Simple Machine

Hello. I am a secret helper. You know me, but you might not know my name. I am the ‘whee’ that sends you down the big, yellow slide. I am the ‘spin’ that makes the merry-go-round go round and round. Faster and faster. I am even the ‘snip, snip, snip’ when your scissors cut through bright red paper. I am your magical friend. I love to help you play. I make tricky things feel easy and fun. I am always there to help you push, pull, lift, and cut.

A long, long, long time ago, people wanted to build big things. Very big things. They built giant pyramids that touched the sky. But the stones were so heavy. Oh, so heavy. They could not lift them. So they asked for a helper. And they found me. I showed them how to use a long, smooth ramp to push the stones up, up, up. I showed them how to use round logs to roll the heavy stones. It was like magic. They called me their Simple Machines. A very smart person named Archimedes saw me helping everywhere. He realized we were all part of one big, helpful family.

Even today, I am everywhere you look. I am the seesaw at the park that goes up and down. That is me being a lever. I am the shiny wheels on your favorite little toy car that go vroom, vroom. I am the smooth slide you love so much. That is me being a ramp for you to play on. I am your super helper, the Simple Machines. I love making big jobs feel small and fun so you can build, play, and explore. I am always here to make your day easier and full of fun.