Kids fishing gear advice

[Fort Wisers]

Hey gang, looking for some advice from other dads/moms that have been through it.
Our girls (aged 9 and 7) have been bugging us about getting longer / better fishing rods.

The older is ready to move into a spinning reel but the younger would prefer to stick with a spin casting set-up.
Any advice on half decent packages that will gain them a number of years of use?
Species targeted is mostly perch, speckle trout and maybe the odd small pike (oldest daughter fav).
Both are fairly competent casters.....
Our hope is to find a couple decent little packages that will prove rugged enough to handle the abuse but also sensitive enough that as they grow into the sport the gear proves worthwhile.

They're currently both using cheapy little "princess rod packages" so I guess anything will be a decent upgrade, so maybe i'm just overthinking it.
Thanks, appreciate any thoughts!

[Greg]

My advice would be... don't over think it! (ha, sorry couldn't resist)... seriously, don't be afraid to go to a good setup (I'm not talking a $200 combo that is 7 feet long) - like a 6 foot medium combo - good for trolling, jigging, casting, etc. 

You see deals at Cabelas for a $120 combo on half price... $60 is a good investment... like any kid, 5 years from now when they hit those teens, they may be losing interest, but they will come back to it later on, and having that good rod sitting there that is "theirs" will bring them back easier/quicker.

After about 10 years of not coming up north fishing with me, my son is coming back to Alwaki with me this year, in 17 days... he will probably (most definitely) be able to out-drink me now.

Greg

[Fort Wisers]

LOLOLOL thanks Greg, yeah as I started writing the post I realized I was probably just over-thinking it!
Have fun up north, awesome to hear your son is joining you, has he fished Kipawa before?
Regardless I'm sure both of you guys will have a great time!
Cheers
Brent

[Greg]

Yes, my son Justin has been to Alwaki and fished Kipawa 3 or 4 times before - lots of pictures of childhood with him and my daughter there with me with strings of walleye as the sun is setting about to do a late-night fish fry.

Waaaayyy back, when I met T-Bone and his crew there (we were there the same week for a couple of years running), I went out in my boat just in front of the lodge and took pictures of the kids jumping off the cliffs right in front of the main lodge with T-Bone's cousin Mark (Marco?)... have to find those pictures some day. 

Man how time flies - Justin is going to be 23 and will finish his 2nd degree in December - it's weird having him here this summer - he did an internship at Tesla plant in California last summer...he is bringing his high end drone this year which takes incredible video and pictures... we are going to try to film some great shots of the chute, the lodge on the island, and some of our usual spots.

Yep, I'm anxious.

[Fort Wisers]

23 wow! Our oldest is turning 10 this October and even at that we think "where did a decade go?"
Have fun with that drone, will be good to see those videos!