Archery for Kids: A Sport With Many Benefits
Archery for kids is a wonderful sport, as they develop a lot of skills including physical, mental, emotional, and social skills. In addition, if done with the necessary safety precautions, the sport itself is safe enough for children to practice from a young age.
Many parents fear that archery’s a dangerous sport. It’s true that it’s not free from risks, but the truth is that no sport’s 100 percent safe. In the case of archery, the trickiest issue is to assume the danger and abide by the rules.
In any case, more experienced children are often actively involved in order to ensure proper observation of the rules. This in itself also offers many benefits regarding social skills, self-discipline, and respect.
Archery for kids: a sport that requires patience
Archery for kids is one of those sports that requires an expert coach. This may seem obvious, but the truth is that, all too often, some of our children’s coaches have very little – or no – pedagogical or didactic training. In the case of archery, this training’s fundamental, given the characteristics of this sport.
Archery is a sport that requires patience, attention, interest, and great tolerance to frustration. A child with behavioral problems or with a greater need for movement can obtain benefits from archery. As long as the coach is able to empathize with them and guide them properly.
On the other hand, the coach needs great assertiveness skills. As well as being able to command respect in order for the training to be safe and productive.
Benefits of archery for kids
As a sport, archery has many benefits for children. Let’s take a look at the most prominent ones.
Improves mental focus and physical strength
In order to hit the target, or at least get the arrow on the bullseye, you need to position yourself well. This is something that involves the entire body during the whole process. Therefore, it requires control and body awareness. In addition, drawing the bow and releasing the arrow allows the development of upper body strength.
On the other hand, this activity consumes a great deal of energy, both physical and mental. Kids need to concentrate on the entire process, which begins when one picks up the bow, gets into position, and prepares the arrow.
One must not lose sight of the fact that focusing on the target requires concentration. This is a fundamental life skill that children can easily export to other areas of life.
Archery for kids develops character and skills in the classroom
Archery can be used to teach social skills that help children develop character. Issues such as respect for rules, respect for peers who are shooting, and tolerance for frustration. Particularly as missing the target time and time again will help children build character based on valuing effort–both their own and that of others.
In addition, children develop skills related to decision-making. This includes self-discipline, self-esteem, observation, patience, and helping peers.
Archery for kids is fun
Many people think that a slow sport that’s practiced while seemingly standing still and in silence can’t be fun. However, it actually is! The sense of accomplishment from progress, the encouragement from peers and coaches, and the need to focus offer children different and inspiring stimuli.
Archery for kids develops coordination, concentration, and observation skills
Archery requires the development of coordination in an extraordinary way. It’s not as simple as looking, aiming, and releasing. Many aspects have to be controlled. In addition, external elements have to be taken into account too.
Whenever a child prepares to shoot with a bow, they must concentrate to follow the correct procedure and hit the target. They’ll need to stay focused and use their brain and their muscles in order to succeed.
Conclusion
Your child may not be very attracted to archery at first, and you shouldn’t force them to practice any sport that they don’t want to. But you can try to convince them and ask for the help of an experienced coach who knows how to approach the sport with children. It’s very likely that they’ll end up loving this discipline and the environment that surrounds it.
