How do magnets actually work at a fundamental level?

Magnets work because tiny parts inside them are all lined up, just like how your toys line up when you tidy up.

Imagine each magnet is made of lots of tiny magnets, called magnetic domains. These little magnets all point in the same direction, and that’s what makes the whole magnet work.

Think about it like this: if every kid in your class held hands with their neighbor, they’d all be connected in one big chain, that’s how magnetic domains are inside a magnet. When they’re all lined up, the magnet can pull or push things around it.

If the tiny magnets inside a magnet get mixed up, like when your toys scatter across the floor after playtime, the magnet might not work as well, that’s why sometimes magnets lose their strength over time.