fishing for a kids' party idea?

Occasionally, I hear from parents who are stressed about keeping up with the bigger, better and more expensive birthday parties held for their friends' kids (nail salon visits, amusement park outings, renting out a local zoo!). Don't want to compete? If people are zigging toward big-ticket, big-headache parties, dare to zag with an old-school approach: Plan an at-home party on the cheap with fun, easy-to-organize games kids love.

I'm talking water balloon fights, scavenger hunts, egg tosses, relay races and letting kids get creative with shaving cream. And the highlight of all of my childhood parties, a traditional Swedish party game called fiskdamm (fishing pond).

I know, a goofy Scandinavian game sounds tame compared with pony rides, magicians and bounce houses, but I'm telling you, this was the activity everybody loved — and the one my friends remembered years later.

Basically, all you do is decorate a sheet with an undersea design and attach it to a doorframe — no artistic or construction skills necessary. Each child takes a turn casting a makeshift fishing rod (aka string tied to a stick with a clothespin attached to the other end) over the sheet to "fish" for a toy, treat, even a goody bag. An adult sits on the other side of the sheet and attaches a gift to the clothespin, giving a little tug on the string when it's ready for the child to pull back over the sheet.

And that's it; the magic is all in the wackiness of fishing, the element of surprise and, of course, in getting a good gift. To up the laughs, you can first give out a gag gift, like a roll of toilet paper. Then, before any tears start flowing, give the child a second turn and attach the actual gift.

In case you're wondering, the photo above is the actual sheet for my fiskdamm, with a fishing rod held by my actual mom in a photo taken by my actual dad. And let me fully paint this family portrait for you: When I called my mother to ask if she remembered this activity, she was immediately able to pinpoint the exact location of this sheet in the attic. This is a woman who often can't find her glasses, but an old bedsheet used for a party game not played in over two decades? She's on it. Impressive.

Not sure what to attach to your line? Check out our party favor ideas.

Comments

Parents put too much pressure on themselves to compete. Knowing I couldn't afford to get expensive gadgets for my little cousins (who btw already had more electronics than I did), I got them silly things like a slinky and coloring book. They actually spent more time playing with those toys than any of their other gifts!

And you know what treat goes perfectly with fiskdamm? Swedish goldfish candies, of course! (Not to mention, goldfish crackers.)

How cool! Reminds me of a cross between pin the tail on the donkey and an advent calendar (speaking of which, click on November under Archives to the left and check out Eva's entry from 11/23). Filing this one away for when I have kids!

I loved doing that when I was a child. I also did it for my first son's birthday and it was a huge hit!

"Fishing Pond" is super awesome. I remember doing this at my 4th birthday party. It was so much awesome.

You could totally play fishing pond at a board game night party, too, as a welcome break from the intensity of Cranium. You could also serve girly drinks like Smirnoff Ice with little gummy fish at the bottom of the bottle.

I am having a circus party on sat for my 5 year old turning 6 I MADE all the carnival games which were nice and easy i did a dart throw I got one of those cardboard 3 sided (that you use for kids school projects) and cork board I spray painted the corck board hot glued it on to the poster board painted DART THROW on top and decorated it I had some happy faces i glued on and made into clowns. I also made hit the can. I got a box filled it with a brick put it on a small table that i spray painted all colors then i took a peice of cardboard put yellow contrustion paper over it. and fit it to the to of the box so the cans can sit on them. I have a tic tak toe game. I ordered blow up cicrus animals from orintal traders saved all my paper towel things spray painted them and I am gong to use fishing wire and hang the animals so they look like they are on a trapezze.My husband got pvc pipe and he made a rink that we are going to put red balloons hanging from the pvc to look like the big red top. This party is going to look like I went over the top which really it was very CHEAP and easy. All our guest are joining the BECKMAN AND FREIENDS CIRCUS staring RING LEADER JAMIE and her sisekicks CURLY SASSY DIMPLES AND JUMPER THE CLOWN. I am having all guest dress in mix matched cloths and when they come i am going to face paint faces like a clown give them a clown nose i bought cheap on-line and everyone is going to make there own clown hat which i bought birthday hats spray painted them differant colors and they are going to decorate it with pom poms and foam things. as they go to a carnival game they will receive candy for prizes and i am not doing any goodie bags. we will play musical chairs,pin the nose on the clown it's really cute and i did E-vite invites.
Thank you
IF interested in more party ideas please e-mail at momonthego247@gmail.com In subject please put EVITE BLOG . hope this

Am I too old for a fiskdamm party? On second thought, nobody answer that. But it's totally cool and just adds another reason to why I'm p.o.'d that I wasn't born Scandinavian. ; )

What a cool game. I am soooo doing this for my little Swedish meatball at his next birthday party.

Hi Eva
Thanks for sharing that experience.
I am in inflatable bouncers business, and am wondering if you could give some ideas of making outdoor parties more fun for the kids.

Maybe you have something in mind about decorating the inside of an inflatable bounce house that will make it more fun, or attaching some other activities to the overall party.

Would just love to hear your thoughts. Thanks

Seeing this brought back so many memories! My daughter is turning 5 tormorrow and I was looking for activities. Thank you so much for posting this!-Diane