Materials
Several construction paper fish
Paperclips
Marker
Wooden dowels
Magnets (with center holes, if possible)
Fishing line
Blue construction paper
Large bin or plastic container
Number chart 1–10
Directions
Invite your child to tear blue construction paper into strips and place in the plastic bin or container. Tie fishing line to a magnet and then tie it onto the end of a wooden dowel approximately 18–24 inches in length. Using a black marker, draw dots from 1–10 onto the different fish shapes. Slide a paperclip on each fish and place in the large bin and cover with the paper water. Invite your child to go “fishing” using the wooden dowel as a fishing pole. As each fish is caught, count the number of dots and match it to the corresponding numeral.
This activity requires some patience as your child searches to find fish and supports counting and numeral recognition.