Youth archers need a well-fitted bow and short, exciting practice sessions to get hooked on a lifetime of arrow flight. Here’s how to get them started in three easy steps.
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Photograph by Tony J. Peterson
Introducing kids to archery is fun and easy if you buy the right equipment and keep shooting sessions fun.
As the father of twin seven-year-olds, I’m always looking for ways to get my girls involved in the things I love to do. One activity I thought would be particularly easy for them to get into was archery. Turns out, it wasn’t; at least not at first. The girls do love to fling some arrows, but it has taken some time and some tweaking to get them there.
For starters, I have a righty and a lefty, which presents a logistical problem with bows. Specifically, I’ve needed to buy two bows, which isn’t a big commitment with beginner’s bows, or opt for an ambidextrous option.
A bigger problem I ran into was managing the interests of two kids who, theoretically, should be starting at the same exact spot physically and mentally. If only that were true…
The reality I found with my daughters, and that most of us would find in trying to introduce any youngster to archery, is that it takes a loose plan and an open mind. There are many considerations that come into play that you simply won’t anticipate, but that’s okay. They are easy enough to take care once you’re aware of them.
No matter how rough it might get at first, the main goal is to encourage kids to enjoy the process of shooting arrows downrange. This obviously starts with proper, comfortable bows, but it also entails making target shooting fun and being aware of when they’re ready to move on to another activity. Here are three easy ways to introduce your kids to archery.
