With the influence of Hunger Games, Disney’s Brave, Hawkeye from The Avengers, the Olympics (which was the #1 rated Summer Olympic sport online and won the first medal for the US in the London 2012 games), no wonder America’s youth (particularly girls) are being drawn to archery.
Here are 5 reasons why you should teach your kids archery:
1. Learn Valuable Skills – sportsmanship, physical fitness, hunting, physics are just a few of the skills you learn. Equipment is set up for the ability of the child, so those just starting get equipment meant for a beginner, not having to jump right into what the more experienced child has. And to focus on our blog – preparedness skills – hunting and safety.
2. Leadership & Sportsmanship– with groups like 4-H, you learn more than just a sport, but you learn sportsmanship & leadership skills.
3. A Sense of Accomplishment – so many kids don’t do well with team sports, but individual sports give them a place to shine. Being able to pull back the string and loose an arrow right into the target on one’s own gives a child a great sense of accomplishment at having done this thing themselves. As they progress in skill, this is skill that they did, not as a team, but as an individual. And with the availability of competitions around the country, those kids who love to compete have a chance to do that as well.
4. Archery Clubs – With archery clubs popping up all over the country, archery clubs make it easy to be indoors or outdoors in a safe environment to practice and be taught. Many clubs provide equipment, instructors, and contact with other kids who participate in the same sport.
5. It’s just plain fun! Archery isn’t an aggressive sport, so it will appeal to those kids who aren’t so physical. It’s a relaxed sport, so there is little pressure for those not drawn to the nail biting of team sports. There are many avenues to enjoy this on it’s own or in competitions. You’re outdoors in nature enjoying an ancient shooting sport!
Follow the rules! Safety rules are of upmost important – while a fun sport, archery can be extremely dangerous, so please follow these safety rules:
- Never point a knocked arrow at anyone – keep pointed downrange at the target
- Never walk with arrows pointing upwards – use two hands to carry them pointed down to the ground
- Never retrieve your arrows until there is a cleared range – make sure everyone is done shooting and bows are put away – be aware of your surroundings!
A bit of Archery Craftiness:
Not ready to jump head long into the sport? Try this fun craft with your kids:
Photo credit: slowrobot.com
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