Fishing is a skill we teach that has a range of benefits other than just catching something for dinner!

Our children are becoming increasingly used to instant gratification and immediate access to answers – just think about the last time your child looked for an answer in a book rather than online. Whilst Google definitely has its benefits, some children now lack the basic skills of patience, concentration and perserverance. You might be surprised to find out that learning the skills of fishing can help.

Fishing rarely produces instant results which makes the actual catch all the more satisfying. Children learn that failure to catch a fish at the first attempt can be overcome by perseverance and a determination to wait for a result.  

We start our fishing expeditions by teaching our students how to make their own rods using natural materials such as fallen tree branches. We also show them how to collect worms for bait – a surprisingly popular part of the day! We show them how to select the best parts of the river for fishing, how to identify areas where fish are likely to shelter and how the current can affect how far the rod has to reach into the river. There is a lot of trial and error but the frustrations melt away when someone in the group catches their first fish! Building friendships and celebrating the success of others are valuable life skills that our students are able to develop along the way.

We have seen first hand how students that have taken part in our fishing expeditions are developing better coping skills - they are better able to handle frustrations and are more likely to remain calm in the face of difficulties in the classroom.

We take our students fishing in Terms 1 and 3 to avoid the cooler weather but it’s not unusual for us to be caught in an unexpected rain shower. The fact that our students are willing to persist in their efforts to catch some fish is testament to their increasing resilience and determination.

If you would like your child to join us on our next fishing expedition, please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information.