Improve hand-eye coordination and provide some gentle exercise for the upper body with this fun fishing game! A wonderful opportunity to reminisce!
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Improve hand-eye coordination and provide some gentle exercise for the upper body with this fun fishing game! A wonderful opportunity to reminisce in a social environment!

Materials:

  • Fish shapes made from cardboard or construction paper. Download fish templates provided and create the fish in a craft session. Ask residents to paint them in colourful tones.
  • Magnets
  • Yarn / thread
  • Wooden sticks to turn into fishing rods (approximately 3ft (1m). They must not be heavy for safety reasons.
  • Paper clips
  • Glue

Assembly:

  • Glue magnets to the back of fish (at least one dozen fish are required).
  • Attach yarn to one end of stick and secure a paper clip at the other end, to attract the fish magnets. Alternatively, you may glue another magnet to the end of rope; it makes for a stronger pull. That's your fishing rod complete!

Instructions

  • Seat 3 or 4 residents in a circle with the fish in the middle on the floor. Give each a straw hat to look the part!
  • To the count of three, residents start fishing. The idea is to attract the magnets on the fish with the 'hook' (paper clips).
  • When a resident manages to catch a fish, assist with taking the fish off the hook so he may resume fishing.
  • The game finishes when there are no more fish in the pond.
  • The best fisherman (the one with the most fish) is crowned the winner and gets a prize. Prize suggestions: a bag of marshmallows or a packet of savoury biscuits.
  • Repeat the game with another 4 residents.

 

Files included:

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Whale

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Dolphin

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Seaweed

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Swordfish

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Humpback Whale

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String Ray

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Lobster

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Seahorse

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Reef Fish

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Butterfly Fish

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Seahorse 2

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Seaweed 2

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Comments   Post a Comment

Sherry 8th Aug 2021 Activities Assistant
You could also number the fish and have them try to catch them in order of how they go. This would work for residents that are more alert and oriented. Also you could choose to mark Zoink on the back of one of the fish. Tell them to try to find all the fish accept the one that is marked with with the word zoink on it. If you catch that one then you are eliminated from the fishing game. Another version would be to put names of prizes on the backs of the fish. Which ever fish they catch dictates the prize the win. One fish can have the big prize on it.
Susan 9th Aug 2021 Activity Director
Hi Sherry
Thank you for your suggestions
TAMELA 29th Jun 2019
I am planning to call it "fishing for compliments" and on the back of the fish have " say something nice to the person on your right, another will say the person on your left another will say a CNA, another will say kitchen staff, another will say a person wearing a blue shirt, etc....I think that will be fun.
Susan 29th Jun 2019 Activity Director
Sounds like a great idea Tamala thank you
Talita 30th Jun 2019
I love this idea Tamela!
Ligaya 4th Sep 2017 Work In An Activity Center
Lots of nice tips. This I should try with jokes, wisdom words and questions
SANDRA 27th Feb 2014
Perhaps this game could be used in reminiscing also, having a quesition on the back of the fish as a conversation starter.
Solange 31st Aug 2012 Diversional Therapist
Thank you Heather. I have also excellent feedback with this game.
Heather 30th Aug 2012 Diversional Therapist / carer
This activity was a great success in our memory support unit (palmwoods QLD) Thanks for a fantastic site
Shirley 12th Nov 2011 Recreation Officer
This activity worked well to celebrate the opening
of the Fishing Season in October - Many Thanks - Shirley NSW
Marilyn 11th Oct 2010 Lifestyle support - aged care
Well, it was great fun as I predicted .. but NOT with the men. Instead, our women wanted to go fishing! Just proves the point ... NEVER assume!
Marilyn 14th Sep 2010 Lifestyle support - aged care
Thanks guys! This will be such fun to do with the men in the memory support unit ... I will let you know how it goes!! Marilyn
Rosemary 13th Sep 2010 Diversional Therapist
HI There
I try this activity on my residents, I had numbers on the back of the fish & who ever got the highest won 1st prize
Regards
Rosemary
Solange 24th May 2010 Diversional Therapist
Hi Gerry,
Great idea placing the jokes on your 'pond'. You can also write the name of a song on the back of the fish and the participant will have to sing it. If too shy to do so, ask the other participants to help.
Cheers
gerry 19th May 2010 therapist/carer
we have made the fishing game from bright coloured fish from the internet we have put jokes on the back and the residents have to catch the fish and read the joke, sometimes with our help gerry from bindaree
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