate and then use a magnet on either side of the plate to navigate through it. They can make the maze themed to their liking, adding another element of fun.
Learn More: Skip to my Lou
16. Go the Distance
This fun 3-part worksheet will let kids measure the distance their car goes depending on the force they apply. Seeing their measurements in numbers will give them a good indication of the forces at play.
Learn More: Mrs. B’s Beehive
17. Yo-Yo Games
Doing tricks with yo-yos is a lost art that you can bring back to life as a push and pull lesson. Show students how to use this fun toy and let them explore this basic action on their own. Explain how the forces of push and pull affect the yo-yo’s motion.
Learn More: Let’s Talk Science
18. Bottle Rockets
What goes up, must come down! That is the law of gravity, a major “pulling” force that kids will learn about in kindergarten. Launch bottle rockets to show students how they are “pushed” up into the air and “pulled” back to earth.
Learn More: Science Sparks
19. Egg Drop Experiment
Doing a classic egg drop parachute experiment is always fun for young learners, but it is also a great opportunity to show the pulling effects of gravity and the pushing effects of air.
Learn More: The Gazette
20. Force and Motion Little Readers
These fun personal readers will show kids the causality involved with push and pull motions. It is free to download and kids can color in the creative illustrations to make their own readers.
Learn More: Liz’s Early Learning Spot
21. Pumpkin Roll
To make your push and pull fall-themed, add a pumpkin into the mix for some extra fun. You should also use pumpkins of different sizes and weights to show kids how weight can influence the concepts of push and pull.
Learn More: Little Bins for Little Hands
22. Pom Pom Poppers
Be warned, anarchy is sure to ensue as kids pop their pom-poms across the classroom but you can rest assured that they are learning while having fun. These poppers show how the pull of the balloon then pushes the pom poms out of the “canon” in an equal and opposite reaction.
Learn More: Learn With MnM
23. Paper Airplane Race
Creating paper airplanes is an excellent activity to develop fine motor skills as little hands try to cut and fold on the lines. But flying these planes is also a great way to illustrate push and pull forces as they launch the planes and it is pulled to the ground by gravity.
Learn More: Halley Buzz
24. Magnetic Art
Magnetism explores the concepts of push and pull and can be introduced in tons of creative ways. Creating art with magnetic objects is a fantastic 2-in-1 activity where kids get to combine art and science in one colorful activity.
Learn More: Children’s Art Centre
25. Balloon Rockets
This fun activity only requires a few basic materials that you have lying around the classroom and offers tons of fun as kids try to race their balloons. Let kids see how balloons of different sizes race across the track or how balloons that have been weighed down are slower.
Learn More: Early Childhood Scribbles
26. Wrecking Ball
With only a few simple supplies you can build a destructive wrecking ball that knocks down everything from empty cups to a stack of blocks. Try to use different items for the wrecking ball and see which one knocks down the most in its swing of destruction.
Learn More: San Diego STEM Ecosytem
27. Make a Catapult
Catapults are a fun way to demonstrate how a pul in one direction will cause a push in the opposite direction. Kids should also observe how the power put into a pull affects the force of the push. Add snacks in your catapult for a yummy treat after the lesson.
Learn More: Kids Activity Blog
28. Whirlygig
If you are looking for a creative addition to a push and pull lesson, try this fun whirlygig craft. Kids will love watching the colorful patterns dance but also learn what happens when they pull on the string and how the string is pushed in the opposite direction.
Learn More: The Craft Train
29. Push and Pull Bingo
Kids never seem to tire of a good old-fashioned game of bingo. This set of bingo cards is filled with various push and pull activities that kids should be able to identify as one or the other.
Learn More: Bingo Baker
30. Stack Some Dominoes
Watching dominoes tumble is a guaranteed way to have kids jumping with joy. Pack out elaborate patterns and show kids how one little push can have big effects down the line.
Learn More: Playdough to Plato
Christmas Songs For Preschoolers: 32 Suggestions With Their Videos