Archery for kids

GWC Community Geek Hobbies
#1

Hi everyone! (and @Sean, which goes without saying.) My five-year-old has been really interested in the idea of archery for a year or so now, and has been doing pretty well with her suction-cup bow and arrows. In your experience - and I know every kid is different - what’s the best way to go about getting a kid started in archery? It seems like the only options open to me are either crappy toys or lethal weapons. I know a good teacher is critical, and I’m lucky that my daughter is as responsible as you can be when you’re five, but still, she’s five, and these are fricking ARROWS we’re talking about. So I leave this question in your hands.

I’d also love to relearn it myself along with her, which will be great!

Thanks!
Fi.

#2

how about this?
http://www.mansionathletics.com/archery-bow-economy-beginner-w2222-archery-bows.html?channelid=Google%20ProductsPM&gclid=CP3vp82dhrECFQFx4AodfBURcg

#3

It looks really cool, but it’s taller than she is. :slight_smile: Might work for me, though! Thanks!

#4

My nephew is 6 and he’s been shooting for over a year. My family does primitive camping/rendezvousing for a hobby so the younglings in our family start playing with dangerous toys early. Throwing knives, tomahawks, archery - it’s what we do. As long as you supervise your youngling, teach him/her the necessary safety rules, and trust them to not play with these items without your supervision, everything should be fine!

#5

Yeah, archery is just that. Heaving sticks that have the ability to lodge themselves in something at a target. It’s not really a safe for play type of application. We got our first panda style fiberglass bows when we were super young. We shot school cedar arrows out of them into a stuffed bag. But dad was always with us and it was impressed on us at an early age that this was a weapon as well as a tool.

Until the point you’re ready for that I’d say go nerf. :slight_smile: