Safety First: Pick Sets With Protective Gear
So your teen wants to try their hand at archery, eh? While images of Katniss Everdeen and Legolas making impossible shots may dance through their heads, safety should be the number one priority. After all, launching sharp projectiles requires care and caution!
When picking an archery set for your budding Robin Hood, be sure to select one that includes protective gear like an arm guard, finger tab or glove, and even a chest guard. An arm guard protects the inner forearm from the bow string snapping against bare skin. Meanwhile, tabs and gloves shield tender fingertips as they draw back the string. And a chest guard prevents clothing from getting caught in the bow.
Opting for a set with built-in protective equipment eliminates the guesswork and ensures your teen has everything they need to shoot safely. Look for sets that feature gear in sizes appropriate for youth rather than scale down adult-sized guards. Properly fitted guards stay put better and provide maximum protection.
Focus On Fun With Stylish Sets
While safety reigns supreme, let’s not forget the fun! Archery ignites passion in many teens, so pick a set that adds flair and personality.
Youth archery sets allow kids to showcase their unique style with vibrant colors, bold patterns, and cool designs. Several manufacturers offer camo and hunting-themed sets for wilderness lovers. Meanwhile, block shades and geometric prints appeal to artsy kids. And for the whimsical child, kits featuring unicorns, dinosaurs, and other fun characters bring playfulness to target practice.
You can also find sets with customizable elements like personalized arm guards and interchangeable bow limbs in various colors. With these options, teens can change up their look over time. Accessorizing with quivers, slings, and arrow pullers in fun prints and textures adds another layer of personal expression.
Choose User-Friendly Sets For All Skill Levels
When picking out youth archery equipment, consider your teen’s skill level and shooting experience. Complete beginner sets keep things simple with only the essentials to get started. These include a basic bow, a handful of safety-tipped arrows, and minimal protective gear.
Newbies can build confidence with user-friendly “ready to shoot” bows requiring minimal assembly. Simple recurve training bows are an excellent starter option, providing a solid foundation in proper form and technique. Low draw weight builds strength progressively as kids become comfortable shooting.
As skills improve, upgrade to an intermediate or advanced archery set. These include additional arrows for extended shooting sessions plus upgraded sights, rests, and plunger buttons for enhanced accuracy. Target kits prepare teens for competitive shooting with specialized Olympic-style recurve bows. And for traditionalists, beginner longbow and takedown recurve sets bring old-school vibes.
No matter your teen’s experience, select a draw weight appropriate for their age, size, and strength. Weights between 10 and 20 pounds suit most youth and prevent injury from overexertion. Consult your child’s archery instructor for specific recommendations if unsure.
Make Memories with Fun Range Setups
While outdoor ranges offer exciting variety, home target practice enables teens to hone skills on their own time. Luckily, several kits include everything your young archer needs for their own backyard range.
Look for all-in-one sets that contain a bow, arrows, safety gear, carry bag, and a target. Kid-friendly foam targets feature fun bullseye designs in bright colors. Or opt for a 3D animal target for added realism. Place the target securely on the lawn or construct a backstop from stacked hay bales.
To up the play factor, pick up an inflatable or pop-up archery game. These portable targets feature moving elements and scoring zones for interactive competitive fun. Try sets with Velcro padding that allows teens to hang their own targets like sports balls or plush toys.
Yard games like archery golf, bowling, darts, and tic-tac-toe add variety to target practice. Adjustable kits with multiple target faces and variable shooting distances prevent boredom. Encourage healthy competition and games between siblings and friends.
With the right archery set, your teen can develop skills, gain confidence, and create lasting memories. Keep safety top of mind, factor in skill level, and add a dash of style and fun. With so many great sets available, you’re sure to find one that’s a bullseye for your burgeoning archer.
So your teen wants to become the next Robin Hood or Katniss Everdeen? Awesome! Archery is a great sport that builds focus, upper body strength, hand-eye coordination, and patience. Plus it’s just plain fun to fling arrows at targets. If your teen is eager to start slinging arrows, they’ll need the right gear to get going. Choosing an archery set designed for youth and teens is key to helping them progress their skills and stay engaged with the sport.
Get the Right Draw Weight Based on Age
A major factor in selecting archery equipment for teens is draw weight – how much force it takes to pull the bow string back. Adult bows often have 40-50+ pound draw weights, which would be too difficult for most teens to draw fully. Instead, look for bows with draw weights of 15 to 35 pounds for youth and teen archers. Here are some general guidelines based on age:
- 8-11 years old: 10-20 pound draw weight
- 12-14 years old: 20-25 pound draw weight
- 15-17 years old: 25-35 pound draw weight
Start on the lower end of the recommended draw weight range for your teen’s age and build up from there as they develop strength and proper shooting form. It’s better to start light and advance to a heavier draw than to get a bow that’s too difficult to draw and control. Doing so can lead to injury and frustration.
Look for archery sets that allow draw weight adjustments like the Block Black Hunter Recurve Bow or the Crosman Archery Sentinel Youth Bow, which can grow with your teen archer. Adjustable draw weights give room to increase difficulty as their fitness and skill progresses.
Safety First When Choosing Arrow Tips
Arrows with field points or target tips are best suited and safest for beginner and intermediate teen archers. Field points are bullet-shaped metal tips ideal for shooting at paper, foam, or fabric targets. Blunt plastic target tips, like those on the Genesis Original Kit, allow teens to safely shoot at harder targets like cardboard boxes or stacked hay bales without risking ricochets.
Stay away from broadhead (razor sharp arrowheads used for hunting) and bodkin points until your teen has mastered essential shooting skills and safety rules. supervision from an experienced mentor or coach is a must if your teen wants to eventually transition to broadhead tips.
Find the Right Bow Size
Draw length, the distance from the bow string at rest to the anchor point when drawn, is another key factor for teens. The correct draw length provides better accuracy, comfort and avoids injury. As a rule of thumb, draw length equals about the same distance as your arm span fingertip to fingertip.
Recurve, longbow, and compound bow styles sized for youth and teens make it easier to find the right fit. Look for bow sizes starting around 45” for young archers. Size adjustability is also handy for tweens and teens who may hit a growth spurt. The Bear Archery Titan Youth Bow, for example, has an adjustable draw length range from 15 to 27 inches to accommodate different arm lengths.
Start With a Complete Archery Set
Purchasing a ready-made archery set takes the guesswork out of piecing together all the gear needed to start shooting arrows. Youth and teen archery sets come packaged with a properly sized bow, safety arrows, target or field points, arm guard, finger tab or glove, quiver, sight, and other accessories.
The Genesis Original Kit recommended for ages 10+ is one of the most popular all-in-one beginner archery sets. It’s designed for safety, ease of use, and adjustability to grow with your young archer. Other top-rated options include the Barnett Vortex Youth Archery Set, Bear Archery Cruzer Archery Set, and Crosman Archery Sentinel Youth Bow Set.
Ready for Some Archery Fun for Your Teens? Try These Awesome Set Ideas
Once you’ve got the right archery gear, it’s time for the fun part – setting up a range and letting those arrows fly! Here are some awesome archery set ideas to create an archery playground your teens will love:
Backyard Archery Range
Turn your backyard into a DIY archery range with these simple steps:
- Pick a target area against a hillside, dirt berm, or any backdrop that will safely stop missed arrows. Avoid shooting toward buildings, vehicles, or anywhere people could unexpectedly walk into the line of fire.
- Mark shooting lines at appropriate distances – start at 10 yards/meters for beginners. Older teens can gradually work up to 20-30 yard distances.
- Set up a large target mat or make an archery target butt by stacking hay bales or hanging a canvas tarp stretched over a frame.
- Add fun features like pool noodles pierced onto stakes for novelty targets or dangling plastic bottles to aim for.
- Remind teens of range rules – only nock arrows when at the shooting line, walk when retrieving arrows, etc.
A backyard archery range is a great way for teens to hone target skills right at home. Just be sure to adhere to safety zones based on arrow distance and supervise young archers.
3D Archery Course
For added variety and challenge, construct a 3D archery course using self-made or purchased foam animal targets. Shoot from different angles and distances at ‘wild game’ like deer, bears, elk, turkeys, etc. Local archery ranges may also have 3D animal courses for public use.
This simulated bowhunting experience enhances real-world skills like range estimation, shot placement, and shooting from awkward positions. Teens will love putting their archery abilities to the test scanning the area for critter targets.
Trick Shots and Fun Games
Beyond bullseye and 3D targets, there are tons of fun and creative ways to enjoy archery:
- Balloon popping – see how many balloons you can burst in a time limit
- Juggling acts – pierce juggling balls, clubs or fruit tossed into the air
- Pool party – aim for floating foam toys in the pool
- Outdoor twister – take turns shooting at a giant twister mat on the ground
- Clay pigeons – fling or launch mini clay targets to smash mid-air
- Playing cards – pierce thrown cards out of the air
Incorporating games and trick shots makes practicing archery skills exciting. Just remind teens to stay disciplined about safety even when attempting more unorthodox shots.
Archery Tag
For the ultimate archery game experience, check out specialized archery tag gear. Archery tag arrows have safe foam tips that allow people to shoot at each other team paintball style. Players wear masks and padded vests for protection. Set up an archery tag course with inflatable bunkers and targets for an action-packed outdoor adventure teens can enjoy with friends.
So don your quiver and grab your bow – a world of archery excitement awaits! With the right gear and creative range setup, teens can hone their skills while having an absolute blast. Archery provides a lifetime of fun and learning for youth and teens. The next Robin Hood may be in your own backyard.
So your aspiring teen archer is ready to sling some arrows downrange. An essential first step is selecting the right type of bow for their age, size, skill level and shooting style. There are three main options when it comes to youth and teen archery bows: recurve, compound and traditional bows. Here’s an overview of each to help determine the best match.
Choose From Recurve, Compound, or Traditional Bows
Recurve, compound and traditional/long bows each have their own benefits and drawbacks for teen archers. Consider these key differences as you shop for your young archer:
Recurve Bows
A recurve bow has curved tips that curve away from the archer when unstrung. This design provides a smooth draw through the entire motion, allowing the archer to hold the bow steadily at full draw. Recurve limbs also store more energy to propel arrows at higher velocities.
Youth recurve bows are a popular choice for beginner and intermediate teen archers for several reasons:
- Lightweight, easy to handle smaller sizes
- Simple shooting mechanics and minimal maintenance
- Low to moderate draw weights suitable for younger teens
- Engaging for those inspired by Olympic archery or pop culture heroines like Katniss from The Hunger Games
The Genesis Original Kit and Bear Archery Titan are two excellent starter recurve bow options for teens. As skills progress, recurve bows can be upgraded for higher performance and competitiveness.
Compound Bows
Compound bows utilize a levering system of cables and pulleys that provide a “let-off” at full draw, meaning less force is needed to hold the bow at this point. This makes it easier to aim steadily and improves accuracy.
The benefits of compound bows for teen archers include:
- Higher arrow speeds and kinetic energy
- Precise sights and release aids available for enhanced aim
- Adjustable draw lengths and weights to keep pace with growing teens
- Fun factor of technology-enhanced design
Compound bows require maintenance of the pulley system and accessories. But for teens interested in competitive target archery or bowhunting, the precision of compound bows can’t be beat. The Diamond Infinite Edge Pro and Bear Archery Cruzer are adjustable, beginner-friendly models.
Traditional and Long Bows
Traditional bows, including longbows and Mongolian-style horse bows, provide a basic no-frills shooting experience. The limbs curve slightly when the bow is strung. There are no sights or stabilizers.
The simplicity of traditional bows has some advantages for teens:
- Engages historical enthusiasm or medieval role play interests
- Minimal equipment needed – often just the bow, arrows, and an arm guard
- More instills intuitive barebow shooting skills
Beginners may find traditional bows more difficult at first since the draw and release isn’t eased like a recurve or compound bow. But going traditional can be very rewarding for teens seeking an authentic archery experience.
Start with lower draw weights around 15-25lbs until proper shooting form is established. The Samick Sage and PSE Razorback are quality affordable traditional bow sets for teens.
Ready for Some Archery Fun for Your Teens? Try These Awesome Set Ideas
Once you’ve got the right type of bow, it’s time for the fun part – setting up a range and letting those arrows fly! Here are some awesome archery set ideas to create an archery playground your teens will love:
Backyard Archery Range
Turn your backyard into a DIY archery range with these simple steps:
- Pick a target area against a hillside, dirt berm, or any backdrop that will safely stop missed arrows. Avoid shooting toward buildings, vehicles, or anywhere people could unexpectedly walk into the line of fire.
- Mark shooting lines at appropriate distances – start at 10 yards/meters for beginners. Older teens can gradually work up to 20-30 yard distances.
- Set up a large target mat or make an archery target butt by stacking hay bales or hanging a canvas tarp stretched over a frame.
- Add fun features like pool noodles pierced onto stakes for novelty targets or dangling plastic bottles to aim for.
- Remind teens of range rules – only nock arrows when at the shooting line, walk when retrieving arrows, etc.
A backyard archery range is a great way for teens to hone target skills right at home. Just be sure to adhere to safety zones based on arrow distance and supervise young archers.
3D Archery Course
For added variety and challenge, construct a 3D archery course using self-made or purchased foam animal targets. Shoot from different angles and distances at ‘wild game’ like deer, bears, elk, turkeys, etc. Local archery ranges may also have 3D animal courses for public use.
This simulated bowhunting experience enhances real-world skills like range estimation, shot placement, and shooting from awkward positions. Teens will love putting their archery abilities to the test scanning the area for critter targets.
Trick Shots and Fun Games
Beyond bullseye and 3D targets, there are tons of fun and creative ways to enjoy archery:
- Balloon popping – see how many balloons you can burst in a time limit
- Juggling acts – pierce juggling balls, clubs or fruit tossed into the air
- Pool party – aim for floating foam toys in the pool
- Outdoor twister – take turns shooting at a giant twister mat on the ground
- Clay pigeons – fling or launch mini clay targets to smash mid-air
- Playing cards – pierce thrown cards out of the air
Incorporating games and trick shots makes practicing archery skills exciting. Just remind teens to stay disciplined about safety even when attempting more unorthodox shots.
Archery Tag
For the ultimate archery game experience, check out specialized archery tag gear. Archery tag arrows have safe foam tips that allow people to shoot at each other team paintball style. Players wear masks and padded vests for protection. Set up an archery tag course with inflatable bunkers and targets for an action-packed outdoor adventure teens can enjoy with friends.
So grab your bow and quiver – the archery fun for your teens starts now! With the right gear and creative range setup, they’ll hone their skills while making great memories. Archery instills focus, discipline and self-confidence in youth. Let the arrows fly!
So your aspiring Robin Hood wants to start sending arrows down range. An exciting part of setting up their archery playground is choosing fun targets to shoot at. Starting out on standard bullseye targets isn’t very engaging, especially for teens. Spice up your DIY backyard archery range or 3D course with these creative target ideas tailored for youth and teen beginners.
Add Fun Targets for Beginning Archers
Picking the right archery targets for teens just starting out is key to keeping them motivated and progressing their skills. Here are some do-it-yourself ideas for targets that provide a challenge while adding variety and fun:
Balloons
Few targets satisfy like a colorful balloon popping at the point of an arrow. Blow up balloons in assorted colors and tie them to stakes or tree branches at different heights and distances. Challenge teens to pop them from close up or farther back. Time them to see how fast they can burst a bunch. Balloons encourage focus on precision aiming and are aconfidence boost when that satisfying POP rings out.
Pool Noodles
Another inexpensive option – slice pool noodles lengthwise to slip over stakes or hay bales. The long “noodle creatures” are novel shapes to aim at. For added fun, decorate them with goofy faces, hats, or anything to transform noodles into silly characters. Let teen archers unleash their creativity turning ordinary noodles into an army of archery targets.
Painted Canvas
Pick up some blank canvas sheets or scrap fabric at the craft store. Stretch and secure canvas over a sheet of cardboard, plywood, or build a wooden frame. Use non-toxic tempera paints to let young archers create their own targets. They can paint basic bullseyes, patterns, or freehand creatures like monsters, aliens or zombies. Unleash their inner artist to design targets they’ll be excited to pepper with arrows.
3D Foam Targets
For a step up from paper targets, try youth-sized 3D foam archery targets. Brands like Field Logic and Delta McKenzie make beginner-friendly foam animal targets like deer, turkeys, and bears. Scale down the shooting distance for teens – start closer at 10-15 yards. Help them learn proper shot placement on 3D “game” as their skills improve.
Homemade Pinatas
Blank paper mache shapes are available at many craft stores. Have your aspiring archer make their own wild game-themed piñata using paper strips, glue and tempera paint. Fill it with goodies once dried then hang it from a tree branch by string. Let them take whacks at the piñata with safe bow and arrow setups. It’s a fun way to work on accuracy while earning themselves a sweet treat.
Floating Pool Targets
During hot summer months, fill a large bucket or kiddie pool with water and add floating pool toys – foam noodles, rings, etc. Challenge archers to sink their arrows into the moving targets. Add some fun splashing and cooling off on hot practice days. Just be sure to use arrows with target or field tips to avoid any pool liner damage.
Ready for Some Archery Fun for Your Teens? Try These Awesome Set Ideas
Once you’ve got engaging targets, it’s time to create an archery course teens will be eager to play on. Here are some range setups using these fun target ideas:
Backyard Archery Range
Set up an archery firing line in your backyard and create shooting lanes using a hillside or dirt pile as a safe backstop. Start beginners close, around 10 yards from targets. Position painted canvas, balloons on stakes, and noodle characters at staggered distances. Remind teen archers about range rules and supervise closely.
Forest Archery Trail
Head out to the woods and chart a trail winding through the trees. Tie balloons to branches, nestle foam critters on stumps or foliage, and set up canvas or cardboard targets along the path. Let teens take aim as they venture through the forest course. This immerses them in nature as their archery skills develop.
Indoor Archery Gym
On rainy days or year-round at an indoor range, attach canvases or foam targets to gymnasium walls. Add balloon targets on floor stands at one end. Let aspiring Katniss Everdeens practice trick shots banking arrows off side walls toward corner targets. This is a great way for young archers to refine form and precision.
With the right kind of targets, guiding teen archers along their journey is a joy. Remember to keep sessions relaxed, positive and fun above all else. As skills improve, introduce new challenges to stretch their abilities. And be sure to celebrate all of your young archer’s successes along the way – bullseye or not!
Here is a 1000+ word article on choosing arrows with fun fletching for teen archers:
Aspiring young archers want to let arrows fly as soon as possible. While the bow gets all the glory, arrows are the critical ammunition that make archery possible. Finding the best arrow sets for your teen takes some consideration. Beyond getting the right size and safety tips, pick arrows with fun, colorful fletching to add excitement to youth archery.
Pick Arrow Sets With Colorful Fletching
Fletching refers to the feather or plastic vanes attached to the arrow shaft that make it spin in flight. While fletching performs an important stabilization function, it also provides an opportunity to inject color and personality into your teen’s arrow setup. Here’s how to select arrows with fun fletching for beginning archers:
Size Matters
Arrows need to be properly matched to draw length in order to shoot accurately from your teen’s bow. The right arrow length is typically 2-3 inches longer than their draw length, measured at full draw from bowstring to anchor point. Refer to arrow size charts based on draw length and bow weight to guide your choices.
Look for arrow sets sized for youth and teen archers, such as the colorful Easton aluminum arrows in the Genesis Original Kit. Buying arrows specifically designed for younger shooters avoids issues like arrows that are too long and unwieldy.
Consider Arrow Material
Fiberglass, aluminum, carbon and wood arrow shafts each have pros and cons for beginning archers. Aluminum arrows like the Easton Jazz are affordable, durable and easy for teens to track in flight. Fiberglass and carbon arrows are more prone to breaking which can frustrate novice archers. Whatever you choose, inspect arrows regularly for cracks or damage.
Focus on Fun Fletching
Now for the fun part – fletching options in bright patterns, neon colors and wild designs make arrows more exciting for young shooters. Try fluorescents like the Vibracolor arrow set or multi-colored Easton Neon fletching.
Find arrows wrapped in vibrant comic book graphics or sporting animal patterns for nature-loving teens. 3D vanes molded into rad shapes like lightning bolts or shark fins up the cool factor.
Personalize each arrow with a different color pattern. This helps teen archers identify their arrows on the target or ground and turns arrow retrieval into a game after shots are fired.
Ready for Some Archery Fun for Your Teens? Try These Awesome Set Ideas
Once your aspiring archer has arrows with flair, it’s time to start slinging them down range! Here are fun ways to put those flashy arrows to use:
Backyard Archery Range
Set up a range in the backyard with targets at different distances marked by colored stakes – 10 yards, 20 yards, 30 yards. Let young archers practice their aim while getting familiar with how arrows arc at longer distances.
Add novelty targets like balloons or foam pool noodles. Teens can then test which fletching colors and patterns are easiest to track in flight toward these bright targets.
Trick Shooting
Move an adjustable target stand or cardboard target frequently around the yard. Have teen archers shoot from various stances – kneeling, sitting, shooting upside down. Spinning targets and trick shots put fletching to the test stabilizing arrows in wonky conditions.
Arrow Games
Line up a bucket or tin can 15-20 feet away. Take turns shooting arrows marked with initials or stickers. Keep score of who can hit the target most often. This builds skills while friendly competition ups the fun factor.
Fetch a pile of arrows and have two teams stand apart facing each other. Flip an arrow back and forth like hot potato – if you drop an arrow, the other team gets a point. Silly games encourage teamwork and arrow handling skills.
So let those arrows outfitted with snazzy fletching take flight! Final tip – stock up on extra arrows as beginners often lose or break some at first. But the more they shoot accurately, the less you’ll be fetching stray arrows. Happy arrow slinging!
So your aspiring teen archer is eager to start slinging arrows downrange. As a parent, you want to nurture their newfound passion without breaking the bank. The good news is there are high-quality, durable youth archery bows available for under $150. Here’s what to look for when choosing an affordable bow that will provide accuracy and reliability for your young shooter.
Look for Durable & Accurate Bows Under $150
While top-end youth bows can cost over $300, you don’t have to spend a small fortune to get started. There are excellent beginner bow options in the $100 to $150 range. Here are key factors to evaluate:
Adjustable Draw Weights
Look for bows with adjustable draw weights in the 15 to 35 lb range, suitable for young archers. The Bear Archery Titan has a rotating limb bolt system that lets you easily adjust the draw weight from 15 to 60 lbs as your teen develops strength.
Adjustability allows the bow to “grow” with your archer, saving the need to size up bows rapidly. This makes a quality adjustable bow like the Diamond Infinite Edge Pro a long-lasting investment.
Recurve vs. Compound
For younger teens and beginners, many coaches recommend starting with a recurve bow like the Southwest Archery Spyder. Recurves have simpler shooting mechanics and are very forgiving as archers learn proper technique.
For teens with some experience under their belts, compounds like the Bear Archery Cruzer offer increased accuracy and arrow speed. Just be aware compounds require more meticulous maintenance and tuning.
Rugged & Durable Construction
Look for youth bows made of strong composite laminates, aluminum risers, and quality limb materials. The Genesis Original and PSE Razorback are very durable and able to withstand being banged around by new archers.
Ensure axles, cams, wheels and eccentric systems (on compound bows) are sealed and designed to maintain integrity through years of use. Ask retailers or the manufacturer about the expected lifespan of bows you’re considering.
Warranty Coverage
Reputable youth bow brands like Bear Archery, Diamond Archery, and Genesis Back Up Your Bow with at least a 1-year warranty, some up to lifetime. This provides peace of mind and free repairs/parts replacement should any manufacturing issues arise.
Ready for Some Archery Fun for Your Teens? Try These Awesome Set Ideas
Once you’ve selected a durable, reliable bow, it’s time for the fun part – setting up archery play for your teens! Here are some setup ideas to let them safely develop skills:
Backyard Range
Set up a simple range in the backyard with a target butt and shooting line. Start at close range around 10 yards. As skills improve, gradually move the target farther away up to 30 yards. Make sure the backdrop is clear of obstructions and people.
Encourage consistent practice here to reinforce good shooting form. A home range makes fitting in archery sessions easy and convenient.
Bushcraft Archery
Head out to the woods or wilderness park with your teen’s bow and arrows. Set up natural targets like stacked logs or deadfall branches. Have them aim at marks on trees.
This immerses young archers in nature and builds bushcraft skills like making DIY backstops. Just ensure a safe surrounding area away from trails or campsites.
Archery Games
Games add variety and fun to target practice. Set up balloons or foam targets at different distances. Time how fast archers can accurately pop three balloons. Award bonus points for longer shots.
Hold informal archery competitions with friends. See who can achieve the most bullseyes or hit tricky angles around obstacles. Friendly games incentivize teens to keep improving.
With an affordable, durable bow, a little creativity opens a world of archery possibilities to develop skills and confidence. Let the fun and learning begin!
So your teen is ready to start slinging arrows like Robin Hood. An important consideration when choosing archery sets for youth is whether key accessories like arm guards are included. The right protective gear and training aids provide a safe, quality experience that will keep teen archers progressing in the sport.
Find Sets With Useful Accessories Like Arm Guards
Complete archery sets tailored for teens should contain more than just a bow and arrows. Look for sets that come packaged with essential accessories:
Arm Guards
An arm guard protects the inner forearm from the bowstring snapping against skin. Hook-and-loop arm guards like those in the Genesys Original Kit are adjustable for different arm sizes. This prevents painful string slap as young archers develop proper shooting form.
Finger Tab
A leather or synthetic finger tab helps protect the drawing fingers as the arrow releases. Finger tabs fitted for youth sizes enhance comfort and prevent blisters or calluses from forming as teens increase shooting volume.
Arrow Rest
An arrow rest provides a steady, cushioned perch for the arrow shaft as it’s drawn and launched. Quality arrow rests like the whisker biscuit in the Bear Archery Cruzer set improves accuracy and consistency shot to shot.
Sight Pin
A sight pin mounted on the bow stabilizes aim by providing a fixed reference point. Pin sights tuned for the shooter makes precision shooting at longer distances easier for teen archers to master.
Target Faces
Full-color target faces printed with scoring rings are a must for tracking skill growth. The more teens can zero in on tight groupings at the bullseye, the more motivated they’ll be to keep improving.
Ready for Some Archery Fun for Your Teens? Try These Awesome Set Ideas
Once your teen archer is decked out with a full kit, it’s time for the fun to begin! Here are some engaging ways to develop skills with these accessories:
Skills Challenge
Set up a series of archery stations in the backyard using kit accessories. Have teens shoot progressively farther targets while wearing their arm guard and using proper finger tab form.
At another station, place markers on the target and have archers use pin sights to increase bullseyes. Moving through skills stations builds competence and confidence.
Target Practice Games
Draw numbered point rings on a target face. Call out point values before shots. Award bonus points for hitting inside tighter rings. This incentivizes focus while making target practice more exciting.
Set up balloons with point values written on them based on distance. Popping far balloons scores more points. Engaging target games motivate continued progress.
Form Coaching
Use a mirror to show young archers their shooting form and how accessories are used. Draw attention to elbow rotation and anchor points with the finger tab. Providing interactive feedback solidifies proper technique.
Training aids like arm guards and finger tabs make archery safe and rewarding for teens. So equip your young archers fully and let the fun begin!
As a parent of an aspiring teen archer, you want to buy equipment that will keep pace with their rapid growth. Choosing youth bows with adjustability provides room to progress skills without quickly outgrowing their gear. Here’s what to look for in archery bows that “grow” with teen shooters through their beginning years in the sport.
Choose Bows That Can Grow With Your Teen
Youth bows with adjustment flexibility allow young archers to incrementally increase difficulty as their fitness and accuracy improves. Key features that aid growth include:
Adjustable Draw Weights
Look for bows with draw weights that can be adjusted from as low as 10 or 15 pounds up to 35-45+ pounds. Key styles that offer wide draw weight ranges through limb bolt configurations, replaceable limbs, or interchangeable cams/modules include:
- Diamond Infinite Edge Pro (5-70 lbs)
- Bear Archery Cruzer (5-70 lbs)
- PSE Mini Burner (6-29 lbs)
- Barnett Vortex Lite (18-45 lbs)
Starting low allows beginners to perfect form before increasing resistance. Adjustable bows accommodate strength gains as teens grow and progress.
Extendable Draw Lengths
Along with draw weight, look for bows with adjustable draw lengths in the 15 to 30-inch range. Models like the Genesis Original (15-30”) and Bear Archery Brave (13-27”) allow the bow to match growing arm spans.
Proper full draw length boosts accuracy and comfort. Extendable bows prevent the need to size up frequently as young archers hit growth spurts.
Hand-Me-Down Capability
Quality bows engineered for adjustability like the Diamond Atomic and Bear Archery Titan can transition from younger shooters with low starting draw weights into ideal starter bows for older family members.
Passing bows between siblings or down to friends expands the value of youth bow investments. Look for bows built to endure years of reliable use.
Ready for Some Archery Fun for Your Teens? Try These Awesome Set Ideas
Once your teen has a bow set up to “grow,” it’s time to put it to work on fun archery adventures:
Backyard Range
Set up an adjustable target butt and shooting line at a safe distance in the yard. Start archers up close as they refine form and strength. Then gradually move the target farther back as their adjustable bows allow increased shooting distance.
Skills Challenges
As draw weight increases happen, set up stations at longer yardages. See how many arrows can hit a small target at 20, 25 and 30 yards. Moving back challenges accuracy as bow weights progress.
3D Course
Set up a DIY 3D wildlife course winding through trees. Position foam animal targets at different ranges. Adjust and reposition periodically to match skills growth. Finely tuned bows extend 3D fun.
Adjustable bows allow archers to incrementally stretch their abilities without hitting frustrating ceilings. Growth-friendly features ensure teen archers will hit the bullseye for years to come!
Backyard archery is a blast, but not everyone has ample space or permanent range setup options. Portable archery sets allow teen archers to take target practice on the go and set up impromptu ranges for skills building in any safe space.
Get Portable Sets for Backyard Fun Anywhere
Portable youth archery gear makes it easy to shoot arrows whether at home, camping or a friend’s house. Look for these hallmarks of portable gear:
Take-Down Bows
Takedown recurve bows like the Southwest Archery Spyder break down into a riser with removable limbs. They pack down small for transport in a case or bag. Takedowns allow the bow to grow in draw weight as limbs are swapped out.
The Barnnett Vortex Lite takedown has interchangeable limbs accommodating draw weights from 18 to 45 lbs, ideal for teen archers developing strength.
Lightweight Gear
Made from composite materials, youth bows like the Bear Archery Titan are engineered to be lightweight at just over 2 lbs. This makes it comfortable for younger teens to hold, aim and carry all their gear.
Look for ultra-light arrows like carbon shafts under 400 grains your teen won’t fatigue lugging around. Durable soft archery bags ease packing it all up to go.
DIY Target Options
Portable target options are a must for temporary practice setups on the go. Folding foam cube targets from Morrell fit in a car trunk. Weatherproof Rinehart bag targets can plop anywhere.
Cheap do-it-yourself target materials like cardboard, balled up plastic bags and duct tape bundles offer creative options in a pinch.
Ready for Some Archery Fun for Your Teens? Try These Awesome Set Ideas
Ready to take your portable archery show on the road? Here are fun ways to set up pop-up ranges anywhere:
Beach Archery
Find a secluded part of the beach and set up a target butt against a dune as a backstop. Have teens shoot from different standing positions in the sand – cuing balance and stability skills.
Backyard Camping
Set up a tent and pretend campsite in the backyard. Line old blankets over a clothesline as a target tarp. Shooting arrows by campfire light before s’mores is a magical experience.
Park Practice
Seek out parks with wooded areas and grassy fields to avoid. Set targets against hill backdrops far from playgrounds and walking paths. Bonus points if you can combine archery practice with a picnic!
With portable archery gear, your teen can safely develop skills and make happy memories anywhere their excitement to sling arrows leads. Let the backyard adventures begin!
As a parent preparing your teen for archery, it’s important to start them off practicing proper form and technique. Top beginner archery sets tailored for youth come packaged with clear instructions on building foundational skills step-by-step.
Find Sets With Instructions for Proper Technique
Quality instructional content focused on teens helps establish good habits from the start. Here’s what to look for:
Step-by-Step Guides
Detailed walkthroughs of archery basics in youth set manuals, videos or apps break down key skills in an accessible way. The Genesis Original instructional content covers skills like stance, nocking, draw, anchor point, aim and release through text, photos and illustrations specifically for young beginners.
Safety Rules
Look for sets highlighting fundamental safety protocols like the Bear Archery Brave Bow Set’s 10 commandments poster. Clear safety communication stresses good practices to avoid injuries as teens learn.
Tips for Parents
Guidance for parents on how to actively guide and positively reinforce teens constructs a supportive learning environment. The Crosman Archery Sentinel set provides coaching tips for parents before kids ever shoot an arrow.
Drills and Exercises
Quality beginner sets include specific drills to practice proper shooting sequence, form, aim and more. Doing focused repetitions ingrains muscle memory faster.
The more hands-on skills activities provided, the faster teens will grasp and feel confident in proper technique before bad habits form.
Ready for Some Archery Fun for Your Teens? Try These Awesome Set Ideas
Once your teen knows the textbook techniques, here are engaging ways to put safe skills into practice:
Skills Stations
Set up stations focused on different skills – stance, draw, aim, etc. Use mirrors for self-coaching. Turn skills building into fun games or contests.
Video Coaching
Record teen archers attempting skills and play back video in slo-mo to discuss and visualize proper form. Seeing themselves on tape helps improvement click.
Skill Challenges
Issue creative “archery skill challenges” to master step-by-step. Shooting longer distances or smaller targets after perfecting a skill builds confidence.
With instructional guidance, teen archers will progress quickly from shooting newbies to skilled marksmen hitting bullseyes in no time.
Aspiring young archers feel like true marksmen when they have their own full set of gear. A must-have item to complete their kit is a personalized hip quiver stocked with arrows just for them. Having dedicated storage and ammo creates ownership and pride for teens starting out in archery.
Give Them Their Own Quiver & Arrows for Storage
A quiver provides safe transportation of arrows to and from the range. For beginners, hip quivers are ideal over back quivers which can be cumbersome. Here’s what to look for when selecting a quiver and arrows:
Size Appropriate Quiver
Choose a compact quiver designed for youth that fits snugly to avoid slippage or bouncing as they walk. It should hold 6-12 arrows – enough for lessons or practice without being overly bulky.
Look for zippered pockets to hold small accessories and adjustable belt loops to ensure a secure custom fit.
Fun & Functional Design
Today’s youth hip quivers come in exciting colors and designs teens will love personalizing like camo, neon accents, or their favorite characters. Choosing one that reflects personality adds enjoyment.
Features like removable dividers, wide mouths and side clips keep arrows neatly organized and easily accessible.
Matched Arrow Set
Choose a 6-pack or dozen set of arrows matched specifically to your teen’s draw length and bow weight. Consistent spine and grain arrows ensure reliable performance and accuracy.
Select different arrow vanes or nock colors for each so teens can identify their arrows on the target or ground.
Ready for Some Archery Fun for Your Teens? Try These Awesome Set Ideas
Once equipped with their own gear, here are some fun ways teens can put their quivers and arrows to use:
Personalize Their Set
Encourage tweens and teens to customize their bow, quiver and accessories with cool decals, paint or designs that showcase their personality.
Role Play Adventures
Act out heroic archer scenarios from books, movies or history. Putting themselves in character as famous archers makes skills practice imaginative play.
Archery Relays
Line up teams for fun archery relays: shooting sprints, arrow exchanges, quiver drops and retrieves around obstacles. Friendly competition builds camaraderie.
Personal gear gives teen archers a sense of pride and excitement. With the right quiver and arrow setup, they’ll be hitting bullseyes in style in no time!
For teen archers inspired by movies, video games or dreams of elite military service, traditional bullseye targets don’t quite cut it. Adding a tactical-style 3D target to your archery range taps into their action adventure interests for next level skills fun.
Add a Tactical Target for Teens Who Love Action
Tactical archery targets feature man-shaped silhouettes modeled after FBI, military or zombie themes that spark excitement. Here’s how to add tactical fun to your archery range setup:
Pick a Target Theme
Select a target design that aligns with your teen’s interests:
- Law enforcement and special forces themes for teen recruits
- Zombie or alien invader shapes for gamers and sci-fi fans
- Ninja warrior cutouts for martial arts enthusiasts
Letting them personalize the target theme boosts engagement in skills practice.
Ease Into Using Humanoid Targets
Explain that tactical targets are for sport only to gain skills, not violence. Set ground rules like no aiming for head or face. Start closer up around 10 yards to learn proper shot placement first.
Focus on Shooting Form
Have teen archers use tactical targets to practice and refine proper shooting techniques like stance, anchor point, controlled breath and smooth release more so than pinpoint accuracy at first.
Only graduate to shooting at longer distances after consistently demonstrating safe form and self-control.
Ready for Some Archery Fun for Your Teens? Try These Awesome Set Ideas
Once your teen archer masters essential skills on tactical targets up close, here are some engaging ways to increase the action:
Special Ops Range Day
Set up a mock “special ops training course” in your backyard or at the archery range with military-style obstacles. Have teens shoot tactical targets between ducking, crawling and hurdling barriers.
Zombie Apocalypse Drill
Line zombie silhouette targets alongside a wooded trail, building corners or down range alleyways. Teens use tactical “headshots” to clear the zombie horde closing in.
Host a Competition
Organize a friendly “archery cage match” shooting tournament for teens. Award fun titles like “Quick Draw Champion” or “Annie Oakley Protégé” to the winners.
With themed targets and creative scenarios, archery skills become an exciting, bonding adventure for action-loving teens rather than standard target practice.
Part of the excitement for new teen archers is making their bow uniquely theirs. Beyond choosing a color they love, let young archers customize their recurve, compound or traditional bows with fun strings, grips and accessories to match their personality.
Let Them Customize With Fun Strings & Grips
Strings and grips are two components teens can easily swap out to add flair. Here are creative ways to customize their gear:
Fun Bow Strings
Replace original bowstring with fun options like:
- Neon colors for eye-catching vibes
- Patterns like zig-zag or multi-colored
- Glow in the dark strings for night shooting
Just be sure new strings are made of durable material like Dacron and properly sized for the bow.
Custom Grips
Swappable rubber, wood, plastic or leather grip covers come in all colors and designs. Look for options with:
- Colorful metallic, glitter or pearl finishes
- Animal patterns for nature lovers
- Camo, flag or other graphic prints
Grips provide a place to show individuality every time they pick up their bow.
Archery Bling
Add bonus flair with fun accessories like customizable bow limb decals, colorful arrow wraps, quivers with LED lights or sights with glow features for shooting after dark.
Give teens creative freedom to deck out gear that feels uniquely their own.
Ready for Some Archery Fun for Your Teens? Try These Awesome Set Ideas
Once your teen’s bow reflects their style, here are engaging ways to show it off:
Style Shoot
Set up a runway next to the backyard range. Have aspiring young archers strike poses with their customized bows and accessories before firing shots downrange.
Trick Shot Challenge
See who can pull off the most impressive string of trick shots using walls, props and creative positions. Custom accessories up the cool factor.
After Dark Fun
Set up glow in the dark targets and turn the backyard into a neon archery course. Use blacklight flashlights for visibility. Kids feel like they’re at a rad alien planet.
With personalized gear, archery becomes an even more fun outlet for creative self-expression. The range is their runway to show off style while building skills!
A top priority when setting up an archery range for young beginners is safety. An essential element is positioning a durable backstop behind targets to cleanly catch any stray arrows that miss. Having a proper backstop prevents accidental property damage and avoids potential injury.
Consider Backstops To Hang Behind Targets
Backstops provide insurance for wayward shots amid early shooting struggles. Here are effective and economical backstop options:
Natural Berm
Ideally, position targets in front of a natural hillside or dense mound of earth to safely absorb errant arrows. The material needs to be soft enough for easy arrow extraction.
Berms are great permanent backstops. Just check for burrowing pests first that could create unsafe cavities.
Hay Bales
Sturdy hay or straw bales stacked 5-6 feet high make excellent backstops for stopping arrows. They’re portable and provide easy arrow removal. Position bales at least 15 feet behind the target.
Wrapping bales in landscape fabric helps weatherproof them and keeps seeds from sprouting.
Hanging Horse Stall Mats
Heavy protective mats made for horse stalls can be hung vertically using carabiners and rope. The dense material stops arrows securely while allowing easy removal.
Durable stall mats are widely available and hold up well in all weather conditions.
Ready for Some Archery Fun for Your Teens? Try These Awesome Set Ideas
Once a safe backstop is installed behind targets, here are some archery games and challenges to try:
Backyard Archery Golf
Set up a mini “archery golf” course in the yard using backstops to create safe “holes.” Teens shoot from different positions at targets in sequence. Lowest score after all holes wins.
Long Distance Challenge
Place markers at longer intervals – 20 yards, 30 yards, 40 yards. Challenge archers to hit a bullseye from each increasing distance. Backstops provide margin for error at farther shots.
Obstacle Course
Incorporate backstops into an archery obstacle course with targets behind barriers that require shooting at an angle around or over them. Backstops allow creativity.
With protective backstops in place, beginner archers can explore target challenges worry-free. Parents can relax knowing safety measures are locked in.
Teach Responsibility With Proper Care & Storage
As a parent, one of the most important lessons you can teach your teen is responsibility. While this can be done in many ways, teaching your teen how to properly care for and store their archery equipment is a great hands-on approach. Archery is an amazing sport that builds focus, discipline and self-confidence. Ensuring that your teen learns to be responsible with their gear will help reinforce those valuable traits.
One of the first things to go over is the proper maintenance and storage of bows. Compound and recurve bows are intricate pieces of equipment that require special care. Teach your teen that their bow needs to be unstrung after each use to relieve tension on the limbs and prevent warping. Show them how to use a bow stringer to safely unstring the bow. Impress upon them that dry firing a bow (shooting without an arrow nocked) can cause serious damage. Instruct them to regularly apply bow wax to the string to condition it and prolong its life.
When it comes to storing bows, humidity and temperature fluctuations can degrade materials over time. Find a place in your home that maintains a relatively stable environment, like a closet or basement. Hard bow cases provide the best protection, but even storing the bow in a soft case will help shield it from dust and impacts from other objects. Make sure your teen knows not to stack other gear on top of a bow case to prevent accidental damage.
Arrows require maintenance too. Carbon and aluminum arrows can bend or break if misused. Teach your teen to check each arrow shaft for straightness before shooting. A simple arrow spinner can help them verify straightness. Show them how to properly grasp and flex arrows to feel for any damage. Impress upon them never to dry fire arrows or shoot them into hard surfaces, which can cause them to splinter and fail.
After shooting, ensure your teen carefully checks each arrow for any cracks or damage. They should wipe down each arrow with a soft cloth before storing them securely in an arrow tube or quiver. Storing arrows loosely in a bag risks damage. The ideal storage place will be room temperature and free from humidity extremes.
Archery targets also require some TLC. Weather resistant bag targets will last longer if your teen remembers to keep them out of the rain. After sessions, instruct them to brush off and remove any debris from the target surface. Long-term storage is best inside a shed or garage, safely out of the sun and rain.
For broadhead target practice, emphasizing maintenance is particularly important. Broadheads are extremely sharp and can easily tear through layered foam targets, ruining them. Make sure your teen properly stores broadheads in quivers or cases and swaps to field points whenever simply honing their technique.
Of course a big part of archery gear responsibility is safety. Impress upon your teen that a bow is not a toy and must be handled with care. Show them how to properly inspect equipment for damage before shooting. Make sure they know where the first aid kit is located in case of minor thumb releases or arm slap.
Teach and model correct range rules and etiquette whenever you practice archery together. Emphasize that they must wait for the all clear before approaching the target. Show them how to use the safety whistle commands you establish. Make them aware of any potential hazards behind targets. Keeping safety front and center will help reinforce responsible habits.
Responsibility with gear extends to taking good care of accessories too. Teach your teen to inspect their arm guard and finger tab or glove for damage after each use and store them in a pocketed bag. Impress upon them to carefully untwist and unwind Dacron bowstrings after use to prevent twisting and additional wear. Make sure they have a secure box or case to keep extra nocks, arrow rests, releases and small parts organized and protected.
Establishing and consistently enforcing proper equipment care not only protects your investment as a parent, but also teaches life lessons. Associating diligent upkeep with prized possessions like archery gear ingrains responsibility and respect. Showing your teen that maintenance allows equipment to last longer and perform optimally drives home the direct benefits of responsibility.
So while tuning bows and organizing arrows may not be the most excitingaspects of archery for your teen, making care and maintenance part of your regular practice sessions helps underscore their importance. Teaching the value of responsibility starts small. Consistently emphasizing proper archery equipment care makes a great impact.
Before you know it, your teen will make gear maintenance second nature, seeing the positive effects it brings. Taking responsibility for equipment care is an important step on the road to maturity we want to foster as parents. With some guidance, archery can provide the perfect hands-on opportunities to instill diligence, safety awareness and respect for gear that will benefit your teen well beyond the archery range.