Everything moves. Even apparently stationary objects such as houses, roads, or mountains are moving because they sit on a spinning planet orbiting the Sun. Not surprisingly, the concepts of motion and the forces that affect moving objects are an integral part of the middle school science curriculum. However, middle school students are often taught only about linear motion. According to the National Science Education Standards, middle grades students should learn "An object that is not being subjected to a force will continue to move at a constant speed and in a straight line" (NRC 1996). In everyday life, however, nonlinear motion is more common than straight line motion. Thus, after studying linear motion and learning the basic concepts involved (inertia, force, friction) the teacher can extend his or her students' learning by having them apply it to nonlinear situations. While much of the physics is too advanced for middle level students, the author has successfully used toy tops to teach students some of the basic concepts of nonlinear motion in a fun and engaging way. This article describes how the author was able to accomplish this.