A stone bouncing across the water looks like magic. But you don’t need a wand—just plenty of practice.

What You Need

• Smooth, flat stone

What You Do

1. Go to a Body of Water
   Head for the shore of a pond, lake, or slow-flowing river.
2. Find a Stone
   Find a smooth, flat stone that easily fits in the palm of your hand.
3. Hold the Stone Properly
   Hold the stone flat, with your thumb on top and middle finger below. Curl your pointer finger around the stone’s edge.
4. Throw the Stone
   Throw the stone toward the water. Snap your wrist forward when you release the stone and spin it off your pointer finger. The faster it spins, the better it will skip.
5. Count the Skips
   Count how many times your stone skips before it sinks. Then see if you can beat your record! (Can you believe that the current world record is 51 skips in a row? Wow!)