If you are trying to disassemble any complicated type of machine then the job becomes much easier by magnetizing the screwdriver that you are going to use for that purpose. You can also teach your children about magnets by conducting few small experiments using specialized tools.
Before you start the experiment check the type of steel used in the screwdriver with the help of any existing magnet. If your screw driver does not get attracted to the magnet then the experiment will not work.
Magnetize your screw driver temporarily
If you keep the tip of the screw driver near any strong magnet for couple of minutes then your screw driver will turn into a weak magnet. However, its magnetic property will vanish after some time. Many technicians magnetize their screw drivers, nails and needle before they start working with them to make their work easier. If you are also interested to magnetize the needle of your old compass or any weakened magnet then you can adopt this simple method of magnetizing.
Find a very strong magnet
In order to magnetize any magnetic material, you can use any type of magnet. However, the magnetic effect will remain for very short duration if the magnet is of any ordinary kind. You can therefore look for some very strong magnet in order to make your screw driver into a weak magnet for a long duration of time.
You should therefore look for neodymium magnet or any other rare earth magnet, which you can buy from any of the hobby stores or home improvement store. In case, you cannot find strong market then you can try online magnet stores too. There are tool magnetizers also available in certain stores that are designed for magnetizing steel. There are many more resources you can explore further.
Test your screw driver
If the material of your screw driver tip does not get attracted to the magnet then you cannot magnetize it. However, most of the standard screw drivers and nails are good magnetic material and they are also very thin in shape, therefore they are easy to magnetize.
If you want to magnetize any other steel material then investigate about it before you buy them from the supplier. Your stainless steel must be of ferrite material or it must be graded as part of series 400. The good thing is that most of the magnetic materials that are available in the market are much cheaper in cost.
Stroke your magnet along the tip of screw driver repeatedly
You take your magnet in one hand and stroke it repeatedly on one side of your screw driver in only one direction. You should do this for longer duration in order to keep its magnetic property for longer time. Now reverse the side of your magnet and repeat the same process on this side also for the same duration of time. You can now test your screw driver and check if it can attract a pin.