Millions of Americans participate in the sport of shooting each year, and this activity typically passes down to children as young as 10 years old by their fathers, grandparents and other family members. Those that grow up in a household loving and appreciate firearms at a young age typically desire to pass that down to their own children, giving them the same type of upbringing. To successfully get your children and other kids into shooting, here are five easy and realistic ways you can do so.

Kids Shooting Starts With Education

Starting children in firearms and shooting begins with building a safe environment, one where they can freely ask questions about all aspects of guns. Naturally curious, refraining from talking about firearms does more harm than good to kids. Any inquiries they have are the perfect excuse to give your children a proper education about these tools. A proper education is important because it reduces accidental firearm injuries, limits any fears, and teaches your children the importance of these tools. 

Firearm Safety

A huge misconception that children often have about firearms is that they are harmless toys. This type of thinking is not only wrong, but it is also extremely dangerous. 

As a responsible gun owner and parent, it is your personal responsibility to educate your children on the do’s and don’ts of firearm safety. Before allowing kids to touch a firearm, teach them firearms serve as tools for many different purposes. You want to educate your children on how to properly to handle firearms and explain to them in an age-appropriate way that if managed improperly, firearms can hurt people. Above all, explain the rules in a way they will understand, setting a good example on how to follow them. Most of the time, children that see their parents doing an activity are more likely to want to participate in it as well.

Hands On

Letting your children be hands-on with firearms is an easy way to help them feel excited, eager, and motivated to shoot these tools. Alongside this, physical contact is a great way to familiarize children with all the parts and pieces of these tools and build confidence. Make sure you introduce your firearms to children in a safe environment and that the firearm is empty. It is important to remember that as your child is exploring the gun that you take the time to reinforce the four rules of safety and demonstrate how to properly follow them. 

That being said, I find that the best firearm to introduce children to are rifles, specifically a .22 LR because of its manageable recoil. You do not want a firearm that will scare or potentially harm your child. Make sure the firearm they are shooting is comfortable and one they can responsibly manage. Nonetheless, make sure that you stress to your child the importance of never touching a firearm without the presence of a trusted adult in the room. 

Make It Exciting

Once you find that your child is range ready, it is important that you make the day as exciting as humanely possible by choosing a specific type of target that is engaging for them to shoot at. While paper targets are the most common and popular to aim at, I find that children with short attention spans get bored of these targets easily. Instead, I recommend that you use reactive targets that will capture your children’s attention immediately. Exploding targets, bottles, fruit such as watermelon and steel are great options that will get your kid hooked and falling in love with the sport of shooting in no time. In addition to this, make sure your children are wearing ear and eye protection that fits them securely and properly. 

Never Force It

It may be tempting, but it is crucial that you never force or push your children into shooting firearms. You want your children to view firearms in a positive light and making them do something they do not want to do can have negative consequences. If your child is telling you they are not ready to shoot, you need to respect their boundaries and be patient. Every child is different, and some children may need a bit more time to work through their fears compared to others. All I can recommend is that you give your child the space, time, and encouragement to make a decision that is right for them. 

Overall, getting your children into firearms is a great way to pass down tradition and create lasting memories with your family. By giving your children a proper education, lessons on firearm safety, using reactive targets, allowing them to be hands-on and letting your kids work at their own pace, you can introduce firearms to your children in a way that is fun, engaging, and safe.