Ok...My son is 15 months old (I realize that is not old enough)....but I am interested to know at what age you begin teaching your children to shoot and what kind of bow do you recommend to begin with (brand & weight)...Thanks!
No expert here, but this is what i did. When my boy was 2 and a half, i bought a Cabelas fiberglass stick with a few fiberglass arrows. It pulls about 5#, and costs about 20$.
When he turned 5, i bought him a K@K Great-tree 48" recurve that pulls 20#. He is 7 now, and shoots well with it. In fact last summer he shot a couple chipmunks. My daughter is 4, and she shoots the Cabelas fiberglass once in a while. It is a joy beyond explanation watching your children learning a sport that you love.
15 months? Sorry you're too late. LOL I started mine at two similar to the way Ybuck did. Now I have a two year old grandaughter that I am ready to start.
Started my grandson at 3 yrs. He walked and shot 28 3-D targets in Grayling, Michigan last year. Shooters behind us were told they could go around because it was a slow process and all said, NO, they were having too much fun watching him shoot. He keeps asking when will he be 10 so he can hunt!!!
My son got the fiberglass bow and suction cup arrows when he was 3. We used to shoot the bay window. His mom had a fit once when she came in one morning as the sun was shining through it only to see little round smudges from the suction cups all over the window. I don't remember how much later it was but soon after he got a Wilkerson longbow. Here's pic of him at Denton Hill at age 5.
(http://home.earthlink.net/~kevin_lawler/joshoot.jpg)
Hey Kevin, GREAT picture! His form looks terrific. Makes ya proud huh?
That is a great pic
Well I started one at 5, one at 6, one at 4 and one at 3. If I can find a light enough bow I'll most likely start the baby at 2 1/5 this summer.
Second youngest last summer about 3 1/2 and the lesson began for both of us
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QuoteOriginally posted by Ybuck:
Hey Kevin, GREAT picture! His form looks terrific. Makes ya proud huh?
Yeah he has become quite the archer. He was first in the NC state championships in Hickory when he was 9 (Cubs). That same year he took 2nd at ATAR in cubs. Last year at age 10 I moved him up to youth (12-16) at the NC state championships and he got 4th. Last year he took first at ATAR in the cubs division. Oh, and his pic has been in Primitive Archer twice. :notworthy: I don't know if he'll do as well this year. He likes baseball.
When my kids were little i bought a little recurve at a garage sale for $5.00 I just taught them some safety aspects of shooting and just let them shoot not really worried too much about form or hitting i just let them have fun.
My youngest son Tyler started shooting a 2 1/2 years old,and he walked and shot his first 30 target 3D coarse shortly after his 3rd birthday.
(boy,did he sleep good that night LOL)
Simple beginnings are the best way to start. My eleven yr old started by just playing on a blanket in the shade while I would shoot and talk to him. As soon as he could crawl he would shoot with my help. A little red fiber bow. The actions were the same as what I was doing and he knew it.
He absolutely loved it. If I snuck out without him, and he realized my treachery, he would howl
to the world until I came to get him.
When his brother came along, it was the same story all over again. When they were both up and shooting, it was amazing.
Good clean fun.
I have two girls 4 and 7. I am just getting them started. Hopefully they will be better than me!!!
This little guy will be 3 in August and just went to his first 3D. His grampy asked me to make him a couple of arrows so I did. The little guy was so excited about having real arrows to shoot.
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He's a good shot as well got himself a bear as well
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I think Stone Knife has the right idea. The MOST important thing when starting kids is to make it fun for them. Don't wear them out shooting too much or be concerned about hitting a target.Just let them shoot an arrow and tell them how great they are.
My girls Shot at Twin Oaks this year, one is 8 the other 3.Both shot 20 targets and had a blast.
Cody,
Never too young :)
I never got the op as I don't have any but I love getting our family's youngsters into it.
It is a natural for any of them who visit, the eyes light up instantly when you pull out a simple little bow (any one that fits will do), some arrows and stand them in front of the target to shoot...
all of our family's kidlets are bonkers for the sport! Just need to make sure all the parents agree as not all of them do, they think they'll shoot their eye out or somethin' :rolleyes:
But they are supervised well and are taught the respect first. :thumbsup:
Great pics BTW!!
My little man started with the suction cup bow from wal-mart's toys section at about 1&1/2. We got him a KustomKing selfbow for X-mas at age 3. Next we are getting him a Maddog archery custom longbow. I have one and love it. They are great quality and a great price. Will grow with him until he is my size. Have fun.
Katie
My grand daughter Angie is 3 this month and I'll make her a bamboo bow so she can shoot with dad, grandma and grandpa. She already fetches arrows for dad.
I quite agree on keeping it fun for the youngsters.
I got my daughter the suction cup bow and arrow at around age 2. Now that she's 3 I use the same little fiberglass bow and made some "real" arrows for her. They shoot pretty good outa that bow. I don't worry about form much. I just try to get her out having fun with it. Yesterday we went to the range, she brought her bow and arrows, but when we got there had more fun just picking daisies and playing around with me between ends. The day before, we went to the range and I only shot two ends and spent the rest of the time helping her to shoot. Just gotta work on her schedual right now. The key is to keep it fun.
Derek
My kids all shoot wiith me and their mom we make quite the sight as we have four kids and all of us shoot traditional so good on you for thinking ahead. You might want to check out Black Rhino bows as they make an exellent product and have excellent customer sevice. We have 2 my club where I coach has 5 and my niece has one in my opinion they are pretty hard to beat and they come in a lot of different sizes for reasonable prices
I would like to put up some pictures of our kids but don't know how so if any one knows how could you let me know Thanks
About when they get old enuff to want to... Just make it fun and just try enforce safety rules... form... furget about it... its That time together and having fun thats important... getting serious about anything, comes way too early these days... heres my boy at 4... yes, he's overbowed, but man did he ever enjoy shooting... almost as much as I did enjoy assisting him...
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But most of all he had fun, and we spent time together... (uh when the lil one has the bow... its best to take it in and just enjoy it... quality shoting time will come later...don't ask me how I know...)
3 or 4...with a tiny 20" plastic bow for a 3-yr old, and graduate to:
26 to 30" bow...about 8lbs at 12"...with 1/4" wood shafts about 15" long. 3" feathers.
Crimp-on slip-over points (from 3rivers).
A little back quiver, armguard, and some no-gloves on the string, and you should be all set...
My son aaron started at around 2 with toy bows than shaft slinger [harold couch] gave him a custom long bow he is six now and has 3 couch bows. his two year old sister is asking for a bow for her birthday. are we lucky or what!!!
I have started my son from a young age. There is a lot of good stuff here. But there is one thing that I would really emphasize which is do not over-bow a child. They will loose interest fast, and their shooting will suffer.
My two started about 3 yrs old.
As soon as my boy showed an interest I got him a bow. His first real bow was at age three. Actually it is time to get him a new one.
I started my twin daughters at four, from a couple of long bows I had made up....man tillering is tough to get right at a 7lb draw weight!
Now that they are 6 years old I've gotten them a couple of Martin Prodigy recurves. Nice little bows... I made their arrows out of wooden dowels and used hot pink highlighter pen to stain the wood shafts. They are in a formal archery instruction program now...Thursday afternoons the instructor (former Olympian) comes to the house and gives lessons to my daughters and 4 nephews.
One little hint to share re: keep the kids interested through immediate gratification: Use ballons as targets. :wavey:
(http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb100/styckbow/02%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb100/styckbow/023.jpg)3.jpg[/IMG] Here are a couple of pics thanks to Brent one is of my boys and the other is of my brother and his boys
ops I think you clicked on the wrong one. Left click on the IMG code. It lights up with a temporary copied flash. Then left click in this box, then right click and then left mouse click the paste button. Make sure it is in the 640x480 size though.
Ok lets see them shooters!
Brent
(http://i206.photobucket.com/albums/bb100/styckbow/028.jpg)here goes again never said I was the smartest duck in the woods
You did great! Delin and then it looks they did also! :bigsmyl: Gotta love those smiles! :thumbsup:
Brent
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l101/GUNSMITHAMMO/DSC00167.jpg)
My grandson Payton, enjoying himself. He is 5 years old. Dang I've got to take some more pictures. He has a new bow now!
Brent
My daughter Hannah got a plastic bow and suction cup arrows at an age of 2 at three she got a 9# black Rhino and now at almost four she can shoot her bow almost all by herslef.
This is her about a month ago, shooting in the back yard.
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I love to see the kids at the 3-D shoots,puts a big grin on my face.But as cute as they look with their little bows & quiver full of arrows,they are children with a weapon capable of killing.We lost a local girl 2 years ago when her brother snuck his bow out of the house to shoot at dads 3D deer out back.She came running around the house while playing with some other kids,and was hit in the head and killed.She was 4yrs old,he was 7yrs old.I'm all for starting them early, but they need a wise hand to guide & mould them into the best they can be.Sorry for the reality check. Leland
Leland youare absolutly right as a coach safety is always #1 We all have to make sure these kids learn the safety rules of archery even my 12 year old doesn't shoot unless he is with an adult that I trust. Please convey my sympathy to the parents of the children involved in that tragic accident. Delin
5 years old - started at 3. (http://***********.bowsite.com/tf/pics/00small38984377.JPG)
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I'd say when they show an interest. Bought my son a little plastic toy bow and "nerf" arrows when he was about two, after he kept trying to shoot my bow with me. He shot it until he broke it (a week or two), but it proved to me he really had an interest and could do it.
Got him a tiny selfbow and tiny aluminum arrows, and he's been at it ever since--he's 12 now, and his "collection" consists of that first selfbow, a laminated longbow, and two take-down recurves.
He's had ups and downs--braces, glasses, and some major growing spurts all affected his shooting. He's getting it back now, after the last growing spurt and getting his braces taken off. Last Saturday we shot at Lost Tribe in TN, and he had the second highest score of everyone there (one guy beat him by one point). He shot a 225 out of a possible 260 (26 targets, 0-5-8-10 scoring).
I agree that it's important to keep it safe, keep it fun, and keep a bow they can shoot comfortably. They will shoot better and be able to shoot more, and they will enjoy it more that way.
Chad
I feel it's never too early to get them started as long as they are showing an interest. Both my boys have their own Bear Lil' Shot from 3 Rivers. My oldest got his last year on his 4th B'day and my youngest 2 1/2 yrs just got his a few weeks ago.
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My advise is to keep it simple and not worry about form or even hitting the target. Every shot is a "great shot!" I just want my boys to have fun. Like in everything they do, my boys are taught to follow all safety precautions. They seem to always have a great time shooting with their papa. As soon as one gets a little bored that's the end of the session. Most likely we'll shoot again tomorrow but only at their request not mine. That way it's their idea and not something I'm forcing on them. Good luck.
I'm no expert but I do teach a group of kids . To me when kids are about 9 years old or so give are take 2 years either way . My nine year olds have better attention spand and Can really work on the correct form better!!!...but ya got make it fun ...more ballons the better, and First and most important safety and safe practices . Just pulling arrows no one behind the person puling out arrows , ( Trust me on that one , its something Im not too proud of my son was right behind me as I was pulling arrows he was 10 year old, missed his eye with nock on arrow) , thank goodness always always think safety!!!!rules learned make archery fun... :)