Storybook Science: Stacking Levitating Magnets

This post may contain affiliate links.

I am excited to be joining in with the Virtual Book Club this year. Today’s theme is Ten Apples Up on Top  by Dr. Seuss and I have a fun little “magic” trick to teach you!  To go along with the book we are stacking levitating magnets. Sounds complicated, but it is really simple and so much fun! This is a perfect way to integrate picture books with science.

Ten Apples Up on Top has long been one of our favorite Dr. Seuss books.  I thought this little levitating magnet trick would be a perfect way to incorporate stories and science together!  Kids really feel like this is magic, but you can help them understand the why behind it.

To do this stacking levitating magnet trick you will need 10 or 11 ring magnets, a skewer or chopstick, and some play dough (or poke the stick into a cardboard box) to hold up the stick.

Put the stick into play dough, clay or into a cardboard box to hold it up.  Then slide the rings onto the stick. With each ring you need to flip the polarity so the magnets repel each other.

As you can see, we put some little apples onto our magnets.  I just taped them to the side before stacking them.

As you add more magnets they are pushed closer together, but still repel each other.

This stacking levitating magnet experiment is fun for little kids and big kids. It is so surprising to watch them repel and literally float!

This is part of the Weekly Virtual Book Club for Kids!

See more details on Toddler Approved, &  The Educator’s Spin on It!  Plus join in on the Facebook page!

Looking for more preschool apple activities to go with the book? See more from the other participating bloggers:

Magnet Names Apple Picking – Preschool Powol Packets
Teaching Graphing with Apples– Extremely Good Parenting
2-Ingredient Apple-Scented Play Dough– Rainy Day Mum
How to Trace Your Name With Fingerprint Apples – Big Owl Little Owl Witty Hoots
Ten Apples Up On Top File Folder Game – Views From a Step Stool
Sequencing Number Words – Adventures of Adam
Apple Scented Play Dough – Rainy Day Mum
Finger Painted Apple Trees – Clare’s Little Tots
Play Dough Apple Stacking Activity – Inspiration Laboratories
Science in Motion Apple Game – The Educators’ Spin On It
Apple Color Mixing Science Experiment – Powerful Mothering
Colorful Spin Art Apple Banner for Kids– Toddler Approved
Apple Color Hunt – My Bored Toddler
Apple Themed Pre-Writing Activity – Sugar Aunts
Ten Apples Up On Top Gross Motor Game – Still Playing School
Are Apples Round? Fun Ways for Exploring Shapes – Peakle Pie