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This simple DIY fishing game for kids is easy to make with cardboard and magnets. Includes instructions for making your own magnetic fish and fishing rod plus ideas for pretend play. (We used the fishing game with a Fort Magic canoe.)
We usually build something—a submarine, airplane, fort, igloo—that then encourages all kinds of imaginative play over the next few days.
This time the kids started with a pretend play idea (a diy fishing game ) and decided to make something with the Fort Magic kit to go with it.
It all started when Maia and Daphne were sitting on top of the washer “fishing” with a piece of yarn.
They decided to make, first, a fishing pole (dowel + cardboard tube + duct tape + yarn + cardboard hook) then some fish (cardboard with an eye hole to snag with the hook).
There was a lot of creative problem solving that went into the fishing operation (I was in the next room overhearing much of it).
In the end it proved tricky to fish by angling the hook into the eye hole. When I could hear that they were getting frustrated, I mentioned that we had some magnets on the studio shelf, and they were off again. Getting out the glue gun, attaching magnets to the hook and the fish, and then, success!
Their new DIY fishing game worked!
They painted and decorated their fish.
Then they made some more. (I even made a couple myself as my contribution to the diy fishing game.)
How to Make Fish for the DIY Fishing Game
MATERIALS
- Cardboard
- Scissors
- Magnet disks
- Glue
- Yarn
- Wooden dowel/stick
INSTRUCTIONS
- First, cut the cardboard into simple fish shapes.
- Decorate with paint, drawings, or colored paper.
- Glue magnet disks on for the eyes.
- Cut a large cardboard fishing hook and glue a magnet on to the end of the hook.
- Attach your magnetic hook to a wooden dowel fishing rod with yarn.
- Use your new fish and fishing rod to see how many fish you can catch or to play another kind of fishing game!
They fished for a while from the top of the washing machine, then decided they need a proper boat to fish from.
A Boat for the Fishing Game
They looked at the Fort Magic building ideas, chose the canoe over the pirate ship, and got to work, all by themselves.
Maia, the 9 year old, was directing the whole operation with Daphne, almost 5, the willing understudy.
They counted out the pieces they needed to build the canoe.
Assembled it.
And even made a canoe paddle, following the Fort Magic instructions.
At this point, they called me in to help with covering the frame. As always, we used our collection of play silks and assorted thrifted scarves and attached them using the handy little clips that come with the Fort Magic kit.
I especially like how the large rainbow scarf covers the bow of the boat!
While the canoe instructions included how to make a fishing pole, Maia and Daphne skipped that part since they already had one.
However they decided they needed a sail and, later, a steering wheel.
Finally, the boat was navigated out to the fishing waters…
…and the fishing operation commenced.
They even asked me to video tape the fishing pole in action (um, maybe I’ll figure out how to do a video today).
You can buy the Fort Magic kits on Amazon. They also have a 30-day money back guarantee and a full manufacturing warranty on all the parts!
This is post is sponsored by Fort Magic. The Fort Magic fort kit for kids was sent to us for free to try out and review. All opinions expressed are my own.
