Pushes and pulls — Physical education, 4–6 years
A push or a pull can make something move, stop or change direction. Children meet this idea whenever they open, roll, kick or drag something.
What pushes and pulls do
When you push a toy car, it moves away from your hand. When you pull a box, it comes towards you. A push or a pull can also make an object stop or turn, depending on how you touch it.
Why we notice them
People began talking about pushes and pulls because they wanted to explain why things moved, instead of saying that movement simply happened. This helps us choose how to open a stuck drawer, roll a ball or make a swing move.
A ball across the floor
Put a ball on the floor and mark its starting place with a piece of tape. Give it one gentle push: it rolls about 30 centimetres. Push from the side next time: it rolls in a new direction. The touch changed both its movement and its path.
The common mix-up
It is easy to think that an object needs a push all the time to keep moving. That seems sensible because a toy car soon stops when you stop pushing it. In fact, the floor and air slow it down; on a very smooth surface it could travel farther.
Everyday ways to move things
You use pushes and pulls to open a door, zip a coat, pedal a bicycle and play with a ball. You can make a task easier by changing the direction or using both hands. The same idea helps engineers design handles, wheels and playground equipment.
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