Why do two magnets sometimes push apart?

Every magnet has two ends, called its north pole and south pole. Put a north next to a south, and they pull together. Put two norths together, or two souths, and they push each other away. Flip one magnet over and feel the difference!

What makes a magnet magnetic?

Iron is full of tiny patches called domains, and each one is like a mini magnet. Usually they point different ways, so their pulls cancel out. When the patches all turn to point the same way, their pulls add up. Then the iron becomes a magnet too.

How do magnets stick?

Roo answers for ages 4–11, then goes 2 steps deeper each time a child asks why.

Roo says

A magnet has an invisible pull all around it. Hold it near a steel paperclip, and the pull tugs the clip right over. Magnets pull on things with iron or steel in them, like the fridge door. They don't pull on lots of other metals, like aluminium foil.

For ages 4–7

Checked against Magnetic hopping (National MagLab)
Why do two magnets sometimes push apart?

Every magnet has two ends, called its north pole and south pole. Put a north next to a south, and they pull together. Put two norths together, or two souths, and they push each other away. Flip one magnet over and feel the difference!

For ages 6–9

Checked against Magnetic hopping (National MagLab)
What makes a magnet magnetic?

Iron is full of tiny patches called domains, and each one is like a mini magnet. Usually they point different ways, so their pulls cancel out. When the patches all turn to point the same way, their pulls add up. Then the iron becomes a magnet too.

For ages 8–11

Checked against Magnets from mini to mighty (National MagLab)