Pushes and Pulls

Young children are constantly on the move. As they run, jump, climb and tumble, they experience stability, motion and balance with their own bodies. They also observe how toys respond to their actions and how objects, materials and living things in the world around them move. Pushes and pulls — what scientists call forces — can make things go, stop, speed up, slow down or change direction. They can also make things change shape. Four-year-olds closely observe the motion of objects, materials and living things in the world around them and actively investigate motion in their play. They have ideas about how to change an object’s movement — how to make balls stop or change direction or how to make sinking items float — and may make predictions about how objects will respond to their actions. When you provide safe spaces and lots of opportunities for your child to explore pushes and pulls, you promote their learning. When you join in, you give them the message that their explorations are important. As you investigate pushes and pulls with your child, introduce words — like stable, direction, balance and collide — that help them express what they are doing, noticing and thinking about. Individual children will be interested in exploring different things, so remember to follow your child’s lead!