Parenting is hard. Whoever argues against that maxim either doesn’t have kids! But for those making sure their young kids have a good life, there’s something really important to keep in mind: how to bond with your child. When children are young, they love to be around their parents. But when they grow up, they tend to drift apart. It’s a part of life, and there’s nothing parents can do about it – or is there?

Sharing a hobby with your children is a great way to keep in touch with your kids, no matter what rebellious stage they are in. It’s may seem hard to find a common activity between generations, but it’s not impossible. An often-overlooked – albeit amazing – activity young and old alike can do is archery! It’s great for your body, and it’s an incredibly fun and interesting thing to do. Need an icebreaker? Just talk about how great and challenging it is and ask if they’d like to try it out one day? Want some bonus points? When they say yes, be spontaneous and get in the car right away and drive to your local archery range! The indoor range at 717 Armory is 20 yards, has professional bow technicians and a full stock of archery equipment to browse. For the ultimate day, schedule a parent/child private archery lesson with the Professional Archery Instructor!

 

Starting when the time’s right: when should your kid pick up a bow and arrow?

If you have kids, you are probably old enough to grab a bow and shoot an arrow straight to the bullseye – even though it may take you a little bit of practice before you can. Children, on the other hand, are an entirely different thing.

Most experts agree children are capable to use a bow when they are three years old. But even if a three-year-old boy is capable to do so, he may not be ready to start shooting arrows just yet. A more appropriate age is seven years old, but only if your children are deeply interested in archery and they are willing to (patiently) learn how to use a bow and arrow. By the time your children are between 10 and 13 years old, they are at the perfect age-window to develop a passion for archery – they are old enough to understand they need to be patient to learn and they are young enough learning comes easy to them. Past that age, and throughout their teenage years, they are more than capable to learn the sport. And it’ll probably seem interesting enough for them to do so.

You now know how old your kid should be to learn archery. And now you may be wondering, how old is too old? You may be worried that YOU are too old to learn archery – but worry not, archery is for everyone! There’s no age too old to learn. You may not become a world champion, but you’ll have fun with your new hobby!

 

Getting your kids into archery

Now you know how old your kids should be – and that you are not too old – to practice archery. But that won’t make your children want to pick up a bow. You need them to be interested in the sport. That way they won’t feel like archery is a chore, but something to look forward every week or month.

The best way to accomplish that is simple. You need to start training before them. If they are young enough (between 7 and 10 years old), ask them to join you but only to watch you train. They may take the bait and ask you to start practicing archery by themselves. If they are a little bit older (between 10 and 13 years old) you can suggest them to try archery alone. You can eventually train together, or at least do so occasionally.

 

Why archery: the many benefits of the sport

Archery is not only a physical sport but a mental activity. It can teach kids (and adults) many things and help them develop many positive traits.

• Muscle growth: Practicing archery results in bigger, stronger upper back muscles. It’s also beneficial for stamina and core muscles.
• Mental fortitude: Archery is hard. It takes a long time to master, and even past mastery you can still miss your shot. Both adults and kids who take the time to develop archery skills will also develop patience, mental strength and temperance to deal with issues.
• Self-confidence: When you combine every tool in your skillset to accomplish a goal, you are bound to feel more confident. Becoming a better archer comes with a lot of traits, one of them is boosting your self-confidence. If you are confident you can take the next shot, you can use that confidence in other areas of your life!
• It’s a year-long sport: No matter the weather, there’s always one way or another to practice archery. Many people prefer to do it outdoors, but there are plenty of great indoor archery ranges for you to enjoy, like 717 Armory’s! If you have the time, you can shoot an arrow, no matter the time of the year.

 

Archery done right

If you have decided to start doing archery, congratulations! There’s a long, interesting road ahead of you. Keep in mind you are going to need to be patient, but archery has big rewards to anyone who decides to stick with it. The best way to start is by taking lessons. An expert can guide you through the necessary steps you need to follow to get started: how to properly shoot a bow, what kind of bow to buy, archery’s safety guidelines, etc.

Don’t worry about finding the right place for you, we know just the place!

 

Looking for a great archery range?

At 717 Armory we are all about guns – but we also like to do it old-school. We love Archery! Because of that, we have built our very own indoor archery range you can use all year long. We also have an onsite bow technician ready to help you with anything you need. If you are a beginner, don’t worry! We also offer private classes for you to thrive in archery. When you are ready, we’ll be waiting for you with a bow and plenty of arrows!