Melissa and Doug “Let’s Explore” Fishing Play Set Review

Reviewed by Deborah Banasko

You just cannot beat a new toy in time for the summer holidays, and this one is fabulous for home or holiday.

There is no-one in my family who is interested in fishing so this isn’t something that my son would typically receive as a present.  I’d generally imagine this to be viewed as a gift from a keen fisherman or woman to keep the family tradition. I think that’s why I was so pleased to be reviewing this with my 3 year old boy, as it was a bit different from our norm.

First impressions of the set are “wow”; the box is so eye-catching and the pieces look of the highest quality. There is a lot to this, with a focus on learning as well as fun and an added sprinkle of cuteness (there’s a child sized fishing licence!)

There are 20 pieces in total, comprising of two wooden fishing rods, a net, tackle box, medallion, activity card, fishing licence and ruler. Plus four play worms in a pouch, play mat and 6 double sided fish to catch. I cannot describe how sweet it is and how much thought has gone into the design and detail, plus the pieces are strong and made to last as you would expect from Melissa and Doug toys. The fish, ruler and the the reel handle on the rod are chunky, and just the right size for small hands

The premise is obviously based on fishing, but there is a purpose to the set rather than is being solely a “hook some fish” activity, and more importantly it’s really good fun. The play mat is double sided so that you can arrange the fish in the play pond on a summers day or winter scene. Then you bait the fishing rods with one of the brightly coloured worms, hook the fish, and scoop them up into the net. There is a little waterproof plastic fishing guide with details on how to identify the fish (have your phone handy as your child is bound to want you to search for a real life version). The guide actually explains with pictures how to catch your fish.  It is wipe clean and there is a section to record the fish measurement when caught with the blue rod and the green rod. This allows you to play against someone else and record who has caught which fish. The only snag was that there wasn’t a pen included!

This is all the fun of fishing without the mess! The carry case is handy and stops pieces going astray, whilst the rods slot into the front of the case so that you can keep everything together.

The recommended age for this toy is 3 plus, and I would consider the ideal range to be 3-6 years as the set uses imagination, develops motor skills and co-ordination for younger children then moves into early maths skills for more primary aged kids. As well as being able to count and measure fish with the ruler (in centimetres as well as inches, which I felt may be a nod to the older members of the family), you can also compare sizes and use the key stage 1 terms “bigger”, “biggest” and so on.  There is a list of fishing games if you want to get competitive, such as catching the smallest fish or doing it with your eyes closed. My 6 year old really got into this and loved showing his younger brother the full process, whereas the 3 year old just wanted to catch the fish.

One thing I did notice; there are no weighing scales or pretend camera for that “perfect catch” photo! This wasn’t a problem as we already have some, so this is another angle for the game play particularly if you know someone who likes to share their fishing photos! I admit that I did force my 3 year old to pose for a photo with one of the wooden fish in his hands, rod propped beside him and cap on his head (because that’s what fishermen do, right?)

The fish all look different so that you can identify your fish on the activity card and mark on it’s length, but it perhaps would have been nice to have the names written beside the pictures so that younger kids could be told the type of fish that they had caught, and older kids could read and practice their spellings.

The RRP of £32.99 seems very fair for the quality and the amount that you actually get in the set. This isn’t a just novelty gift, or aimed at “fishing families”.  It teaches children the basics of fishing without the mess of the water, and is a really engaging role play whilst ticking several education boxes. It isn’t simply a dry land version of the bath toy fishing sets that you can buy, as there is a lot of play for your money and the pieces are so realistic. My children liked to incorporate it into a “going on our holidays” game once the initial novelty had worn off, so they would go to a cafe, get an ice cream then head off to do a spot of fishing. It was fantastic to watch their imaginations get carried away, plus it is something that you can play with them too.

Just imagine camping over the summer and visiting the sea-side and heading back to play this game after watching the boats and people fishing. I think the country has become so much more outdoorsy since Covid, and this is just another interest that you can spark in your kids as you peer into lakes and streams looking at the different fish swimming around.

I would aware this toy 4.5 stars out of 5; it is good value and has plenty of life in terms of the quality and the games that you can play with it. It’s perfect for camping over the summer as you enjoy the great outdoors. I deducted half a point purely as I would have liked a pen and the fish names to be included, but it is possible that I am being a little picky as I would absolutely recommend this toy to anyone who is looking for some role play fun with that little something extra. A fabulous toy!

Rating: 4.5/5

RRP: £32.99

This product can be purchased from Amazon here.