These days, one of the main challenges of being a parent is ensuring your child engages in physical activity. With the lure of TV, smartphones, and video games, most kids spend their time indoors in front of a screen instead of outside. 

Part of the problem is access to safe outdoor spaces, but there may be a solution: archery. But what does archery help with getting your kids outside and having fun? Also, isn't that dangerous? Well, with safety bows and arrows from Two Bros Bows, archery can be one of the safest sports for your children. 

Let's break down why outdoor archery can be hugely beneficial for your child and how you can get them started today. 

The Dangers of Too Much Screen Time

In the modern era, it's virtually impossible to avoid screens. However, while some screen time is healthy and can potentially yield positive effects, too much of it can be harmful to your child. According to research, excessive time in front of a screen can lead to lower cognitive abilities, reduced speech patterns, and impaired social and emotional skills. 

Basically, humans need physical interactions with other people to develop the necessary skills to be part of a society. By replacing those interactions with screens, kids don't learn these skills, and they can struggle later in life. While the definition of "too much" screen time can vary from one person to the next, it's best to try and limit it whenever possible. 

Finding the Target: How Outdoor Archery Can Motivate Kids to Play Outside

Fortunately, there are many ways that games like archery can make it easier to motivate your children to get off the screens and play outside. Some compelling reasons why archery can yield such significant benefits include: 

• It's Fun - Nothing feels better than hitting the bullseye, and when you have multiple outdoor archery targets, your kids can practice their skills as much as they want. 
• It's Challenging - The harder a game is, the more it engages the brain. Archery does have a bit of a learning curve, but that can motivate your kids to practice more often. Yes, it can be hard to hit the bullseye, but once you do, the feeling is incredible and, most importantly, earned. 
• It's Solo or Social - Your child can practice their archery skills all by themselves or play with a group of friends. Because our boxed sets include foam-tipped arrows, you don't have to worry about injuries or accidents. 
• It's Creative - Children have active imaginations, and when they're playing with an archery set, it's easy for them to imagine themselves as a wide variety of characters. They can be Robin Hood roaming Sherwood Forest, or they can be their favorite bow-wielding superhero. 

Overall, archery can be one of the best ways to get your kids to want to spend more time outside. Plus, thanks to the design of our arrows and targets, your children can move the fun indoors. This way, whether it's raining or cold outside, they can still run around and have fun inside. 

Benefits of Outdoor Archery

For most parents, the prospect of getting their kids to play without screens is motivation enough to buy an archery kit. However, there are some other added benefits of this practice, such as: 

• Boosts Confidence - Your child may not be very good at aiming or shooting an arrow the first time they try it. However, with patience and practice, they can literally see their skills improving with each shot. Since they can see how well they learn and adapt to archery, that confidence can translate to other activities like school or sports. 
• Reduces Distractions - When aiming your arrow, you must stay focused on your target. So, practicing archery helps your little one learn how to tune out distractions when they're involved in something important. 
• Encourages Physical Play - Sometimes, archery involves standing in place and aiming at a stationary target. However, our bows and arrows are designed for all kinds of play, so your children can create an interactive obstacle course to practice shooting from different positions. 
• Improves Self-Reliance - While you can show your child how to shoot a bow and arrow, they have to pull the string and aim at the target themselves. The more they practice, the better they get, and the more they feel confident in their own abilities. Over time, archery can help your little one start being more independent. 
• Helps Regulate Emotions - While hitting your target feels incredible, missing it can feel frustrating. At first, your child may get angry or annoyed when they're not hitting the bullseye. However, with gentle reassurance and guidance, they can learn to improve their shots. This process helps them manage their emotions better by overcoming obstacles and setbacks. 

Buy Outdoor Archery Targets and Boxed Sets From Two Bros Bows

At Two Bros Bows, we have a wide array of archery sets and targets. With so many designs and colors to choose from, your child is sure to find something that appeals to their style. Whether you have one, two, or more children, our boxed sets are affordable and easy to use. Contact us to start your kids' archery careers today!