Hey ya’ll! You can find the common DIY Fishing Game tutorial on just about any craft website, but I put a twist on mine!
Teaching your toddlers basic counting skills is very important when it comes to their development and also preparing them for school. As moms we want our kids to be smart and excel at everything, but sometimes our kiddos aren’t all that interested in sitting at the table with a notepad and pencil. So, we need to get creative and make learning fun!
That’s where my “twist” comes in! Using my FREE template you can add numbers to the fish. The kids won’t even realize that they are learning because they will be having so much fun!
What you need:
MATERIALS
- FREE TEMPLATE. (Optional)
- Felt.
- Lightweight material.
- Yarn or string.
- Magnets. (I DO NOT recommend the self adhesive magnets. They don’t seem to magnetize as well.)
- Dowel rod.
TOOLS
- Scissors.
- Hot Glue Gun/ Glue.
How to make THE FISH FOR a diy fishing game
STEP 1:
The first step is to print off my FREE template. I printed it on card stock.
(Signing up for this FREE template will also gain you unlimited FREE access to my Freebie Library!)
Once you have the template printed off, you will then need to cut the fish out of the template. You will use this to trace out your fish in the next step!
*Even though I recommend using the FREE template to make the project easier, you can also do this by hand! Simply hand draw the fish approximately 4 inches long and approximately 2 inches high. You will also need to make a circle, approximately 5 inches, for the “bobber”. Then draw boxes, small enough to fit on the fish, with the numbers 1-10 in them (1 number per box).
STEP 2:
Your second step is to trace the fish template on a piece of felt. You will need 2 outlines per 1 fish.
(The template will make 20 fish, so you will actually need to trace 40 fish.)
Once you have the fish traced you will need to cut them out. You can either square off the tail to make it easier, or you can add a little detail with the curved tail.
STEP 3:
Your third step is to place a magnet in the center of the fish. Then, hot glue another fish on top.
Tip: Work in small sections because the glue may dry too fast.
Once all of the edges are sealed you may need to trim to make the edges even. If you are anything like me, some (or all) of your fish will need a little love. Cutting evenly is not my strong suit!
STEP 4:
Step 4 is simple. All you need to do is cut out the numbers and hot glue them to the fish!
How to make the magnetic bobber and Fishing POLE
STEP 5:
Cut the circle out of the template and trace it on a piece of lightweight material. You can use an old t-shirt or even a bandana.
Then add a magnet and a small amount of Fiber Fill to the center of the circle.
The Fiber Fill can be optional. I used it to give the “Bobber” some fullness. But be sure you put the fill on top of the magnet so it doesn’t prevent the magnet in the bobber from connecting to the magnet in the fish.
Next, you will gather the sides of the material upward and tie it together with a piece of yarn.
STEP 6:
In this step we will make the fishing pole and attach the bobber.
First you will need to cut a piece of yarn long enough so your kids won’t have to lean over too far to catch a fish. I made mine long, approximately 45 inches.
Next, wrap the yarn around the end of the dowel rod a few times to prevent it from slipping off, then tie in a knot.
(I used a recycle dowel from an old drying wrack that I didn’t need anymore due to my favorite DIY indoor air drying option!)
Once you have the yarn secured to the dowel rod, attach the other end to the bobber by tying it in a knot.
How to play a diy fishing game
Now comes the fun part- lets go fishing!
Scatter the fish on the floor and let the kids “catch” them by dropping the bobber on top of the fish. Once they catch the fish they can “reel” it in by twisting the dowel so the yarn will wrap itself around the rod, pulling the fish upward!
To add an educational twist have your child catch them in order, 1-20. Or play the “guessing game” with them. (You think of a number 1-20 and whoever guesses it correctly gets to catch that fish.)
This is also a great way to teach the older kids Odd Numbers and Even Numbers. As well as teaching them how to count backwards, by having them catch the fish 20-1.
I hope y’all enjoyed this DIY and that it helps relieve some stress while teaching the kiddos to count! For more creative learning techniques check out, Preparing Your Child For Kindergarten and DIY Clothespin Counting Flower.