REVIEW: Learning Resources Pretend & Play Fishing Set
(Disclaimer: article may include affiliate links, which do not affect the price you pay.)
I came across the Learning Resources Pretend & Play Fishing Set purely by accident. I remember mindlessly scrolling past dozens of Amazon listings late one night, searching for something new to get my nephew for his birthday. For some reason, this caught my eye, and the more I read about it, the more I liked it. In fact, just as in the case with the B. Woofer Guitar, I liked it so much that I ended up requesting it for my own daughter years later. Imitation is the highest form of flattery, right?
About the Learning Resources Fishing Set:
- MSRP: $34.99
- Tackle box measures 13″L x 7″ W x 6″ H
- Weighs: 2 lbs
- 11pc set: tackle box, vest, magnetized fishing pole, 3 magnetized fish, 3 magnetized worms, fishing net and dry-erase activity guide
- Age recommendation: 3+ (we started using parts of it at 2)
- Visit the manufacturer’s website here
Learning Resources Fishing Set – The Pros:
- This set – like many of the others I’ve reviewed on this site – incorporates a lot of different elements that were useful at different ages: when my daughter was two, she liked walking around wearing the vest (which is wearable by virtually anyone) and trying to catch butterflies outside. As she got older and developed finer motor skills, she was able to start actually trying to catch the fish. By the time she was almost four, we moved on to the smaller worms because they were more difficult (we still have a long way to go on actually capturing them, though). This made it a good value because we got a lot of use out of it.
- It’s fun for adults too! Yes, that’s obviously not the point but let’s be honest… if given the option, wouldn’t you be more inclined to bust out a toy that you enjoy more than one you don’t? And you can alter the levels of difficulty by selecting a larger or smaller fish/worm so pretty much anyone in your family can play without feeling left out.
- Everything packs up nicely and fits into its own box, which makes it useful for storage and keeping everything together – a skill that’s almost impossible to perfect if you have a toddler.
Learning Resources Fishing Set – The Cons:
- I really don’t see any negatives to this set. Maybe one could argue that it’s frustrating for children if they’re not able to pick up the fish, but the magnets work well and the old “practice makes perfect” adage is true here too.
- Some folks have complained that the lid doesn’t close properly, but we truly haven’t had any issues with that.
In Closing:
The best toys are also those that are the best value, and the Learning Resources Fishing Set definitely falls into that category. It grows with your child, it’s colorful, it’s entertaining and it’s self-contained. And for this city girl, it certainly beats ACTUAL fishing any day too…