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Shutterstock.com (Child); Marybeth Rivera (Hands); Sarah Leighton (nosey)

The Mystery of the Floating Pencil

How can you make a pencil float? Learn this magic trick

From the October/November 2025 Issue

What you need: a pencil • two hands


Step 1:

Hold a pencil in one hand like this.


Step 2:


Grab your wrist with the other hand. Put your pointer finger out.


Step 3:


Hold the pencil with the pointer finger.
Open your hand. 


Step 4:
Show people this side of your hand! 

Tip: Say you are squeezing your wrist to make this work. Squeeze and groan. Have fun!

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