Projects, Crafts & STEM

Magnetism is an essential science lesson, and you can make teaching about it loads of fun with some creative tools. For a beginner, learning about the complex world of magnetism can seem a bit daunting. However, if you start with the basics and this creative experiment, it should be easier to move onto some more advanced concepts. One of the most basic magnet lessons is figuring out what is and what is not magnetic. In other words, what do magnets attract (besides other magnets)? A fun way to do this is with a magnetic test experiment. Continue reading →

In a small house or apartment, space can be tight. If you’ve lived in a small home, you’ve probably come up with a few tricks of your own to amplify the space that you have. One idea to help save space is to build a Murphy desk. You may have heard the term “murphy” used when referring to the bed━the Murphy bed, named for its patented inventor, William Lawrence Murphy. The bed folds up to fit into a vertical wall, and this DIY follows the same concept. You can fold the desk up when you’re not using it and pull it out when you need it. Continue reading →

Can you imagine life without music? Well, without magnets it would be pretty difficult to listen to it. Did you know that magnets are inside speakers and headphones? Magnets allow us to hear the music that we love so much. You can even create your own DIY set of speakers with some magnets and learn a little bit about audio, electricity and science in the process. There are tons of variations on homemade speakers, even a Mason jar version. But, we have created a simple version for those of you that would like to try it out! Continue reading →

At first, you may think magnets have very little to do with fashion. However, some clothes may use button magnets or magnetic clasps for interchangeability or to help those with limited hand mobility easily fasten and unfasten garments. Believe it or not, there are several companies that specifically design clothing with magnetic buttons to help those with Parkinson’s, arthritis and other similar ailments. Magnetic clasps are useful because they are virtually effortless to open and close but can still maintain a secure, magnetic hold. Continue reading →

September 25th is National Comic Book Day! After Action Comics #1Superman was first released in 1938 the format gradually rose to popularity and has still remained a fond pastime. Today, we often see comic book characters outside of their multipanel pages. They come to life on TV and movie screens and make appearances on merchandise ranging from clothes, home decor, school supplies and almost anything else that you can imagine.  If you are a fan of flying superheroes or the maniacal villains they keep at bay, then you’ll want to see these DIYs to celebrate National Comic Book Day. Continue reading →

In a previous blog, we completed a neodymium magnet experiment to see what happens when you drop a bar magnet into a copper tube. Spoiler alert — if you want to try the experiment for yourself first, stop reading and head to this blog. When you complete the age-old “drop a magnet down a tube” trick, you’ll notice something strange...

Halloween may not be for another month but that doesn’t mean that you can’t start bringing out the spooky decorations now! Although Halloween or All Hallow’s Eve began as a Celtic holiday marking the end of the harvest season, today it is more commonly celebrated as a time for wearing costumes, eating candy and decorating with monsters, ghouls and the like. If you love doing crafts for the scariest holiday of the year, here are a few DIY magnet projects to try out. Continue reading →

Did you know that today is National Video Games Day? It is unclear who is responsible for creating the unofficial holiday but a quick Google search will confirm its existence. Gamers of the world may even already be celebrating it by relaxing and playing their favorite game. Video games have become a popular part of our culture, with their popularity really blowing up in the 1980’s after the release of the Nintendo Entertainment System. The industry has come a long way since then with more advanced graphics and storylines, but for today, we are featuring some magnet DIYs inspired by the classic games many may remember from their childhood. Continue reading →

As summer dwindles away and the school year starts again, we get back to the daily grind of work. However, just because you are doing work doesn’t mean you can’t make it a little more fun. Because, let’s face it, it’s easy to fall down the steep slope of procrastination especially when you are not having fun, not organized or just not motivated. Well, we’ve got some ideas for how you can fight off procrastination with some help from the magnetic force. Continue reading →

The discovery that electricity and magnetism are closely related goes as far back as the 1820s, when physicist Hans Christian Oersted demonstrated that an electrical current creates a magnetic field capable of deflecting a compass needle. Oersted’s discovery established that there is more than just one type of magnet. Continue reading →

Labor Day is the ultimate holiday to sit back and relax with friends and family. With about 170 million people in the American civilian labor force (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, October 2026), we’d say it is much deserved. If you are having some friends over this Labor Day weekend, here are a few magnetic home hacks that you can use to make both your guests and you feel more comfortable. Continue reading →

Magnetism is all around us. It is one of the greatest scientific and natural phenomenons in the world and an important part of science and other learning curriculum. However, it can get a bit complex, so how do we teach students about magnetism without confusing or boring them? Here are a few suggestions and lessons to try to engage and introduce students to the magical world of magnets. Continue reading →

Believe it or not, the functionality of magnets reaches far beyond just adorning your fridge. We use magnets everyday and so often that we may not even realize that we are using them. Honestly, our lives would be very different without magnetism. For instance, magnets are used in head phones, computers, cars, recycling centers, blenders, handbags and much more. Even now, inventors, scientists and researchers are looking towards magnetism for use in several medical and technological innovations such as the research into treatments for cancer and depression. Often, when customers contact us with magnet or other product questions, we also get to hear about the creative and exciting projects that they are working on. But, we’d also like to see their projects and end results. How have you used magnets? Update: This contest ended on September 8, 2014 and is now closed. In 2014 we invited customers to share a photo of their magnet projects in our “Everyday Magnets Photo Contest” for a chance to win $100. Continue reading →

It’s that time of year again. The kiddos are headed back to school and teachers are getting their classrooms student-ready. For teachers that have to put up and take down the decorations each year, magnets can be an easy-to-use solution. You can use magnets to hold up decorations and other classroom items and easily move or take them down at the end of the school year without leaving behind any holes or other damage. Here are some ways to use magnets for your back to school needs: Continue reading →

It is truly amazing when science and art overlap. This was recently the case when a Dutch designer, named Jólan van der Wiel, created futuristic ceramics using magnetic clay and magnets. The pieces are reminiscent of a science fiction film or alien life forms with their gravity defying structures and metallic coloring. However, the science behind their creation is real and applies some basic rules of magnetism. Continue reading →

Iron filings are, as their name suggests, filed pieces of iron that look like a metallic powder. Their properties are, in some aspects, similar to ferrofluid, because they form a significant pattern when interacting with a magnet. Magnetic fields are invisible, but the pattern that both substances form represents the lines of a magnetic field. Pairing iron filings and magnets together is probably one of the most common, preliminary experiments used to show magnetism. Despite its commonality it is still an interesting way to display the magnetic field. Conduct your own experiment with iron filings and these simple steps! Continue reading →

Magnetic paint is one of those home decor projects that can both look amazing and prove extremely useful. You can hang up photos and notes without putting damaging holes into your walls. However, there are a few things you should probably know before diving into a magnetic paint project. In this blog, we’ll go over a few tips and ideas for your next home improvement adventure. Continue reading →

Magnetic stirrers are often used in labs for buffer solutions, protein dialysis and other biology or chemistry experiments that require constant stirring for long periods of time. This type of stirrer is often used because it limits the risk of contaminating the chemicals and liquids being tested. It also prevents settling and allows for hands-free stirring for experiments that require a homogenous mixture. Continue reading →

In a previous blog we discussed and conducted an experiment showing diamagnetic levitation, the phenomenon that happens when diamagnetic materials levitate in between an arranged magnetic field. In this blog, we’re discussing superconducting levitation with magnets. Superconducting levitation, driven by the Meissner effect, can be considered a “super” form of diamagnetic levitation. A superconducting material like Yttrium-barium-copper-oxide enters a state of zero electrical resistance when it reaches its superconducting point. This state seems to defy gravity by repelling magnetic fields and levitating. In this example, the temperature needed to become a superconductor with perfect diamagnetism is around 93 Kelvin or -180° Celsius. Continue reading →

You may have seen a video that shows a bottle cap being popped off using only a fridge magnet and a quarter. The video has been circling the Internet recently and may seem real, but we were pretty skeptical. As magnet-enthusiasts, we naturally had to test out the legitimacy of this bottle opening trick. Continue reading →

The Fourth of July is the official birthday of America! Some of the visuals that we imagine for the Fourth of July are red, white, blue and anything that is reminiscent of fireworks or the American flag. Many of us we’ll be holding parties to commemorate our loved ones or just celebrate our freedom with friends and delicious barbecued food. For those occasions, here is a simple and patriotic DIY party favor idea using the staple holiday visuals: Fourth of July glitter and star magnets! Continue reading →

Are you traveling somewhere exciting for vacation this summer? Map your journey with magnets! Whether you are going a few states over, to a nearby beach or traveling across the globe these DIY magnet projects are a neat way to remember your experience. We have two ways that you can combine magnets and maps to record your travels. Continue reading →

Most kids are already out of school for the summer and enjoying the free time that comes with break. With the kids at home it could be a great time to involve them in the household chores. The thought of doing chores isn’t appealing to many, but you can try to make it more interesting with some positive reinforcement and this fun DIY magnetic chore chart! Continue reading →

If your family is one that loves to adorn its fridge with colorful magnets and family photos, then these DIY magnets might be perfect for you. In this tutorial, we’re making our own DIY clothes magnets and then attaching them to family photos to create funny, movable magnet pieces. Some examples of cute magnets that you can include in your Father’s Day gift set are: sports jerseys, ties, bowties, shoes, vests and almost any other article of clothing. Continue reading →