We do a great deal of fishing in our family. My husband has an annual trip with friends to do some deep sea fishing in Mexico. I grew up fishing on the Jersey Shore and in Florida with my dad.

Nathan goes lake fishing here in Colorado with his dad, too. (Yes, he caught that gorgeous rainbow trout all by himself. The flesh was salmon pink and it tasted yummy.)

I look back fondly on all the fishing I’ve done over the years. Two memorable fishing expeditions were with my dad in the Florida Keys when I caught a black tipped shark, and with my entire family on the Jersey Shore as the tall ships came into NY Harbor during the Bicentennial. It’s been fun fishing with Paul over the years, first as we dated and later after we married. We still talk about that trip to La Paz and that was over 13 years ago!

Fishing is a great family activity, and it’s easily combined with books and cooking. For example, you could combine a fishing trip with two gorgeously illustrated books from Sylvan Dell Publishing:

Octavia Octopus introduces basic colors along information on how various sea animals use camouflage to stay safe. The “For Creative Minds” educational section, which is part of all Sylvan Dell books, includes fun facts and a craft. The book has also been checked for scientific accuracy by marine educators at SeaWorld and the South Carolina Aquarium.

If a Dolphin Were a Fish‘s Creative Minds section has teaching trivia, crafts and games related to dolphins and other sea creatures. This book has also been checked for accuracy by educators at the South Carolina Aquarium and SeaWorld, and includes a craft, too.

Visit the Sylvan Dell Publishing website to find links to helpful sites, puzzles and games, downloadables, and classroom support. These would all be great links for homeschoolers as well.

Another beautiful fish book is Dear Fish by Chris Gall. This magical fantasy story becomes a true fish tale when a young boy, after a wonderful day at the beach, invites the fish to visit him at home. Some fun activities to do along with this book would be:

• Writing your own fish tale. Have a contest with a friend, parent or sibling to see how outrageous you can get. The wildest story wins!
• Writing a message in a bottle with your name and address (or email address) and letting it go in the ocean. (If you don’t live near an ocean, you could tie a note to a balloon instead.)
• Learning more about the various types of fish in the book. Where do they live? What do they eat? How do they behave?
• Visiting an aquarium.
• Taking dad to Bass Pro Shops for Father’s Day. It’s as much fun for kids as it is for dad, believe me.

Other resources:

• Take Me Fishing
• Tips for Fishing with Kids from the Colorado Department of Wildlife

My kids aren’t big fish eaters, though they do like the fish tacos at Del Taco. I’m hoping to find some recipes that will entice them. I’ll share them with you, Dear Reader, tomorrow.

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