A push and a pull
A push sends a thing away from you. A pull brings a thing closer to you.
Step 1: Something to Notice
Watch first. The explanation comes later.
A cart is standing still on the path. Nobody is touching it, and it stays there. Then a girl puts her hands on the back of it, and it rolls away from her.
The cart was still a moment ago. What made it move?
Step 2: Find Out
Pick a thing. Push it, then pull it. Watch what it does each time.
Step 1 — Predict
You are going to push the wagon. Which way will it go?
Choose what you think will happen. You cannot see the experiment until you do — guessing first is what makes it worth watching.
Step 3: So Here Is Why
Now the explanation, after you have seen it happen.
How to tell them apart
Look at which way the thing goes. Away from you is a push. Towards you is a pull.
Both are forces
A push and a pull are both called forces.
Force A push or a pull.
Nothing moves on its own
A thing sitting still stays still. It waits for a push or a pull.
Step 4: A Common Mistake
Lots of people think
“Things move on their own.”
Step 5: Pushes and Pulls All Day
The same idea somewhere new.
You push a swing. You pull a wagon. A door, a drawer, a ball, a rope — every one of them needs a push or a pull before it goes anywhere.
Step 6: Think It Through
Practice makes it stick.
The Door
Problem 1 of 2
You want the door to move away. What do you do?
The Drawer
Problem 2 of 2
The socks are in the drawer. You want the drawer to come to you. What do you do?
Push or Pull?
1 of 4
Which picture shows a pull?
2 of 4
Nobody touches the ball. What happens?
3 of 4
Put each picture in the right box.
Tap something to move it.
- Empty
- Empty
4 of 4
You stand behind your friend on the swing. You want to send her forward. What do you do?
Step 7: Quick Check
Show what you know.
Question 1 of 1
Which picture shows a push?
What You Found Out
- A push moves things away from you.
- A pull brings things closer to you.
- A push and a pull are both forces.
- Nothing moves on its own.
For the grown-up
Nothing moves on its own — A thing sitting still will stay still forever unless something pushes or pulls it. A ball on the floor does not decide to roll away. So whenever you see something start to move, something touched it. Look for what.
Pushes and pulls all day — You push a door open. You pull a drawer out. You push the pedals on a bike. You pull a wagon behind you. Every time something moves, somebody or something gave it a push or a pull.
A push goes away, a pull comes closer — When you push something, it moves away from you. When you pull something, it comes towards you. That is the easiest way to tell which one you did.
Why one word for two things — A push and a pull look like opposites, and for the child they are. Scientists give them one name — force — because they do the same job: they change how something is moving. Your child does not need the word yet. They need to notice that something always had to touch it first.