I went to switch on the light to the laundry room this evening, and something got in the way of my hand. It seems someone had attached Magnetix Jr. pieces to the metal switch plate. I had a hunch this wasn’t the only place the bandits struck, so I pushed the laundry to the back of my mind and went on a magnet mission. Sure enough, every metal switch plate in the house was hit, but that wasn’t all. In the family room, the metal frame to the futon was decorated with magnetic pieces, so was the metal edge of the pool table. Two lamp bases and my treadmill were also hit.
When I located my little ones and asked what they were doing, my son said, "We're treasure hunters, looking for gold, and these are our metal detectors." They each held a plastic bin filled with Magnetix Jr. pieces. Of course, I praised their creativity and ingenuity. I also initiated a discussion of how gold really isn’t magnetic, and I was promptly told that they knew that, having just come from my jewelry box. They assured me they were simply "pretending and finding a special gold."
While they continued with their make believe, I ran to the computer to check my facts. I was almost positive that gold was not magnetic, but when my son mentioned “special gold,” I had a nagging feeling that I needed to do a little research. I learned that pure gold is in fact, not magnetic, but that some alloys of gold do magnetize on their own. It looks like they aren’t the only ones in this house who are learning through play.
See parents helping parents in action! 
