I don't have any suggestions on the Ellington area, as I'm in a different part of the state. I DO have three young daughters though (ages 8, 10, and 11) and I've successfully gotten all three of them into ice fishing over the years. My 11-year old is borderline obsessed (like myself). Here are some things that worked for us:
- Get the kid a sounder. My daughter calls her pink sounder "the best gift I've ever gotten" and she keeps it on her dresser at all times. I never knew that she would value a $1.00 weight so much. (She also thinks she's cool when she has it clipped onto her zipper.)
- Give him "chores" while you're setting up to keep him busy (shovel and scoop out the holes after you drill them, sound the holes, adjust the button, hand you bait while you're setting the tilts, etc.).
- Bring a small table and some sort of game to play while you're waiting for flags. I was playing rummy on the ice with my daughter last week, which was pretty cool.
- I'm not sure if you have a flasher, but kids have A TON of fun jigging if you can find a hot hole and get on top of a school. It's almost like playing a video game for them (and for us adults, I guess).
- Bring a thermos of hot chocolate and/or some candy. When all else fails, candy will keep the kid interested in staying on the ice.
- Definitely bring extra warm clothing: hat, gloves, socks, boots if possible. For some reason, little kids have a tendency to stick their gloved hands right into the holes or into the bait bucket.
- I'm not a huge electronics guy, but I've resorted to bringing the iPad with a movie downloaded on it (mainly when pike fishing). The kids will chill in the shanty and watch a movie if we're getting skunked. Music is also fun. A dance party can cure the boredom of no flags.
- Take the kid to the bait shop with you. It's part of the adventure, and most bait shops will give the kids a little treat.
- Ice skating while fishing is always fun for the kids, but you probably won't have good skating ice after last week's snow. It's also a PITA to get the kids' skates on and off, so I only allow skating while my wife is also in attendance.
That's about all I can think of for now. I will say, though, that ice fishing with the kids can be a lot of fun if you're prepared for it. Good luck!