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Berta Campa, OTR/L

Go Fish: affordable and fun summer activity

Updated: Jun 3


Go Fish card game

Looking for an easy, affordable summer activity for your kids? Look no further than the humble yet mighty Go Fish card game. This classic pastime is great at keeping little hands and minds busy (ages 4 and older). With just a deck of regular cards and a bit of enthusiasm, you can transform a lazy summer afternoon or a long wait at the airport into a fun-filled adventure.


Did you know that Go Fish is not only fun but also a genius educational tool? Let's dive into the hidden benefits and surprisingly sophisticated skills kids pick up while fishing for cards.


  1. Number Recognition and Counting Ever tried getting a kid excited about counting? Good luck. But give them a stack of cards and suddenly they are math prodigies. "Do you have any threes?" Boom! They are practicing number recognition without even knowing it. It is like sneaking veggies in their mac and cheese: they don't notice and you get to feel like a parenting wizard while having fun.

  2. Memory and Concentration Go Fish requires players to remember which cards they and their opponents have asked for previously. Remembering who asked for what card might seem trivial to us, but to kids, it's like prepping for the SATs. The concentration required to recall that Emma asked for sixes two turns ago is mind-blowing. Who knew that a simple card game could double as memory training bootcamp? This mental exercises strengthens their working memory, which is crucial for learning and daily life activities.

  3. Social Skills and Communication Playing Go Fish is a social activity that involves communication, taking turns, and following rules. Children learn how to interact politely, ask for what they need, and respond to others. These interactions help develop their social skills including patience and cooperation.

  4. Strategic Thinking and Problem Solving Though this game is simple, it does involve a level of strategic thinking. Kids must decide which cards to ask for based on the information available, making educated guesses and adjusting their strategy as the game progresses. This process enhances their problem solving skills and ability to think ahead, which are valuable academically and in real-life situations.

  5. Language Development Children practice formulating sentences when they ask "Do you have any threes?" and respond "Go fish!" or "Yes I do".

  6. Emotional Development Winning, losing, and sometimes asking for cards that no one has lets kids experience the highs and lows of competition in a safe and supportive environment. They learn to handle the disappointment of not getting the card they wanted and the excitement of a good hand. These experiences help children build emotional resilience and understand that it's ok to feel and express a variety of emotions.

  7. Family Bonding Go Fish brings the family together in a way that makes everyone put down their devices.. It's pure, unadulterated quality time, filled with laughter and light-hearted competition.


Who knew that fishing for cards could reel in so many skills?


Go Fish isn't just a card game; it's a stealthy educational powerhouse disguised as fun. From number recognition to emotional growth, the benefits are as plentiful as the fish in the sea. So the next time you are thinking of something fun and easy to do with your child, grab a deck of cards and dive in.




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