Archery: The Ideal Sport for your Kids

Are you tired of seeing your kids glued to their tablets/smartphones? In this era of gadgets, physical activities have become a thing of the past. Studies have shown that extracurricular activities in and outside schools are vital for a kid’s development. They help nurture their confidence, social skills, and also reduce screen time.

Archery and kids go hand in hand. It is a year-round sport that provides numerous physical and mental benefits. It is one of the safest sports in the world. It is very rewarding as it teaches kids self- control and boosts their self -esteem.

Here are a few reasons why archery is worthy for your kids’ mental and physical development.

Year-Round Sport for Everyone

Archery is not a seasonal sport and is available both indoors and outdoors. There are various forms of archery for example target archery is done at the Olympics and Paralympics, followed by field archery which is performed outdoors on a wooden board, and then there is 3D archery for shooting foam animal targets.

Archery is even adaptable to those with disabilities. These archers are known as para-archers. They shoot from a stool or a wheelchair, using their teeth or feet to draw their bows. Hence, archery is a sport that can be practiced by all, regardless of age, gender, or ability.

Teaches Discipline

It is vital to respect and observe proper discipline when engaging in any kind of sporting activity. Archers need to respect the sport’s rules for safety and competition, as well as the inner self-discipline to shoot well. All kids benefit from this to a great extent. Thus, archery instills discipline in your children which makes them more responsible.

Teaches Patience and Self -Control

Patient kids have commendable self –control and can concentrate better at achieving their targets. Studies show that sports are an important extracurricular activity as it gives kids the motivation to achieve their goals by making them focus on the task in hand.

Archery is a sport that teaches kids to practice self-control. Self -control is essential for healthy mental and physical development. Archery requires great decision-making skills, perception of distance, and reaction time for the archer to hit the target flawlessly. Kids need to remain calm and have good hand-eye coordination. This helps them focus on their aim and surroundings. Kids need to have good control of their breathing and movements as it aids in increasing their accuracy in releasing the perfect arrow.

With constant practice, these young archers learn not to get emotional even when they make a bad shot. Instead, they learn to analyze their shots in a cool and calm manner so that they can improve their performance in the next round.

Provides a Sense of Accomplishment

To achieve a sense of accomplishment one needs to be patient and master self –control. In archery, success doesn’t come overnight. It requires a lot of practice to hit the bullseye. Archery helps kids develop the growth mindset of delayed gratification. And it teaches kids that hard work pays off with constant practice, without letting emotion get the best of them.

Kids need to learn to set their goals and then focus on them to “hit the bullseye”. As they progress, your kids will realize that achieving their goal is the most rewarding experience. Hitting the target is a secondary achievement in archery. The main accomplishment is to achieve your goal with laser focus concentration, determination, and motivation.

Health Benefits

Archery is a great way to strengthen your muscles. It strengthens the upper body and core strength. It requires a short burst of energy from core muscles like the chest, hands, arms, and large upper back muscles as well as non-core muscles like rotator cuffs. This helps burn calories leading to a healthy lifestyle. Therefore practicing regularly would strengthen and develop your child’s muscles, balance, and stability.

It also improves your cardiovascular system. It has been estimated that archers walk about 4-5 miles a day, burning a minimum of 150 calories, to retrieve the arrows from the board. These physical exertions pump up your kids’ cardiovascular system, keeping them physically fit and healthy in an enjoyable manner.

Archery is Cool

Every kid dreams of being like their favorite superhero. Shooting arrows would make them feel like they are the next Katniss Everdeen or Hawk Eye. The foremost aim of recreational archery is to have fun.

According to Alex Knobloch from UberBows, archery helps your child to learns how to concentrate and improve its performance through positive energy. It also develops your child’s social skills when they practice and compete with a team. It instills them with valuable lessons about sportsmanship and teamwork.

If your “target” is to improve your kids’ health, physique, sociability, and focus, then archery can help them hit the bullseye and be more confident, in and out of the classroom.