How it Plays

Make a simple fishing pole by attaching about 5 feet of string to one end of a 2- to 3-foot-long stick. Tie a U-shaped magnet to the end of the string. Separate magnetic numbers or letters so they aren't sticking together, then fill a dishpan or soup pot three-quarters full with water. Drop in the numbers or letters, a few at a time. You might want to start with the letters in your child's name or the numbers she already knows. Then let your child fish for them with her new pole. As she pulls out each one, ask her to identify what she's caught. Turn it into a game by challenging her with questions: "Can you catch the first letter of your name?" "What letter comes next?" "Can you catch a 3?" "What other numbers do you want to catch?" Then take a turn and see what you can catch.

What You'll Need

Learning and Growing

Children at this age are starting to recognize that the world is full of symbols. Fishing for magnetic letters and numbers invites your child to explore her growing understanding of these important symbols.