I am going up with my 8yo and 5yo girls in a couple weeks. If you have a 5YO that gets bored REALLY quickly, how do you keep her entertained so you can actually get in some fishing? I mean, even with caatching a lot of fish, she gets bored. I was thinking maybe an iPOD with some movies to watch, or maybe a DS with games? She is not much of a book reader/looker. Any other suggestions?
Thanks
Keegan

BTW We are truck camping and just doing day trips in the BWCA.

Good luck getting in fishing... since about anything I suggest they may need help with!

- cat's cradle string and book of instructions
- floating boat on a string they can troll behind
- sticks
- nets (tiny ones from fish tank section at Walmart)
- rocks (skipping, throwing, sinking, even coloring with markers)

I would be concerned that the iPod or DS would end up in the drink.

If you are truck camping, you could bring along a small kidsize tent - probably not for nights, but they may enjoy doing things in there during the day as you make dinner or whatever. Somewhere we have a simple "play" tent with two poles and no floor... kids would love doing anything inside there at that age.

Yeah, i'm not worried at all about keeping them entertained while in camp, its just the time in the canoe. I thought about the whole "electronics inthe drink" thing, which is why I was hoping to get something cheap in case that happens. It looks like a person can get an ipod nano video to hold 3-4 movies for $80, so that's not bad. They make a waterproof bag for $15 also that floats. I know the 5yo loves to play with the net, and she will take a camera to help.
Thanks everyone
Keegan

When I go ice fishing with my boys, I need to keep them entertained especially if it is too cold for them to run around on the lake. I have found that loading movies onto my old smartphone (blackberry storm) works pretty good. In fact, I am dropping as many movies as I can for the drive up to Ely next week.

I have tried to load movies on my ipod nano which is now probably over two years old. It works ok, but the battery gets drained pretty quick. Well, I just did some checking, the latest 5th generation nano has about 2-3 hours of video playback. So that isn't too bad if you are car camping, you can recharge it. The trick is to be able to catch your dinner within that amount of time!

Another suggestion would be to make the fishing time more interesting by trolling while heading to islands or other land marks and then getting out to explore them. Try to give each island a name. We have unofficially named Boulder Island, Vulture Island, Berry Island and Fish-Bone Island. You could fish the shorelines while the little one runs around. It will break up the monotony of watching someone fish.

If she likes to draw, maybe you could bring an Etch-a-sketch

For what its worth, I used to be that kid who hated sitting in a boat while others fished. I would try it for a bit, but then I would tire of it pretty fast. Now, I am the one who fishes the most of all my family. :)

quote Soledad: "When I go ice fishing with my boys, I need to keep them entertained especially if it is too cold for them to run around on the lake. I have found that loading movies onto my old smartphone (blackberry storm) works pretty good. In fact, I am dropping as many movies as I can for the drive up to Ely next week.


I have tried to load movies on my ipod nano which is now probably over two years old. It works ok, but the battery gets drained pretty quick. Well, I just did some checking, the latest 5th generation nano has about 2-3 hours of video playback. So that isn't too bad if you are car camping, you can recharge it. The trick is to be able to catch your dinner within that amount of time!


Another suggestion would be to make the fishing time more interesting by trolling while heading to islands or other land marks and then getting out to explore them. Try to give each island a name. We have unofficially named Boulder Island, Vulture Island, Berry Island and Fish-Bone Island. You could fish the shorelines while the little one runs around. It will break up the monotony of watching someone fish.


If she likes to draw, maybe you could bring an Etch-a-sketch

For what its worth, I used to be that kid who hated sitting in a boat while others fished. I would try it for a bit, but then I would tire of it pretty fast. Now, I am the one who fishes the most of all my family. :)"

Great suggestions!
I just saw a refurbished ipod touch for $130 shipped with warranty, add a couple movies and a few games and i might have something. Not sure I want to drop that kind of coin on something that may sit on the lake bottom(lol), but we'll see. We leave in a week and a half!
Keegan