Make a pretend play fishing pole and go fishing for colorful paper fish. This is such a fun open ended play idea!
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Pretend play fishing is a great activity for toddlers and little kids. It’s perfect for practicing hand-eye coordination, counting, colors, and other preschool skills.
You can make a fishing pole and fish from cardboard and items you have around the house. We wanted to keep this simple and use mostly recyclable materials. If you like, you can add magnets to the fishing hook and fish. (Be cautious; magnets can be a choking hazard.)
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How to make a fishing pole
Supplies
- 12-inch wooden dowel
- cotton cord
- empty paper tube
- scissors
- craft glue
Instructions
1. Flatten and cut the paper tube.
Start by flattening the cardboard paper tube. Use the scissors to cut a blocky J shape to make a hook. Cut through both layers of the cardboard, so the top and bottom edges are connected.
2. Cut and tie the cord.
Cut a length of cord that’s about 1.5 times the length of the wooden dowel, about 18 inches. Loop it through the top of the hook and tie a double knot.
3. Glue the hook.
Run glue along the inside of the hook between the layers and press it closed.
4. Tie the hook to the pole.
Tie the other end of the cord around the dowel in a double knot. We didn’t glue it in place, but if your cord slides too much you can.
5. Make paper fish.
You can fish for anything. If you want to make a set of paper fish, start with that tutorial. Then cut small rings from the cardboard tube and glue them inside the fish’s mouth. They should stick out enough that the fishing hook will catch.
It’s time to go fishing! Lay out the paper fish and use the pretend play fishing pole to hook them.
Turn it into a game or just set it out for open-ended play time!
Printable instructions
Fishing Pole
Materials
- 12-inch wooden dowel
- cotton cord
- empty paper tube
- scissors
- craft glue
Instructions
- Flatten and cut the paper tube.
Start by flattening the cardboard paper tube. Use the scissors to cut a blocky J shape to make a hook. Cut through both layers of the cardboard, so the top and bottom edges are connected. - Cut and tie the cord.
Cut a length of cord that's about 1.5 times the length of the wooden dowel, about 18 inches. Loop it through the top of the hook and tie a double knot. - Glue the hook.
Run glue along the inside of the hook between the layers and press it closed. - Tie the hook to the pole.
Tie the other end of the cord around the dowel in a double knot. We didn't glue it in place, but if your cord slides too much you can. - Make paper fish.
You can fish for anything. If you want to make a set of paper fish, start with the tutorial at https://backyardsummercamp.com/paper-fish-craft-tubes/. Then cut small rings from the cardboard tube and glue them inside the fish's mouth. They should stick out enough that the fishing hook will catch.
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