Archery…just the name brings up thoughts of blockbuster movies for our kids, and usually fun in the sun, sportsmanship and having fun for us adults. Let’s face it, most of our kids today only do any type of sport on their game systems, such as playing tennis or shooting the bow and arrow at a target on Mario Party. Statistics have shown, that though most schools offer after-school clubs and activities, fewer than half of their students are even taking advantage of them, wanting instead to get home, veg in front of the TV, and play their favorite video game. While there is nothing wrong with wanting to play your favorite video game, there is something wrong with never getting outdoors to feel the sun on your face or play a sport.

Our kids are missing out on what it means to be a kid. The long summer days with the feel of cool grass beneath your bare feet as you ran across the lawn, the satisfying smack of the bat against the ball and the firm sound of the smack of your shoes hitting the bases during a summer baseball game are missing from many of our children’s lives and they no longer seem to care, as long as they can pick up that controller and play their favorite sports game on their game systems.

Many parents force the outside activities, but that only leads to sullen kids that refuse to have a good time and frustrated parents that finally give in, just to find a little peace. The result? Children who are becoming obese, with no sign of a tan, and parents with grey hair long before their time. So, what can be done about the problem of today’s youth, you might ask. Well, we think we may have an answer. Archery! Don’t you remember the satisfying thunk of your arrow hitting the bullseye when you were a kid and taking archery classes? If you don’t, then you should! Not only can archery be fun on the outside, but it’s also not just an outdoor sport. If it’s raining or the weather is too cold, there are indoor archery ranges as well, so your child still gets that exercise and time away from the boob tube. On top of that, archery is considered to be one of the safest sports around, now how is that for a good sport? Not only is it a good way to get your child out of the house, if they are the least bit competitive there are competitions and more that they can get involved in. There are also health benefits associated with archery as well, so we will go into those for you.

In this blog, we will discuss a few ways that you can help your child get excited about archery, the best way to get your child in archery, and even some of the pros and cons of archery and the health benefits it brings. Have you been looking for some type of activity to get your child out of the house and active? Do you think that some sports are just way to dangerous? Then, archery may just be the right choice for you. Grab your pen to get ready to take notes as we delve into this blog on how to get your child excited about archery and everything else you need to know. Let’s get started then!

 

Top Reasons to Teach Your Child Archery

First, we will jump into a few of the top reasons that teaching your child archery is a good idea. Head on below to get started.

It’s One of the Safest Sports Around

According to the Archery Trade Association, statistics show that archery is safer than most of the school offered ball sports, so that is something that has been putting parents at ease for years. Even with the fact that the sport of archery uses arrows, kids get hurt much less often.

Can be Done Year Round, Indoors, and Outdoors

One of the best reasons to sign your child up for archery is because it isn’t like other sports that are seasonal. It can be done year round, doesn’t have to be postponed due to rain, and is fun for everyone involved from kids to adults alike. There are also many different styles of archery to choose from, meaning there has got to be one that your child will enjoy and want to do again and again.

There Are Scholarships Awarded for Archery

Archery is more than just a sport to get your child involved in a sport and get them out of the house. There are quite a few organizations that actually offer scholarships to archery students, just like they do football, baseball, and other sports. Whether it’s cash or a scholarship that your child might earn at a competition, archery can help you and them plan for long-term goals and help to secure their future.

These are just a few of the top reasons that you should encourage your kids to sign up for archery as an after-school activity. Next, we will move into the types of archery and how they can help you to help your kids get excited about the sport.

Types of Archery

There are a few types of archery out there for your kids to choose from, so one of them may be the best choice for them. For your child to get excited about the sport, you need to let him try them and choose the one that best fits his needs and personality, not your own. Remember, you’re trying to find something your kid can love to do, not the other way around.

Target Archery

This is the type of archery that is featured in the Olympics and telling your child that might just be enough to get them excited about the sport since it is featured on TV. Target archery is also a great sport for beginning archers and consists of shooting arrows at a target with a bullseye in the middle. This sport can be done outdoors and indoors, which is a major plus for most kids and parents alike.

Field Archery

Field archery is great for kids that actually enjoy getting outdoors when they are made too. If they like to hike as well, then the better that is. In this style of archery, archers shoot at different targets that are set up along roving courses through the woods. This is a great form of exercise and fun because the kids will be not only shooting targets but being challenged with uphill and downhill slopes as well.

3D Archery

If your child loves everything about 3D, then 3D archery might very well be the hit you want it to be. It’s an outdoor sport and consists of shooting targets that are 3D dimensional foam animals. Even more fun is the fact that the 3D animal targets are set up in different locations throughout the woods. The great thing about this style of archery is that there are closer distances for beginning archers and further challenging distances for those who are a little more seasoned and need a bit more of a challenge to make it fun, so your child has room to grow and move upwards, something that can be exciting for a child all on its own.

Traditional Archery

Chances are that your child has seen the movie, “The Hunger Games” probably more than once and that may excite them enough to make them eager to try traditional archery. This type of archery takes all of the modern out of archery and lets your child connect with just his bow, arrow, and nature. Traditional shooting consists of shooting at anything from stumps to trees and a few things in between. It also can include bowhunting as well.

Bowhunting

If you want your child to learn how to hunt for themselves and still have an archery sport that they can get behind, then you could talk to them about bowhunting. While this is a more violent form of archery, many kids and most adults actually enjoy it, and it teaches a life skill that may come in handy if the grid ever goes down and we have to survive on our own.

There are also different types of bows that your child will be able to choose from, though it’s usually best to wait and speak to their instructor about the one he thinks is best suited for your child before you head out and buy one, as they aren’t completely cheap. The prices differ, of course, according to the bow. The choices of bows are listed below.

• Recurve bow
• Compound bow
• Crossbow
• Traditional Bows

Now, we will go into the pros and cons of archery, because as with any other sport, archery has its advantages and disadvantages as well.

The Pros and Cons of Archery Revealed

As with anything else in the world, archery comes with its own set of pros and cons. While the pros do outweigh the cons in our opinion, they do bear talking about.

Pro: It’s a Year-Round Sport

While we have said this repeatedly throughout this article, it is worth saying once again. Archery is a year-round sport. That means that your child doesn’t have to wait almost a year to play the sport he loves after the season ends, which can lead to him spending way too much time indoors, something you are trying to get him away from.

Con: The Cost

The equipment to start in archery and even to keep up with it can become quite expensive. Also, if your child decides he loves it and wants to be in competition, travel, gas, and lodging can become quite expensive as well.

Pro: Practice in the Backyard is an Option

Archery is a sport that doesn’t have to have a special place for it to happen, though you do want your child to get out and be social, so you do want to sign them up for a team. However, it can be done in the backyard, if the yard is big enough, and you won’t have to go anywhere for them to practice.

Con: Archery Ranges Could be Scarce

Since archery is a popular sport, there could be archery ranges everywhere in your town or city. However, according to where you live, it is possible that there will be none to be found unless you use your own backyard, which kind of defeats your purpose. You should be able to research online to find out where the closest archery range is for you to take your child too.

Pro: Everything Else

Not only is archery all of the things above, but it is also much, much more. It has health benefits such as getting your kid physical and outdoors and is even said to be a confidence booster as well. It helps your child to become more social and find something they are good at, as archery is easy to learn. It’s fun and can even be addicting for some.

As we said, the pros way outweigh the cons when it comes to choosing archery as a sport for your child to learn and become good at. From where we’re sitting, there doesn’t seem to be much not to love about archery and kids, wouldn’t you say?

This concludes our blog on archery for kids and how to get your child excited about it. No longer will you have to worry about your child sitting on his Xbox 1 for hours at the time or sitting in front of boob tube from the time school lets out until it’s time for bed. Archery is a great sport for everyone! So, join us, why don’t you?

Sources

1. Odyssey: The Pros and Cons of Archery
2. Archery 360: 10 Reasons to Teach Your Kid Archery
3. Archery 360: Intro to Archery