The best fishing gear for children varies by age. The younger children need an easy-to-use rod and reel. They need it simple until their ability improves. Children a little older can likely use the better gear. That is a little more advanced. You need to judge the child’s physical ability to cast.

A child under six lacks the dexterity with their hands to cast spinning or casting reels. A spincast combo is best for this age. Children ages 7 and up are capable of using standard spinning tackle. These are the open-face reels with a rotating bail or line guide. You need to judge your child’s ability. If they are active and play sports a spinning combo will be easy to learn.
Note; This link will take you to find places to fish with children.
Fishing Gear for Young Children
A young child needs simple gear. They lose interest if something is difficult. Plus, excitement is a factor. This is the reason manufacturers make character-themed combos. This does make a difference to a child under 6-7 years. You will find this type of combo in stores labeled as princess or action hero setups.
A child of 6-7 years may want something more grown-up. The Zebco combos fit this niche for children. The Zebco combos are of better quality and perform better. This allows a child to fish for larger fish. These rods will handle catfish, bass, and other mid-size fish. The rods come in more length options also.
Recommendations for 6 Years Old and Below
The Zebco 33 is for older children. It is rated for 6-10 lb. line for medium size fish and works for panfish also. The Micro 33 is for panfish and trout. The reel uses a 2-6 lb. line making it good for small fish. The Splash and Themed combos are for younger children. They can select their favorite cartoon or hero-themed rod. These rods are good for panfish and other small fish.
The Splash and theme combos are low-cost and intended to get a child involved with fishing. They last a year or two with reasonable care. If a child does damage the setup a replacement is cheap. The rods are good for children to learn to cast and reel in fish.
Fishing Gear for older Children
An older child will likely want something better than the spincast. The spinning rods are the next level up in gear for fishing. One of these combos can be bought in many variations of power and action. You can choose the combo for the species the child will be catching. Read this article for details about fishing rods. It gives a basic overview of each part of a fishing rod.
In many cases, a medium-light or medium-power rod is fine for a beginner. These fall into the all-around category. Buying a combo the rod will come with a reel that matches for a good balance. The better quality rods will have options for the action also.
Power and action are different. Fast action rods are fine to start. A rod without the action listed is likely a moderate to moderate fast. This action is good for a beginner also. I suggest the lower-cost options, they will be the rods without an action listed. On slightly higher-priced rods, you will be able to select the power you need for the fish you are intending to catch.
A child will not know the difference and has little effect on how children will fish. The various actions are for specific techniques with advanced anglers. The majority of adult anglers use a fast action if buying higher-cost gear or the unspecified low-cost options. Casual anglers do not see a difference.
Recommendations for 7 Years Old and Above
These combos are choices for children ready for a better setup. A few of the rods will last and be usable as an adult as the child grows. The rods come in composite material, fiberglass, and graphite. The composite and fiberglass are durable. Graphite has better performance but less durability.
Lew’s
The Lew’s Wally is a medium power rod. The blank is a composite of fiberglass and graphite. This material is slightly lighter and more responsive in performance. The durability is fair to good. The rod will last for many years. The reel is good for 3-4 years of regular use.
Shakespeare
The Shakespeare is another composite rod with better durability but less performance. It is good for a child that tends to be rough with stuff. The 5’6″ or 6’6″ medium power 2 pieces are the options for children. The rod will last a long time. The reel will wear out in 2-3 years with regular use.
Pflueger
The Pflueger combo has the most options. The combo is available in ultra-light, light, or medium powers. The medium power rods come in several lengths. The rods are graphite with better performance than the other options. Graphite is more brittle and will break if abused or misused.
This rod is for a child with some experience. I suggest the child be 10 or older. The light power is good for panfish or trout. The medium powers are the all-around options. The child can catch bass and other medium-size fish easily.
The reel is fair quality and likely to last for 3-4 years with proper care. The reel is smoother to operate when reeling in. Plus the drag functions better, this helps if a large fish is hooked.
D-Shock
This combo is a low-cost offering suitable for children uncertain or fishing little. The rod is fiberglass making it slightly heavier and with more flex. The amount of flex does affect the hookset. The child will lose a few fish for this reason. The reel is a model with one bearing. It will only last a year or maybe two if used regularly as it is low quality. Look at this rod as a try-out fishing option. It is in the quality range of the theme-based rods. If the child chooses to fish more often an upgrade will be needed in a year or two.
Terminal Tackle
Terminal tackle is the term for hooks, sinkers, lines, and bobbers. There are hooks for every situation possible in fishing. The same applies to weights and other items. What a child needs is a basic kit. These kits have a few sizes of hook, weights, and bobbers. Once you find which size they need. Buy those hooks and weights to replace lost and damaged terminal tackle.
The first kit is a little of everything. It has what you need to start. The following 3 kits are each basic beginner items separately in bulk containers. The hooks have good sizes for beginning to fish. The split-shot work with bobbers and in shallow water. The bobbers keep the bait off the bottom where fish can see the bait easier. This is good for panfish in ponds and lakes. Buying the 3 bulk kits is a better deal. You get what you need in larger qualities for a couple more dollars.
If the child plans to fish on the bottom for larger fish additional sinkers are needed. The types vary for conditions and waterways. In streams and rivers, a no-roll type is best. In lakes, a casting sinker is fine.
Using hooks, bobbers, and weight, you can make many rigs for live bait fishing. This is the fastest and easiest method for catching fish.
Conclusion Fishing Gear for Children
The choices in rods vary based on age. The power or strength of the rod is different based on your choice. These rods are choices for a child to experience fishing. A few will last and be usable as an adult.
Fishing uses terminal tackle. The hooks and weight vary between species and waterways. An assortment of hooks and weights is needed by most anglers.