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Pushes and pulls

  1. Things wait for a push or a pull

    A toy car sits on the floor. It will not move by itself. Something has to push it or pull it. A push or a pull is called a force.

  2. PushPullA force is a push or a pull

    Push away, pull closer

    Push the car, and it rolls away from you. Pull its string, and it comes closer. Try a push and a pull in the box below.

  3. Soft push
    goes a little
    Hard push
    goes far

    A harder push goes farther

    Push the car softly. It rolls a little way. Now push it hard. It zooms much farther. A heavy box needs a big push to move.

    1. 1
      Start
    2. 2
      Stop
    3. 3
      Turn

    Stop it or turn it

    A ball rolls to you. You put your foot out, and it stops. Your foot pushed it. Kick it from the side, and it turns. Forces start, stop and turn things.

  5. A row of swings at a park playground Real photo

    Find forces at the park

    You push a swing, and it goes away. You pull a gate, and it opens. In tug of war, both sides pull. If they pull the same, the rope stays still.

For parents

Goal: Your child learns that pushes and pulls are forces that make things start, stop, turn, and go faster or farther.

  • Through the day, ask: was that a push or a pull?
  • Ask: what will happen if you push harder?
  • When playing ball, ask your child to stop it, then turn it, and name the push.

Away from the screen: Roll a ball softly, then harder, and mark where it stops each time with a sock. Then play a gentle tug of war with a towel and feel what balanced pulls are like.

Science · Pushes, pulls and falling
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