Kid Entertainment on Ice

[emidtlyng]

Hey all - Long time creeper first time poster to the forum. Curious to hear ideas for keeping a 4 year old entertained on the ice. I got the whole hut and heater setup to keep'em warm but always looking for new ideas to keep them distracted/entertained during the slower times of the day.

[hardwater diehard]

Kites ...no better time or place .

[Neptune]

4 years old...   Food!  Take em fishing someplace where they can catch lots of fish no matter what, then start taking em to other location but explain that there might not be as many fish.

I have two kids one is 20 the other 17 and they loved Coco and snacks, also underwater video cameras and fish finders are entertaining to them.  Be prepared for all the questions.  Great oportunity to show them how to tie fishing knots also, they start to have the dexterity when they are at that age.  Let them bring a toy or book also....mine would sleep in the sled in the shanty on occasion or fall asleep in their chair.

Just enjoy the time with your little ones...they don't stay little long!

 

[Cornbread]

Make sure you fish places where there are loads of fish, even little ones so they can catch non-stop until they get old enough to start taking them places where the action can be slower. Our kids are 18, 17, 16, 12 and 7 so I have been through this a couple of times

++ on the LOTS of snacks comment.

[hardwater diehard]

Make memories ...trip to the bait shop and may be a local diner or a special meal at home ...a fishing trip routine for ice fishing outings.

[Bhoesl]

Lots of snacks, marshmallows to roast over a fire or the heater.  If you fish someplace with enough of a hill leading down to the ice, empty out the sled and they can slide down it.

[800stealth]

Make memories ...trip to the bait shop and may be a local diner or a special meal at home ...a fishing trip routine for ice fishing outings.

Agreed, add something to the trip other than being on the ice. Breakfast or dinner at a place you wouldn't normally go so its special to fishing trips only, or give them the money and the bait bucket so they can get the bait while you browse the tackle shop, then tell them on every fish that it was the bait that they got that's doing so well... Lots of snacks are important too, but try to keep them healthy, spikes and crashes in sugar make for tired and cranky kids.

Strait up lying can help too lol... Daddy has never caught a fish without his good luck charms...

[Mizayikaa]

I've got a couple about that age. It can be tough for sure. A little hot cocoa and a mild sledding hill works for mine for a while. Like some others said try to go where the action is hot. Also, go into it knowing that it is not going to be a hardcore fishing trip but someday you'll be able to fish while they do all the work

[ColdHole]

When mine were small I'd drill about 4 or 5 holes all connected but not all the way through the ice and on the last hole just enough to let water fill it. Good live well and they entertain themselves with the fish constantly. They still enjoy it.

[Cornbread]

When mine were small I'd drill about 4 or 5 holes all connected but not all the way through the ice and on the last hole just enough to let water fill it. Good live well and they entertain themselves with the fish constantly. They still enjoy it.

I learned to do that one the hard way. It is a great idea for the kids though. The way I learned I might want to be doing that was when our oldest two were little. The oldest and I were perch fishing, while the younger of the two of them ran around. We were catching a whole bunch of great big perch. One of the best perch days we have ever had. We must have been nearing 70 or so over 10" and we were sitting out on the ice in folding camping chairs and when we would get a perch I would throw it behind our chairs so they wouldn't flop back down the hole. After a couple of hours of this I decided to count how many fish we had. So I went back where we had been tossing them and there were only a couple of fish. WTH? There wasn't much snow to speak of so they hadn't slid under the snow. So as I am sitting there pondering it my oldest catches a perch, unhooked it and tosses it back over his shoulder. His little brother comes up behind him and grabs the fish and runs across the ice to an old set of holes somebody else had cut and puts the fish in it and watches it swim around until it goes all the way down the hole and gets away. Then he runs back over and waits for the next fish. I asked him what the heck he thought he was doing and he said "I'm watching the fishies swim Daddy". I cut him a live well in the ice like what you describe and let him put them in there after that. Luckily the bite kept going and we still ended up with plenty to eat but after that when they were real small I would always make them something for them to play with some fish in.

[mtmac94]

When the kids are young, 4 or so, you have to have several different things for them to do.  I like the live well on the ice idea.  I have grandson who will love to watch the fish swim.

[esox_xtm]

I started my little guy at 4 or 5 YO and employed the 4F's: food, frisbee, football and fish. He's 3 decades older now and loves to icefish. Still can't go without a grill or a ball of some sort. His little guys (my grandkids) went for the first time last week  and Landon (pictured below) caught his first tipup pike.



Oh yeah, do put 'em on some fish so they get the idea. Don't even have to be big ones, just make sure there's some action to get 'em going. After all, that's the real entertainment 

[PikeKing23]

Mine is a little older, but I get her a new pair of ice skates for Xmas every year.  Can't even get her to go with me anymore unless she can skate, lol.

[staldinej]

I have a 6 year old and a three year old - this morning was the youngest's first time.

I will definitely have to try the livewell, great idea! We usually do hot chocolate, dink around in the sled, go "ice skating" in our boots etc. If I know I plan to be out for more than a couple hours, I'll bring along a little tablet with games we play together or a movie. It is not usually real productive when we go out, especially since I am pretty much a newbie ice fisherman myself, but we always have a great time. Oh, and the buddy heater has been a lifesaver. Their little hands sure get cold easy, plus it gives a perfect excuse for marshmallow roasting.

Also, after a fish was caught nearby (and we'd been skunked all morning) my kids wanted to see if they could look at the fish. I asked the guy if he'd mind, and he said go ahead and the boys were all kinds of jacked up at that point. It was a pretty nice 20 or so inch rainbow. As we were headed back to our area, the same guy hooked up with another nice fish and asked if one of them would like to reel it in and keep it - having seen how excited they were about his catch. What little boys wouldn't want to see a big fat rainbow come out on the ice?

I had them thank the guy, and did so myself, but it was really great to see someone experienced make the gesture and build positive memories that lead to life-long fishermen. Good stuff.

[missoulaicebeerdog]

When I go fishing with my friends kids, they always take over my transducer.  It's a real life video game, and it really keeps them occupied.  They go nuts when they start marking fish, but who doesn't?

[Mizayikaa]

When I go fishing with my friends kids, they always take over my transducer.  It's a real life video game, and it really keeps them occupied.  They go nuts when they start marking fish, but who doesn't?

Very true. I am yet to meet an icefisherperson that isn't a bit of a child themselves.

[Unclegillhunter]

All good ideas! Just want to add one thing. If your little on wants to leave go. And from what it sounds like you are out to give your little one a good time! I have seen dads on the ice and open water get upset cause they want it to be about themselves. Quickest way to turn the little ones off of something! Please cherish the time you’re out there with them all too soon they get busy with other things!
Keep it safe! JDL

[wyogator]

All good ideas! Just want to add one thing. If your little on wants to leave go. And from what it sounds like you are out to give your little one a good time! I have seen dads on the ice and open water get upset cause they want it to be about themselves. Quickest way to turn the little ones off of something! Please cherish the time you’re out there with them all too soon they get busy with other things!
Keep it safe! JDL

X2
Also, bring a couple of toys, along with the hot chocolate and food. They don't want to fish the entire time, not even my nine year old. One time when he was four, I had to hike 300 yards back to the pickup for his Batman motorcycle. Try to get them on fish, any fish. Bluegill or perch are better, because the action can be non-stop and the smaller fish don't freak the little ones out like a Northern or big walleye.