8 Fishing Toys for Kids They'll Love Playing With

Whether running through creeks with water shoes or camping indoors while reading toddler-aged books, summer is an excellent time for kids to explore their interests. That might include fishing–and you don’t even need to be an outdoorsy family to enjoy the concept of fishing.

Fishing toys are a constructive way to incorporate toddler skills and a fun way for the entire family to play together and learn.

Why we love fishing toys for toddlers and kids so much

Fishing—whether real or pretend—is a great screen-free playtime activity that promotes hand-eye coordination, encourages communication and language and helps with tasks like colors, shapes, counting and sorting. It can be done in a group as a game or individually. Toy fish are also a great trigger to talk to your kids about animals, the outdoors and summertime fun.

Our favorite fishing toys

CozyBomB Magnetic Fishing Pool Toys Game for Kids

If you’re in the market for toddler fish toys and want a lot of toy fish at once, the CozyBomB Magnetic Fishing Pool Toys Game for Kids comes with 30 plus fish in over 10 colors. Made for toddlers ages 3 and up, it’s a great toy to play with in the bathtub, at the pool, or your favorite toddler table and chairs set.

Children can play individually, trying to “catch” the fish with the two sizes of poles, or there is an instruction manual for a more structured game method. It comes with a drawstring bag to hold all the fish toys, which is great for letting wet fish dry properly.

Melissa & Doug Magnetic Wooden Fishing Game and Puzzle

For toddlers ages three and up, this puzzle fishing game is tons of fun. It’s made of 90% wood and comes with 10 colorful toy fish pieces and a fishing pole to help your child with matching, hand-eye coordination and fine motor skill development. Children let the pole hover over each fish and try to catch them. It can be played solo or as a game, taking turns.

"My son is autistic and we use this same puzzle during his occupational therapy and he LOVES it," explains verified Amazon purchaser, Ciara Brianne. "It's one of his favorite activities. He is good at using the pole and the pieces are easy enough for him to place in the right spot. Would buy it again."

Ipidipi Toys Fishing Game Play Set

Up to four players can enjoy the fun in this nostalgic fishing game. It comes with 21 fish and four poles, perfect for children ages 3 and up to work on their fine motor skills.

The fish “chomp” while the game rotates, making it challenging to pick up a fish toy. There’s also a silent mode that does not play music. It requires two AA-sized batteries, which are not included.

Dioadey Wooden Magnetic Fishing Game for Toddlers

If wooden toy fish are more your speed then try this wooden magnetic fishing puzzle game that has 26 letter fish and 10 number fish, plus two poles to fish with. Children match the corresponding fish with the board. Made from high-quality, non-toxic wood, it’s perfect for your playroom, birthday party or outdoor activity center.

Nora Carolyn, a verified Amazon purchaser writes, "I bought this wooden educational toy for my four-year-old great nephew's birthday present. He LOVED it. He and his two brothers played with it for 45 consecutive minutes, which is a good bit of play time for a four-year-old! I especially like how well made it is and that they can have fun while learning new skills and developing."

Sendida Montessori Toys Number Puzzle

This puzzle is a unique spin on a fishing game, using octopus instead of fish. It comes with 10 colored octopuses and a pole for fishing, as well as colored stacking rings for sorting and a small number puzzle, making it a three-in-one game. The board game is BPA-, phthalate- and heavy metal-free with smooth wooden edges for children ages two and up.

"My son loved this toy," says verified Amazon purchaser, Brianna. "He is 22 months. I do not take out all three sections at once. I let him engage and interact with one at a time. From the first day he did it till now I've seen how much quicker he can do something. It has increased and helped his fine motor skills."

Kindiary Magnetic Fishing Game with Wind-up Whales

For young toddlers, try this magnetic fishing game. It comes with one easy-to-grip pole and two whales that children 18 months and up will have a blast with whether in the bathtub, a kiddie pool or a water table. The whales “swim” through the water by winding the dial up. Toddlers of all ages and stages love chasing them and trying to catch them with their poles.

The rod adjusts 360 degrees, making it easy for small hands to maneuver while learning to be more controlled. It's one of our favorite toys for two-year-olds and a brilliant way to develop fine motor skills.

"This was a gift for a two-year-old girl," writes verified Amazon purchaser, P.L. Taylor. "She absolutely loves to go fishing in the bathtub. The magnets are still holding up after many baths. The gift was given at Christmas time. She still loves to fish. Instead of saying 'bath' she will ask when she can go fishing. Excellent product. Sturdy and simple materials. Colorful and durable. Perfect bath toy for an 18-month to 4-year-old child."

Lanaak Kids Fishing Pole and Tackle Box

For older children ready to partake in real-deal fishing and not just in fish toys, this Lanaak Kids Fishing Pole and Tackle Box has everything to get them started. It includes a 65-inch telescopic fishing rod, a spinning reel, a net, and a 42-piece tackle box, including bobbers, soft lures and hooks, among others.

The rod is reversible for lefties, and the reel comes pre-spooled to get fishing right away. Everything can be stored in the included travel bag and the rod collapses to a compact 17 inches. This is one of the best fishing toys for older kids though—definitely keep it away from babies and toddlers because the hooks are real and sharp.

It's a fun segue from magnetic toys to the grown-up rods parents and other caregivers like to use by the beach, lake or river.

Melissa & Doug Lets Explore Fishing Set

Give them a world of pretend play fun with this 21-piece fishing set for kids that includes rods, bait, wooden fish, activity cards and a workable tackle box. We love the child-safe hooks on the mature-feeling wooden rods and the double-sided fish that look like the real deal.

Add to the fishing experience with fish guide and activity cards, a ruler for measuring catches, double-sided mat for warm or cold weather fishing and a collectible medallion for your little champ.

"We bought this for my daughter’s third birthday present two years ago, and she absolutely loves this fishing toy kit," says verified Amazon reviewer, Courtney. "She is turning five soon and still plays with it almost every other day. She loves to go 'fishing' and report back to us her catch of the day!"

"She is truly an expert fisherwoman now and loves learning all about the different species on these beautifully crafted wooden toys. This toy kit has 21 pieces of high-quality detailed wooden fish, two fishing rods, two fishing IDs, bait, a fishing badge, a fishing identification card, a measurer, a tackle box, activity cards, a net, and two water mat fishing area. The best thing? Everything fits back nicely in the carry box!"

How we chose the best fishing toys for kids

We looked at a variety of factors when choosing the top toys for this list, including safety. We ruled out designs with sharp hooks, choking hazards and other significant dangers. Then, we assessed which toys offered the best opportunities to perfect motor skills and learning.

Overall, our favorite options allowed for lots of solo and group play and boasted easily-stored and transported pieces.