The quiet game that builds little hands.
A magnetic rod, a shoal of wooden fish, and the kind of focused, screen-free play that buys you a calm twenty minutes. It develops fine motor skills, colour-matching and counting — and they think it's just fishing.
Develops fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and patience
Colour-matching and counting built into the play
Wooden, screen-free and beautifully made
Looks like fishing. Is actually early learning.
The magnet is deliberately just strong enough that catching a fish takes a little patience and a steady hand — which is exactly the point. Children practise the pincer grip, hand-eye coordination, colours and counting without ever noticing they're learning, while you get a rare stretch of quiet. Solid wood, beautifully made, and ready to be handed down to the next little one.
- 01
Wooden fishing rod(s)
- 02
Set of wooden fish
- 03
Storage
Why ours is the one you keep
| Jaques Magnetic Fishing | Plastic battery version | |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | Solid wood, no batteries | Plastic, batteries, often noisy |
| Learning | Fine motor, colours, counting | Mostly novelty |
| Lasts | Handed down | Landfill |
| Price | £20.56 | Cheaper ⚠️ |
| Made by | Jaques, since 1795 | Unbranded |
Good to know
What age is it for?
From about 2 upwards. Younger toddlers love the catching; older children add colour-matching, counting and keeping score, so it grows with them.
Is the magnet strong enough — or too strong?
It's judged just right: strong enough to catch a fish, gentle enough that it takes a little patience and a steady hand. That bit of challenge is what builds the fine-motor skill.
What does it actually teach?
Fine motor control and hand-eye coordination through the catching, plus colour-matching and early counting — all wrapped up in play they think is just a game.
Is it wooden / screen-free?
Yes — solid wood, no plastic, no batteries and no screens, made to be kept and handed down.
Try it risk-free
If it's not a hit, send it back — free UK returns. Trusted by 23,000+ UK families and made by Britain's oldest games maker, since 1795. Rated 4.9/5 from 482 reviews.