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🚗 Things that go

Why are wheels round? Simple, true things that go facts for young children, each with a fun fact, a tiny activity and a question to talk about together.

Tap a question to reveal the answer, share the fun fact, try the tiny activity, then talk about it together.

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Why are wheels round? Revealexpand_more

Wheels are round so they can roll smoothly along the ground without bumping. A round wheel touches the ground at just one spot and keeps turning over that spot, which lets it move easily. A square wheel would get stuck on each corner with every turn.

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Talk about itWhat things around you have wheels?

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Did you know?The wheel is one of the oldest and most important inventions people ever made.

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Try itTry rolling a round ball and a square block across the floor. Which one moves easily, and which one gets stuck?

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🚗🚗What makes a car go?⛵Why do boats float?🧲Why do magnets stick?

🤖Still curious?What did people use to move heavy things before wheels?arrow_forward

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What makes a car go? Revealexpand_more

A car has an engine that burns fuel or uses a battery to make its wheels spin. When the driver presses the pedal, the engine turns the wheels, and the grip of the tyres pushes the car forward along the road. Steering the wheel points the front wheels where you want to go.

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Talk about itWhere is your favourite place to go by car?

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Did you know?The very first cars were so slow that a person could walk faster than they drove.

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Try itPush a toy car and let go. It rolls, then stops. A real car needs an engine to keep going.

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🚗🛞Why are wheels round?✈️How do planes stay up in the sky?⛵Why do boats float?

🤖Still curious?How is an electric car different from a petrol one?arrow_forward

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Why do boats float? Revealexpand_more

A boat floats because it pushes aside a lot of water, and that water pushes back up hard enough to hold the boat. Even heavy boats float if they are shaped to spread out over the water instead of sinking into it. A boat full of air inside floats better than a solid lump.

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Talk about itHave you ever been on a boat? What was it like?

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Did you know?Huge metal ships float even though metal on its own sinks in water.

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Try itPress a flat sponge and a crumpled ball of the same sponge onto water. The flat, spread-out one floats more easily.

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🚗✈️How do planes stay up in the sky?🛞Why are wheels round?🚗What makes a car go?

🤖Still curious?How can a heavy metal ship float when a coin sinks?arrow_forward

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How do planes stay up in the sky? Revealexpand_more

A plane has long, smooth wings and powerful engines that push it forward very fast. As air rushes over the specially shaped wings, it lifts the plane up and holds it in the air. As long as the plane keeps moving forward fast enough, the wings keep it flying.

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Talk about itWhere in the world would you fly if you could go anywhere?

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Did you know?The biggest planes are heavier than a hundred cars, yet they still fly.

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Try itHold a strip of paper below your lips and blow across the top. It lifts up, a bit like air lifting a wing.

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🚗⛵Why do boats float?🚗What makes a car go?🎈Why do some balloons float up?

🤖Still curious?Why do planes need such long runways?arrow_forward

🚗 Things that go

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