Buy an ugly stick, there a good compromise between price and durability.

It's hard to beat the old tried and true Zebco spin cast rod and reel. Cheap, easy to use and wears well.

I never throw away rods and reels and I pick them up when I can. I take kids out all the time and if they break anything its no sweat. When they have their heads on straight buy them medium quality stuff.

I would recommend going the economical route and upgrading as the kids grow a little older and more experienced. That is the way I was brought up, I got hand me downs from my dad or my uncles and then learned to appreciate it and really understand how to use different equipment.

Once this was established it meant a whole lot more to me when I recieved a rod and reel and when I purchsed my own equipment I remembered the lessons I learned as a child.

It's your call, but with 6 kids I would go the economical route for now and make sure they really are going to stick with fishing and they will grow into their own skill level and you can make equipment upgrades from there.

im only 14 id let the kids pick their own rods as long as you can trust them they dont necesaraly want an expensive rod. let the use what ever their comfortable with when their older and more experienced let them get the more expensice rods so you know their going to stick with it and not abuse the gear

I agree with the less expensive route as in zebco or ugly stick. But as far as the spongebob/ disney character fishing set-ups, get your kids a disney character lunch box if they want it, but do yourself and your kids a favor and stay far away from the disney character type fishing set-ups. They are very poor quality and will almost certainly set you and your kids up for a frustrating experience.

You can't go wrong with Ugly Sticks. They are extremely durable and yet sensitive enough for catching smaller fish such as crappie. Kids will almost always lay a pole down and step on it, and if you get cheao rods your just going to have to keep buying cheap rods because their gonna break. Get a couple of the 5'3" Ugly Stick combos for about $20-$30 dollars each and oyu won't be disapointed. By the way thanks for keeping fishing alive with your kids!

I'd have to agree with the majority -- Zebco spin cast reel and an Ugly Stick for starters. The Zebco making things easier and both can take their licks and keep ticking.

If the kids are still young enough that the chance of their losing the equipment in the water is high, maybe the Spiderman outfit would be best.

I carry an Ugly Stick as backup to my St. Croix, Fenwicks, and G. Loomis.

One note, however. I too thought they had a lifetime warranty against breakage, but that seems to have changed recently. I think the best Ugly Stick warranty I've seen lately is 5 yrs.

I would recommend going the economical route and upgrading as the kids grow a little older and more experienced. That is the way I was brought up, I got hand me downs from my dad or my uncles and then learned to appreciate it and really understand how to use different equipment.

Once this was established it meant a whole lot more to me when I recieved a rod and reel and when I purchsed my own equipment I remembered the lessons I learned as a child.

It's your call, but with 6 kids I would go the economical route for now and make sure they really are going to stick with fishing and they will grow into their own skill level and you can make equipment upgrades from there.