Pushes and Pulls

Young children enjoy moving their own bodies, making things move and observing motion in the world around them. Pushes and pulls — what scientists call forces — act on objects, materials and living things and can make them move, stop, speed up, slow down, change direction or change shape. Pushes and pulls include a variety of actions — throwing, hitting, kicking and catching. They also include forces like gravity and friction. It is not expected that eight-year-olds will fully understand these forces, but they can investigate their effects. School-aged children become increasingly independent in their explorations. Eight-year-olds make predictions about how objects will respond to their actions and do simple investigations to find out more. Eight-year-olds experiment with motion, stability and balance by spinning tops, creating complex ramp systems for rolling balls and making intricate domino patterns. They begin to think more deeply about how the characteristics of objects can affect movement — heavier blocks make stronger structures and longer levers can move heavier objects. When you provide safe spaces and lots of opportunities for your child to explore pushes and pulls, you promote their critical thinking. As you help them design, build and create structures for exploring motion, you also support their problem-solving skills and help them think like engineers. As you investigate pushes and pulls with your child, talk with them about their experiences. Individual children will be interested in exploring different things, so remember to follow your child’s lead!