Fishing is a time honored family activity with a long association with good old fashioned family fun that gets kids and parents alike out of the house and bonding together as they engage with the natural world around them. As well as being a fun and rewarding activity when it comes to a family vacation, the act of fishing itself is an engaging and therapeutic endeavour that’s great for helping kids to develop cognitively and emotionally as it rewards skill, wits, planning and (crucially) patience.
It’s an activity that boys and girls, men and women, young and old can appreciate and enjoy and though it’s certainly difficult to master, it’s relatively easy to learn.
Since fish is a nutritious food source, if you choose (or are able) to eat your catch, it can be a valuable lesson in nutrition. Let’s face it, how many kids today are cognizant of where the food they eats comes from?
Getting the family together to head out on a trolling motor to trawl the great lakes may not be the most thrilling prospect to kids weaned on YouTube, social media and videogames. If your kids roll their eyes in quintessential 21st century indifference at the prospect of a fishing trip, here are some useful ways of getting kids to engage in this fun and rewarding pastime.
Start ‘em young
There’s never a bad age for getting kids to appreciate the value of being amongst nature with the family. There’s real value in predisposing your kids to fishing by taking them for long walks in the woods and alongside rivers and lakes. Young children are just itching to build positive associations and taking them for fun strolls and picnics will help them to build a healthy relationship with nature. Engendering them to the sounds, smells and textures of trees, dirt and naturally formed bodies of water help to forge a love, appreciation, respect and understanding of nature. By laying this foundation, they’ll be just itching to get into the water.
Get them all the gear… And make sure they have a good idea
Children are notorious for losing interest in activities that they’re not instantly great at. This is why it’s important to get them decked out with the right gear and prepared for the activity before they even get near the water. As parents you can prepare them (while helping to build a sense of anticipation and fun) by making fun games out of practicing their side-arm cast in advance of their first fishing trip. That way, the moment they board the boat they’ll be just itching to show off their skills in their natural habitat.
Kids need to understand the importance of having the right equipment so be sure to get them good quality equipment while involving them (and the whole family if possible) in the shopping process. There are many starter kits on the market but be wary of these as they can vary in quality. Kits emblazoned with favorite superheroes and Disney princesses will most likely be full of poor quality, disposable kit.
With the whole family ready and prepared all that remains is for you to climb aboard and have a whole lot of fun on the water.
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