Homemade Compass
A magnetised needle floated on water finds north, turning a sewing needle into a working compass.
Thinking
5–11 years
15–25 min
Calm
Low mess
At home
What you need
- A sewing needle
- A magnet
- A small slice of cork or foam
- A shallow bowl of water
Setup
- Rub the needle along the magnet in one direction 30-40 times
- Push the needle through a small slice of cork or foam
- Float the cork gently in a shallow bowl of still water
Play prompts
- Which way does the needle settle to point?
- What happens if you spin it and let it settle again?
- Can you check it against a phone compass to see if it agrees?
Ways to change it up
- Try re-magnetising the needle if it stops working well
- Mark N/S/E/W around the bowl and use it to navigate a small scavenger hunt
Safety notes
- Needles are sharp, an adult should handle magnetising and threading through the cork
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