Is Magnet Fishing for Kids?

Is magnet fishing good for kids?

What Is Magnet Fishing?

Before we get into that, one must understand exactly what magnet fishing is. Magnet fishing is taking a rope with a strong magnet at the end and throwing it into the water in the hopes of finding some sort of buried treasure.

Generally, people watch YouTube videos where they pull up cool things like guns, iPhones and other unexpected finds.

Those videos are not showing the entire picture.

In reality, magnet fishing isn’t that far off from regular fishing. It is the act of taking the rope, throwing it and hoping. Then you repeat that process again and again. You’re hoping to come up with something, but much of the experience is simply waiting and trying again.

Why Magnet Fishing Can Be Fun for Kids

The similarity to regular fishing is the act of hoping and waiting. Magnet fishing is not only about what you catch; it is also about what you’re doing while waiting to catch something. I hate the idea of fishing and killing fish anyway, so this also feels like an alternative that can remove some metal debris from the water.

And that’s exactly why it can be great for kids. Kids can get completely entranced, as mine was, hoping to find some sort of treasure.

What makes it interesting is not just finding something. It is the time spent trying. It creates conversations while everyone waits, throws the magnet again and wonders what might be down there.

So is it good for kids? If your goal is to talk, explore and spend time together, I think it can be. I recommend it more for the journey and the time you’ll spend with your kids than for any promise of finding something valuable.

What We Found

You’ll see in the photo a bottle cap, a bobby pin and some metal that was probably better off coming out of the water anyway. The Metal Hounds 10 lb magnet pulled it all out.

What you don’t see are the memories and the emotions that went with it.

So yes, in my experience magnet fishing can be a good activity for kids and their parents. Just remember that strong magnets, deep water and whatever comes up from the bottom require adult supervision and common sense.

This outing used the Ultimate Fishing Magnet Kit from Magnet Hounds.

For related Famadillo coverage, read our summer family-fun guide.