Arts & Crafts

DIY Magnetic Fishing Game for Kids

By: Highlights Editorial
Fishing pole made from a tree branch and fish made from chenille sticks.
30
minute activity
Ages 3+
Creativity
Critical Thinking
Curiosity
Fine Motor Skills

Ahoy, matey! How many fish will you catch today? This fun fishing activity requires little setup and can easily be adapted to include several children. It also builds kids’ hand-eye coordination as they use the pole to pick up fish. So whether you’re on the water this summer or not, spend some time fishing at your “local” watering hole.

What You'll Need

What to Do

  1. Tie one end of the string to a stick or twig.

  2. Put the end of the string between the sticky sides of two self-adhesive magnets.

  3. Bend and twist the chenille stems to make fish.Bend and twist the chenille stems to make fish.

  4. Cut the blue paper or felt to make a pond.

  5. Release the fish into the pond, and then go fishing!

* possible choking hazard; close supervision a must

Extend the Fun

Younger kids: Help your child count how many fish they caught. Put the fish in one long line so you can count them easily. Then ask your child to group the fish by color. How many of each color fish are there? Together, put each group of fish in a line, with one color next to the other, to make a simple bar graph. Compare the number of fish in each color.

Older kids: The fishing pole was able to pick up fish because it had a magnet on the end and the fish are partly made of metal wire. How many fish can you pick up at once? How could you change the fishing pole to make it pick up more fish? Try your idea to see how it works.

The whole family will be working as a team in these games for all ages — social emotional learning has never been so fun!

Author Photo
By: Highlights Editorial