Free 3rd Grade Contact and non-contact forces Worksheets

This topic teaches students that not all forces require objects to touch, gravity pulls a falling apple even before it hits the ground, and magnets attract metal objects across a gap. Third graders sort familiar forces into contact and non-contact categories, identify examples in everyday life, and explain the key difference between the two types. The concept provides an important organizing framework for all force and motion learning in Grade 3 and beyond.

Contact and non-contact forces is typically introduced early in the Grade 3 forces and motion unit as a foundational organizing concept. At ages 8-9, students benefit from having a clear category structure before they dive into specific forces like gravity, friction, and magnetism. Understanding this distinction makes it easier to analyze new force examples they encounter throughout the year.

Ask your child to walk through a room and find five examples of forces in action, then classify each as contact or non-contact using the worksheet vocabulary. The sorting and classification activities are straightforward enough for independent practice, while the open-response questions benefit from a brief conversation first. Making the connection to real experiences your child has every day, opening a door, picking up a toy, grounds the science in something concrete and familiar.