My son and I have just begun to explore archery (traditional - neither of us seem to have much interest in modern equipment).  We've read the beginner tips seen here (thanks for those - they're great!    ), and are working with a local shop for tips on form and instruction.

My question is whether anyone out there has suggestions for how to keep my son's interest level high, keep our practice fun, etc.  He's 10, and we're having fun with roving and practice in the yard.  But I'm looking for ways to keep it fun when he's not hitting the target all that well just yet.

Thanks!

Have you heard about Kitsap Bowhunters (check:   http://www.kbharchers.org/)   which has a great range and wonderful walk around course.  I have been teaching my boys (9 & 13) for the past several years and they love going out there.

BTW I work on Bainbridge Island and would be happy to talk sometime.

http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=119611;p=1  
here's a post with some great advice for young archers

Northwest_Bowhunter,

We've been down to KBH a couple of times, and love the walking course.  

We're also hoping that the Bainbridge Sportsman Club will soon open its archery range.  It has been some time in the making, but I hear it is nearly ready.

I sleep on Bainbridge, but actually work in Seattle so I'm off Island most days.  Still, I'll shoot you an email the next time we're headed down to KBH, and maybe we can meet and introduce our sons to one another.  Being so close in age, my oldest would probably hit it off.

Get some judo points and go stumping. Take him to shoot some frogs. Get some round rolling targets to shoot at.

Welcome from Kentucky!

Definitely join a club..........it would be unusual for a shop to be of much help when it comes to trad-you may have happened on an exception! Try to get hooked up with some archers where there are youngsters of a similar age involved. Best of luck!!!

When roving or stump,shooting,use some imagination.
A certain clump of leaves becomes,a,possum or a rabbit.
I also carry a,plastic,soda bottle,or,a,temnis,ball for when stumpy targets are,scarce.

My 13 y/o and I do a lot of stump shooting, roving where we have one or two stationary targets but never shoot from same spot/distance twice.  We also try and get out to local Trad specific shoots...sometimes the training wheel shoots will have Trad divisions too...they can be fun...riot when a guy w a compound comes to the target then takes 10 minutes to range it, glass the 10 ring, check his score card and we just walk up, shoot it and go on to the next one!

         

Congrats to you and your son!

What a wonderful way to craft lifelong memories.

My earliest memories of my Dad and I shooting were just wondering around the woods by our house.....him shooting at "targets" and me just shooting arrows.

I was younger than your son is now when I started but the joy of shooting arrows is something that still is with me.

My own son is 13 now and shoots with me when he wants......which isn't as often as I would like but I never push. Once you start shooting at "targets" a certain element of "success & failure" enter into the equation. Not necessarily a "bad" thing but something to keep in mind. Easy to get discouraged if you are "failing" alot.

Don't miss a chance to take the target portion out of shooting and just find an open field and see how far he can shoot an arrow. So much fun just to see an arrow fly!

Have fun in whatever form that takes for the two of you. Lots of great suggestions already. Finding a club to shoot at would be awesome.

Enjoy!!

Welcome to Trad Gang!!!

My Son and I are in the same boat, it's amazing how much I learn teaching him.

my son likes to bust balloons and shoot at trash. we have done shootin' at trash and clean up in one.
If he's not hitting the target make it bigger.  I know this one can be frustrating for my son. the archery shoot weekends are winding down but next year make sure to hit a few campout archery weekends. they are fun and it's cool to see alot of people together shooting. I'm always amazed when my son doesn't want to shoot because "what kid wouldn't" but sometimes he doesn't and I just don't make him... we will see if he sticks with it or comes and goes.

Balloons, and the bigger the better.  Put some flour, sparkles, candy, a dollar bill, etc, etc inside and watch a kid really focus.

As he improves you can work on small targets but kids (and adults) lose interest if they aren't hitting.

Hooking up with other mentors is great as well.  My 6 year old commonly abandons me at our local range to shoot a round with some of my buddies.  Dads are great, but some reenforcement on safety and form from other responsible adults helps things sink in and helps a little guy feel like one of the big guys.

QuoteOriginally posted by Glunt:
Balloons, and the bigger the better.  Put some flour, sparkles, candy, a dollar bill, etc, etc inside and watch a kid really focus.

As he improves you can work on small targets but kids (and adults) lose interest if they aren't hitting.

Hooking up with other mentors is great as well.  My 6 year old commonly abandons me at our local range to shoot a round with some of my buddies.  Dads are great, but some reenforcement on safety and form from other responsible adults helps things sink in and helps a little guy feel like one of the big guys.

Excellent ideas all around!

Glunt, that is sheer  genius!!!

This early spring I took my 3 grandsons to a 3-D shoot and it was cancelled due to the weather however a member of the club graciously let us roam around their field target course. No targets up but members had pieces of paper and paper plates on the butts. Since we had built in backstops at every butt I let them shoot as many arrows and as far as they wanted.

I couldn't believe how much fun 3 boy 7-12 could have launching arrows across ravines and at 40-45 yards.
 
 
 

Balloons balloons balloons. Can't go wrong With them for any age shooter.

Keep coaching to a minimum.

Go stumping shooting trash and picking it up as you go.

My dad would play games with us. We would pretend we were hunting to feed the family. If we missed we would go hungy until the next round. Sometimes we would bet chores or icecream for kicks. Somehow we won a lot! We loved to play hunt indoors, outsdie on bales, or especially stumping. We would stalk and everything. We would try reslly hard shots as we got better.

My Dad would play an archery version of the basketball game "pig". Dad or I would call the shot and the other had to follow. It was a break from the routine of shooting at the bale.

Lots of great advice here. The main thing is that while the idea behind practice is to develop proficiency, vary it often and keep it FUN. Be diligent, avoid carelessness, but remeber that you are both going out to play.