Pushes and Pulls Around Us

The Mystery of the Moving Toy

Imagine you have a bright red toy car sitting on the floor. You watch it for a minute... then two... Does it move on its own? No! To make it zoom, you have to do something to it. You might give it a poke or a tug. In science, we call these actions forces!

What is a Push?

A push is a force that moves something away from you. Think about the playground—you push a friend on a swing to make them go higher. At lunch, you push your chair back into the table. Even passing a soccer ball with your foot is a push! You are using your muscles to move things further away.

What is a Pull?

A pull is a force that moves something closer to you. You use pulls when you tug on your socks in the morning. Or when you grab the handle to open the fridge for a snack. When you pull a wagon full of toys, you are bringing those objects toward your body!

Sort the Forces

Let's see if you can spot the difference! Look at these three actions. Drag each one to the Push or Pull box to see if you're right. Not quite. Think about if the object is moving away from you or toward you. Great job! You identified the force correctly.

The Kite Mystery

Look at this kite flying high. The wind is tugging it up into the sky. You have to hold the string tight! Is the wind pushing or pulling? It's pulling the string! Even the wind can use forces.

The Scientist Challenge

You are now a scientist in charge of forces! Look around your room right now. Tell me about one thing you can push or pull, and I will tell you if you've found a force!