Following on from my Gone Fishin’ party post…
Ask around for unwanted bamboo lurking in your neighbourhood. Of course any stick would be fine but we love beautifully bendy bamboo best – it’s less likely to snap. Whatever you use, simply tie on a brown string and add a little magnet. I bought the mini donut-like magnets direct from a magnet wholesaler (I managed to pick them up to avoid mailing costs – lucky for me they were local).
For the fishies, I cut out cardboard shapes of fish (you’ll need at least five per child), and set my children to work decorating them with bright crayons. Of course our fish weren’t all happy chappies – we ensured there were a few bitey specimens in there to churn the waters a little. A simple cheap washer added as an eye doubles as the magnetic spot for the waving fishing poles. I suggest a little dab of PVA glue to ensure the gobbly dobbly eyeball is firmly stuck.
Cost bamboo ($0), ball of string ($1), 12 magnets ($3.60), 60 washers ($3), one pad of fairly stiff coloured cardboard ($2)
Total cost for a fishing game for 12: $9.60
Total Production Time: 30 mins for the poles, 40 mins for the fish
Extra tip – tie your strings the night before – as the bamboo loses moisture it shrinks and your strings will fall off! Otherwise use rubber bands to secure the string.
My Magic Shoestring 