Getting kiddos started

[HoosierBricky]

Good morning everyone. I hope everyone is doing well. I have some questions regarding at what age to get my daughter started/ introduced to archery.  She’s currently 2 1/2 so I know I might have a little while yet, but she already loves watching her papa shoot and wants to follow me when I leave the house, bow in hand.  Also, any recommendations for equipment, games, etc. to make it fun for her when she’s ready. Thanks, Eddie

[Bowguy67]

Both my daughters started around the age you are referring to. We’d shoot super close and make a big deal about it. We’d over inflate balloons put them on the target almost side by side after a bit. Remember if the bow is super low poundage the arrow might not break a ballon and cause it to bounce back that’s why over inflation is important. If you wanna check dominant eye, have them keep both eyes open n look through cd hole at door knob or something. They’ll look through w dominant eye most times.
Any low poundage recurve would work. Think the girls was 15-20 lbs. at their draw length it was nothing.  I don’t recall who made it

[STICKBENDER98]

Pretty much was Bowguy said, keep it close, and keep it fun.  Make up some games to play shooting at targets. Tic tac toe is a good one if you have a bigger target to shoot at. Both my daughters started out shooting a little red fiberglass bear bow, with a piece of binder twine from a hay bale for a string. I made them arrows out of old broken shafts of mine, and as they grew older, I upgraded them in bows and arrows.  I took them with me as much as I could and as they wanted to go.  My youngest was 3 when I came home with a double ladder stand for us to sit in, it was 15' to the platform, and she climbed it fearlessly.  I was always right behind her in case she slipped, and got her all strapped in with her harness once we were up.  My oldest didn't like and still doesn't like heights, so we would sit in tents.  Also, be ready to leave when they are, even if it's just getting to prime time.  I always tried to keep it fun for them as much as I could, and they still both love to hunt and shoot bows when they have time.


Jason

[Terry Green]

I've only been to one big shoot, Cloverdale 2003 3 months after starting Tradgang.  There was a guy there named Bill Wooster and he had some novelty kid shots. You might do a search on the search engine of your choice to get some ideas.

[Bow man]

Keep is simple and keep it fun is the key. cover a target with lots of balloons is always great idea makes it easy for them. The Michigan Longbow Assoc. does this and that is what we did when our grand kids were 2 1/2 when we started them.

[Bowguy67]

Something real neat regarding the balloons and something I do at times to change the scenery of sorts and to keeps kids interested,,,
 is put some powder, chalk line powder, whatever in a pill bottle. I put uniflated balloon on it. Tap some powder into balloon. Pull balloon off pill bottle than blow up. You won’t need lots powder.  When they hit it, ballon sorta blows powder all over looks like a big puff. They seem to get a kick out of it. Just an idea that’s fun

[HoosierBricky]

Thank you all for all the great ideas and suggestions.

[mjh]

Elk Ridge Archery Pilgrim Squirt was my son's first bow at about 4 to 6.   We have kept that one.  Got a dozen arrows and quiver as well.

Elk Ridge has a trade up program.

Also St. Joe River bows for when they grow out of the Pilgrim Squirt is a good choice as well.

Rhino bows if you can find used ones.  Had one of those for a while too.  No longer being made.

Maddog also made some youth bows.  Also not being made.

Samick had some kid takedowns that with the riser one might be able to get stronger/longer limbs as time goes on.