Here's a quick and easy game for your toddler or preschooler. This isn't your print, cut and add a paperclip kind of fishing game. It's easier!
You will need:
a few dried leaves
safety pins
a magnet
a stick
and maybe a few minutes to gather and prepare the game
plus, a few more to spend with your little one
What to do:
Invite your little one to pick up leaves. I suggest the large and dried up ones. Not too crunchy but not too soft. Your tot will definitely enjoy this activity. We picked up small acacia leaves too, so we could have a lot of fish.
Attach one safety pin on each leaf. You can also put a paper clip through but I thought this takes a longer time to assemble - and I did not want my excited boy to wait any longer.
Tie a string onto a stick. and a magnet on the other end of the string. While I was pinning the leaves, I asked my son to go look for a piece of string. I first explained that we are going to tie it on his stick. So off he went to ask his Tatay. But his Tatay (Papa) was doing something and so he went to ask Lolo (Grandpa). My little one came back to me and said "Yoyo." Translation: 'Lolo has string.'
I attached the string to the stick and the magnet to the string and viola! We were ready to go fishing!
This can be done indoors or outdoors but we chose to do it outdoors. I got a basin and placed all the 'fish' leaves in and let the tot have a go.
It was such a joy to see my boy have so much fun. He was challenged because the game required him to control the stick in order to 'catch' a fish. I was cheering him on the whole time.
This simple game has a lot of benefits too. It helps in developing fine motor tuning, increases focus and attention span and of course, the virtue of patience.
Remember to spend a little time 'fishing' with your little one too.
