Oh-so-soft fishing game
To create your game, you will need:
- Pipe cleaners, different colors
- Magic Nuudles
- A wooden dowel
- Yarn or string
- A fish bowl (or a clear bowl)
- Pompoms, same colors as the pipe cleaners (not shown)
***Note that most of these items can be purchased on the Educatall online store.
First, have children help you add Magic Nuudles to your fish bowl. The Magic Nuudles will represent the tiny rocks that normally line the bottom of aquariums.
Name the colour of each Magic Nuudle as you go. With older children, you may also count them or ask each child to insert a certain number of Magic Nuudles.
Bend several pipe cleaners to create fish shapes. This is a great manipulation activity. Help younger children if necessary.
Invite children to set a pompom of the corresponding color inside each fish for a simple association game.
Name one color at a time. Children take turns inserting a fish of the corresponding color in your fish bowl. Set the pompoms next to your fish bowl.
Cut a long piece of yarn or string and knot one end around the tip of your wooden dowel. Attach a simple pipe cleaner hook to the other end of the yarn or string to create a fishing rod.
Let children use this fishing rod to catch the pipe cleaner fish. You can place the pompoms in an opaque bag and encourage children to pick a pompom out of the bag to determine which fish they must catch. For example, if a child picks the purple pompom, he or she will have to try to catch the purple fish using the fishing rod.
This will increase the level of difficulty, since children may have to move other fish to reach the fish that is the right color.
Happy fishing!
Patricia-Ann Morrison