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Magnets and springs

Activities for home

Magnetic obstacle course

You need: - Box or tray
- Magnetic object
- Magnets
- Cardboard

Try this
  • Use a flat cardboard box or an old wooden tray.
  • Plan an obstacle course for a magnetic object – like a paper-clip. You are going to drive it through the course by moving the magnet under the tray.

  • Draw a road on the box.
  • Make it narrow in places.
  • Give it tight corners.
  • Make card bridges over rivers – but not too high! Why not?
  • Stick on pieces of card to create obstacles.
  • Make a tunnel.
  • Tape down some magnets as traps.
  • Go too close to them and lose your ‘car’.

  • Try your obstacle course.


  • Race a friend.
  • Try not to attract each other’s cars.