Best rod and reel setups for little kids?

[steelfish]

Alex, nice side hijack.  Your daughter is adorable!

thanks Bryan, she will kill me if she know that Im posting pics of her when she was 3yo

on that pic she was using a cheapo shakespeare alpha reel, I recall changing many reels but the rod kept going strong, no reason for a nice 2500 sized expensive reel for a 5yo that will having it knocking on every rock

[oc1]

You're a good dad Alex.
-steve

[Gaujo]

Well thanks for all the replies, I'll post back what I end up with.

[Gaujo]

Update for 2025! 
My 3 boys are now 6,5,3. Best for multiple littles I found are the telescoping cane poles, this surprised me.

Older two learned to cast and have now outgrown the dock demon due to its shortness and limited cast distances. I've upgraded them to about a 4ft rod and this has been perfect for them.

My boys all LOVE fishing, and I love taking them. Biggest caught his first largemouth last time we went out.