You can do something very easy to improve your child’s chances of having success and good health later in life, and that is making sure he spends an ample amount of time outdoors. In fact, most children’s development experts agree that it’s much more beneficial to spend extended amounts of time outdoors than it is for your kids to stay indoors. With that being said, are you looking for an activity that’s exciting enough to get your child involved? Then the answer for you is kid’s archery!
What is Archery for Children?
Archery is a sport in which the participant shoots a carbon arrow from a bow. It’s not only considered a sport, but many also view it as an art. Studies have found that when kids play archery, it’s a great way to keep them focused, active, and away from alcohol and drugs.
Archery is an old practice and has been used in many cultures and societies across geography and history. While the concept is easy, it can be a bit more tricky executing the moves since the arrow is required to land on the target to achieve success. Becoming a master archer takes hours of repetition, training, and practice.
Equipment Needed for Kids Archery
When introducing your kids to archery, it’s important to ensure they have fun because when they realize it’s fun and not that challenging, they will want to do it for a long time. Furthermore, obtaining the right archery equipment is vital since you don’t want your child struggling with a bow that’s not appropriate for their size and ability.
The best place to buy archery sets for kids is at a local archery business. They will be more than happy to fit your child with the perfect bow and determine what draw weight is good for him. At the same time, be sure to remain open about what bow and arrows your child chooses, even if it’s not what you had in mind. With that being said, here are some common items you’ll need for kids archery:
- A Bow
- Arrows
- Quiver
- Targets
- Armguard
- Trigger
- Finger Tab
Introducing Your Child to Archery
When first introducing your child to archery, keep the atmosphere light and fun. This is especially true if you plan to give the lessons yourself because you’ll need it to be as stress-free as possible to keep your child’s attention.
It’s a great idea to begin by showing them the correct way to stand, where their feet should be placed, and the proper way to hold the bow. You will have plenty of time to teach them all the details, such as anchors and proper grip, later, but during the first session, just begin with the basics.
Here are some helpful steps for teaching kids archery:
- Take turns shooting arrows next to your child. It’s even better if they can watch you shoot a few; this way, they can copy your form.
- Use targets that are large and place them closer to begin. This will make it easier for your child to hit the target and feel good about the achievement. Giving them an easy win to start will build confidence and encourage them to keep trying.
- Buy targets that are made for children or, at the very least, one that their arrows can penetrate.
- Join a local archery club. There are lots of archer communities out there, and getting your child involved with one will help them continue to learn, develop, and make connections with others who share the love of archery.
How Safe is A Bow and Arrow for Kids?
Kids archery is actually considered one of the safest sports, so long as your child is equipped with the right types of equipment for their maturity level and age. For example, if you have a child under five or an older child who is less mature, an archery kit that contains a plastic bow and arrows is probably a great way to start. As your child matures and learns archery more, they can be moved onto more advanced types of bows and arrows.
How to Choose The Best Bow and Arrow for Kids?
As we previously mentioned, there are lots of different bows to choose from. In fact, they even make a kids compound bow! However, just like adult bows, kid’s bows also have good and bad things about them.
If you have a small child, then your best option to start is a longbow. This type of bow doesn’t have a lot of recurve, so it’s a safer way to learn since they are less powerful. Alternatively, if your child is over the age of eight and they’ve proven their ability for safe handling of the equipment, then it’s fine to get them a more powerful bow such as a compound or recurve.
Ultimately, the type of bow you choose will come down to personal preference and what you hope to achieve with your child. In general, compound bows are perfect for hunting, and target archery usually uses recurve bows.
Why Archery for Kids?
If you’re reading this, then you’re probably already considering enrolling your kids in archery. However, if you need a final push, then check out these benefits:
- Shooting a bow and arrow is like reliving history since archery is the oldest sport still being practiced. Even though the equipment has evolved, the sport itself is pretty much unchanged.
- Archery provides your kids with a fun activity that’s done outdoors, so they can breathe fresh air and soak up some much-needed vitamin D.
- Archery helps develop focus, concentration, and perseverance.
- It’s a great outlet for naturally competitive kids.
- Archery works to boost self-confidence because it’s a skill that can always be improved.
- If you also like archery, it’s a great way to bond with your child.
- For more great reasons, check out the infographic from A Straight Arrow below.
In the end, archery isn’t for everyone. However, it’s a fantastic sport for kids to learn for many reasons. And the best part is, if you get your child started early, then you may be helping develop a hobby that will remain with them through their life.
Check out this infographic with 15 reasons to teach your kids archery!
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