Gone fishing

by Emily

Does your preschooler know how to reel in his catch on the fishing pole?  We have plenty of spots to show little ones the basics of fishing.  First off, your child needs a fishing rod.  Any sporting goods store will carry an assortment, but I also found them at Target (what did we do before Target!?) If you purchase online, you can even get a kid tackle box.  Obviously, that is not a necessity but super cute if your child mimics everything you do.  Load up the tackle box with bait and you are ready to hook a fish!

Clearly we have great places nearby, such as Corpus, South Padre Island and Port Aransas to saltwater fish or even deep sea fish.  If you just want to introduce and practice the key parts of fishing then take them to one of our many lakes.    I like the map put out by Texas Parks and Wildlife, take me fishing which lays out easy access fishing spots in our area.  It even gives a brief description of other things to do or what kind of fish you might catch. 

Important things to remember when taking a little one to fish for the first time: be patient! Of course, that is a major rule in fishing, but also one to remember when helping your preschooler set up his rod and cast it.  Bring some other outdoor activities to do in the event the fish are not biting.  Use this time to point out insects, trees, and leaves.  You can always find a science lesson when you are outdoors.  Point out how the water laps up on the shore of the lake- it is never too early to learn about erosion and weathering!  Remember to call it quits at the first signs of your preschooler becoming impatient or bored- you want them to want to go back and enjoy the experience. 

At the end of the day, a great way to sum up the event is to read a book...  Try  One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss or The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister- two classics you probably have on the bookshelf already.

[photo credit, beach: Emily]