Ever felt like your learning supplies are getting out of control? Maybe becoming a downright mess? Last year I helped The Babe’s preschool teacher clean out their magnet learning bin. Wow. Iron filings and metal parts everywhere. And they are impossible!! to get off. So I thought, there has to be a better way. And so was born this Mess Free Magnetic Learning Center. Everything comes in a customizable, child-proof bottle, just waiting to be explored. And it’s preschooler and preschool teacher approved after it’s first trial run this week.
This post contains affiliate links.
Mess Free Magnetic Learning Center Supplies Needed
- Empty mouthwash bottles (check for childproof caps)
- Magnet wands {affiliate}
- Magnetic materials like ball bearings, pipe cleaners, steel wool, screws, etc.
- Non-magnetic materials like sand, straws, aluminum foil, etc.
- CD storage box {affiliate}
Make Your Magnet Bottles
The first step is to empty out all the mouthwash. I grabbed a jar and saved it for future use. Or you could just have really minty breath today :) Next, remove all the labels. WD-40 {affiliate} is your best friend when it comes to removing labels… Soak the bottles in water for a bit, scrape off what you can and then remove the rest of the gunk with WD-40.
Then it’s time to pick your bottle ingredients for your magnetic learning center. Pick a mixture of magnetic and non-magnetic materials. I tried to do a mix of silver and colorful items too. Kids initially will think all the metal like ones are magnetic and the colorful ones aren’t. But whoa, aluminum foil and pipe cleaners blew some of the kid’s minds because they didn’t do what they expected.
I also added our cool Magnetic Field Sensory Bottle which is totally mesmerizing, even for adults. Click over for the magic ingredient we used in this bottle.
These are great for free exploration and you never know what will happen. My daughter ended up making them into towers and dominoes and tried to knock them down with the wand. And still no mess! If you want to drive some additional science learning, you can ask them to make a hypothesis about which ones will stick to the magnet before they start playing.
Now for the gratuitous happy kiddo shot :) Sometimes I like to remind myself that my blog is kind of my photo album and it’s OK to add pics that remind me of the good times we had with a project. Thanks for understanding.
Keep It Organized
I happened to have this CD storage box {affiliate} laying around in my house and I discovered that everything fit right in, even the magnet wand. It’s perfect for making a mess free set even less mess free!
More STEM Made Fun
While you’ve got the magnets out, try this Magnet Painting Five Minute Craft too!
Science, Tech, Engineering, Art, and Math Fun for Kids
Looking for some more STEAM inspiration that use can use right now? Instant gratification style? Check out STEAM Kids: 50+ Hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math Hands-On Projects for Kids ebook! It’s packed full of a year’s worth fun learning activities that will wow the boredom right out of your kids.
NICE!
Loooove organizing – and that Magnetic Field sensory bottle is incredible!!
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