Keeping kids occupied during slow times?

[Kylersk]

So far, this year, my son (5 years old) has been a great Fishing buddy while Ice fishing. We've spent many nights in the house with most of them being slow. Normally, he'd fall asleep fairly early and we didnt stay long in the morning, so the extended down time was at a minimum.

This coming weekend I'm planning on hitting Mille Lacs with him. The first day and night shouldnt be a problem. It'll all be new to him. The Drive up there, setting up, new lake and such, but I have a feeling come saturday late morning/early afternoon, if the fish are not cooperating, he'll get rather bored.

So, outside of taking an Xbox and bunch of movies, what do you all bring to keep your kids occupied?

[Ryan_V]

movies are the key. other than that my 5 year old girl and I will be bringing games to play in the house on mille lace when we go for a night in a couple weeks. underwater camera is always popular too!!!

[Powerstroke]

One of the oldest tricks out there is having 2 minnow buckets and a small minnow scoop. My kids will scoop minnows back and forth for quite a while. Get a small scoop of crappie minnows and they will be fine. Sucker minnows work well too cause they are durable and they are bigger so they can grab them and look at them better.

Coloring books is always popular as well as plain old reading books. A couple games are nice, but age is tough for that. Try trouble or sorry.

[toolgarage]

Kylersk,

The movie thing works great, as does bringing lots of different types of snacks.

The two bucket idea sounds good - but make sure you have enough other bait that they aren't playing with or you might be heading back to shore for more.

If the fishing isn't stone cold, take one of those buckets, and fill it with lake water and a couple of small fish from the day's catch. The kids love playing with the bigger fish too.

One of my buddies also brings along a football/soccerball for the slow times. Skates work too if there isn't any snow.

Tool.

[DinkADunk]

books, puzzles, coloring books, drawing tablet. My kids keep themselves occupied for hours the old fashioned way. The aqua view can be pretty good too.

[K9Art]

i have brought a good shovel to get to the ice and skates. football, golf ball &clubs, anything other than cell phones, new styles games, etc. just spend time with them and they will be busy. My kids 14 and 12 have told me some of the best times have been when we have had to make up a game to play. use your imagination, and HAVE FUN

[federline]

Not appropriate for kids as young as yours, but thought I would share it...

When I took some younger Boy Scouts (15 or younger) out ice fishing earlier this year, I brought the hand auger... add a bunch of good natured competitive kids, a hand auger, and a contest to see who can drill a hole the fastest, and stand back. :-) Was one of the most entertaining things I've watched on the ice this year.

[g_anoka]

When I took my young kids out ice fishing I made sure I had plenty of treats, and if the weather was nice enough, and not to many holes for them to fall into, I just let them get out and stretch there legs out on the ice. Whatever you do, do something, as young adults your kids will remember these days, and now that they are older, they do all the work and I just sit back and fish.

[BoxMN]

Binoculars, a digitial camera that they can take as many pics as they want, and bring some clear tubes or trays that he can have minnow races with

Heck, Play Dough is hard to beat as well, as long as it stays warm... And you need plenty of flashlights, with plenty of batteries. Flashlights are the best!

Good luck, and have fun!

[lookincalifornia]

i like those hand held fishing games that look like little reels. that way you're still fishing

teach him to play harmonica, or guitar. a little noise never hurt.

fishing books with tips and pointers for them to try aint a bad idea. but really what do i know, my kids are 3 and 1 and live in california.

[hawkeye43]

My kids would just go outside and build forts in the snow piles and pile the snow up just to play in. Now that they are older they go scout where we should move the house next.