# My 3 year old wants her own "shooting bow"



## kozal01 (Oct 11, 2010)

My daughter is three and has started showing interest in archery, more specifically a "shooting bow" as she calls it. Not only that but she asked me this afternoon if I would take her hunting with me with such a happy glow in her eye, I was so excited. anyways, I'm looking for suggestions for a bow that is suitable for a three year old. I've seen some around at the toy stores that I've considered but the only issue is they are all pink or purple or blue, they look like toys (which they are of coarse) but I would like to start her off with one that at least appears to be the real thing. To me it seems like it would be hard to teach her that bows are not toys when the ones made for her age group look like toys. Anyone have any suggestions or experience with this? Id like to start her off on the right foot. 





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## kozal01 (Oct 11, 2010)

Here is my little helper, she likes to sit on the deck and watch me shoot my bow, I let her help me retreave arrows.


















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## LuckyBucks (Dec 6, 2010)

Great pictures!

How about some camo tape or paint on the pink bow?


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## kozal01 (Oct 11, 2010)

LuckyBucks said:


> Great pictures!
> 
> How about some camo tape or paint on the pink bow?



I thought about that, might be what I end up doing. Perhaps I'm putting too much thought into it 


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## chuckinduck (May 28, 2003)

kozal01 said:


> I thought about that, might be what I end up doing. Perhaps I'm putting too much thought into it
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire



Boy this sounds familiar. I went down the same road with fishing poles. I told my wife the kids won't own Mickey or Minnie rods and reels. So I bought a 5'6 ugly stick. Cuz it was a "real setup". What I quickly realized is they were still to young to handle a pole that big. So now I have cartoon poles and they can use them and handle them with ease. Moral of the story. Swallow the pride and just know that some day they'll be old enough for a real setup. Til then.,,,,,,,pink it is. At the end of the day, they really don't care or know the difference so get something they can shoot comfortably and just be excited that they want to join you. Good luck it's a fun time.


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## kozal01 (Oct 11, 2010)

chuckinduck said:


> Boy this sounds familiar. I went down the same road with fishing poles. I told my wife the kids won't own Mickey or Minnie rods and reels. So I bought a 5'6 ugly stick. Cuz it was a "real setup". What I quickly realized is they were still to young to handle a pole that big. So now I have cartoon poles and they can use them and handle them with ease. Moral of the story. Swallow the pride and just know that some day they'll be old enough for a real setup. Til then.,,,,,,,pink it is. At the end of the day, they really don't care or know the difference so get something they can shoot comfortably and just be excited that they want to join you. Good luck it's a fun time.



It's not a matter of pride with the colors, to me it's teaching her the difference between toys and weapons. I know a pink suction cup bow is a toy but I'd like to start early with getting her in the mindset of respecting weapons. Perhaps it's just too early for that and a bright colored toy now will be just fine. Either way, she's getting a bow for Christmas, if i can even wait that long!


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## kozal01 (Oct 11, 2010)

BTW, her minnie mouse fishing pole is in the garage next to my ugly sticks and salmon rods, so I hear you there. 


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## Mightymouse (Sep 19, 2007)

kozal01 said:


> It's not a matter of pride with the colors, to me it's teaching her the difference between toys and weapons. I know a pink suction cup bow is a toy but I'd like to start early with getting her in the mindset of respecting weapons. Perhaps it's just too early for that and a bright colored toy now will be just fine. Either way, she's getting a bow for Christmas, if i can even wait that long!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


My 4 yr old has a toy bow from Bass Pro which is his second bow (he went all "Hulk" on his first toy bow and snapped it in half by over drawing it, his subtle way of telling me it was time for an upgrade I guess..). It came with some suction cup arrows and he now also shoots some of my old broken arrows which I cut to length and put field tips on for him. He shoots those arrows only at the target and only when dad's there watching. Occaisonally they actually stick in there, but usually not. The suction cup arrows are what he uses to "hunt" around the yard and take down all matter of imaginary game. 

He'll be getting his first "real" bow next year as I think by then he'll be big enough to actually use it and start learning with it. 

I would say buy your daughter a nice pink or purple bow but just explain to her that it's not a toy and it's only to be use certain ways. I just had the same conversation with my son the other day about the new rubber band gun he just got. The talk came just after he smoked his little sister with a rubber band. It was a sweet shot on a small, fast moving target through a small gap in the doorway..............I mean, it was wrong.... 

Here's my son with a suction arrow shooting at something, probably a goose as they have been his target of choice this fall after our neighbor up north (who he adores) talked to him about goose hunting.


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## bugsnbrowtinesm (Aug 1, 2013)

Bear makes a couple good ones for kids that have an all black option. The brave and the lil brave. The lil brave is a recurve. I'm not sure if they're appropriate size for a 3 year old, but they both resemble real bows more than a lot of the "toy" ones


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## chuckinduck (May 28, 2003)

kozal01 said:


> It's not a matter of pride with the colors, to me it's teaching her the difference between toys and weapons. I know a pink suction cup bow is a toy but I'd like to start early with getting her in the mindset of respecting weapons. Perhaps it's just too early for that and a bright colored toy now will be just fine. Either way, she's getting a bow for Christmas, if i can even wait that long!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire



I didn't mean to insult you if it came across like that or that it was the colors so much as I think the toys are more functional at 3 or 4 years old and suction cups and foam tips are a good thing. At this age teaching can still be done. Unfortunately the comprehension piece might still be lacking. But I totally understand and applaud you on teaching them the difference between a toy and a weapon.


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## GVDocHoliday (Sep 5, 2003)

I bought my 2yo a longbow from St Joe River bows and a half dozen cedar arrows. It's the same one/style that the owner Tracey, made for her grandson around the same age. She shoots it very well. 

[ame="http://youtu.be/CbHwPZ2XTpU"]http://youtu.be/CbHwPZ2XTpU[/ame]


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## d_rek (Nov 6, 2013)

Great question. My wife and I were just talking about xmas gifts and I wanted to get my daughter a bow. My arrow helper AKA daughter loves to watch me shoot and help get arrows. I didn't want to buy her a flimsy wal-mart bow just because I can already see that thing breaking with little abuse. 

I looked at the mini genesis but it seems to be a bit much for her age (3.5 at x-mas) not to mention the price is a bit more than what i'd like to spend on that right now. Between $50-100 would be reasonable for what is essentially a toy bow.


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## chuckinduck (May 28, 2003)

Mightymouse said:


> My 4 yr old has a toy bow from Bass Pro which is his second bow (he went all "Hulk" on his first toy bow and snapped it in half by over drawing it, his subtle way of telling me it was time for an upgrade I guess..). It came with some suction cup arrows and he now also shoots some of my old broken arrows which I cut to length and put field tips on for him. He shoots those arrows only at the target and only when dad's there watching. Occaisonally they actually stick in there, but usually not. The suction cup arrows are what he uses to "hunt" around the yard and take down all matter of imaginary game.
> 
> He'll be getting his first "real" bow next year as I think by then he'll be big enough to actually use it and start learning with it.
> 
> ...



Hahaha. I'm glad I'm not alone in my battle with the kids and their siblings.


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## chuckinduck (May 28, 2003)

Mightymouse said:


> My 4 yr old has a toy bow from Bass Pro which is his second bow (he went all "Hulk" on his first toy bow and snapped it in half by over drawing it, his subtle way of telling me it was time for an upgrade I guess..). It came with some suction cup arrows and he now also shoots some of my old broken arrows which I cut to length and put field tips on for him. He shoots those arrows only at the target and only when dad's there watching. Occaisonally they actually stick in there, but usually not. The suction cup arrows are what he uses to "hunt" around the yard and take down all matter of imaginary game.
> 
> He'll be getting his first "real" bow next year as I think by then he'll be big enough to actually use it and start learning with it.
> 
> ...



Hahaha. I'm glad I'm not alone in my battle with the kids and their siblings.


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## GuT_PiLe (Aug 2, 2006)

So being a new daddy myself (19 Month old boy)

I found myself in my tree stand with a completely different outlook on things. Instead of thinking and focusing on hunting and being "in the moment". My mind was drifting and thinking about my boy and when I should start him on the path to righteousness that is archery and archery hunting. It seems like the answer is as soon as he shows interest? 
2-3yrs old?

Amazing what having a child does to your mindset and how I think as a person, hunter and Daddy now. Parenthood truly is a life changing experience, (for the better) and you don't know and can never know until out pops baby.

Great thread.


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## FrickerDude (Oct 4, 2011)

Check out Elk Ridge Archery 
These guys are from Caro and have bows for youngins. I am checking with them about getting one for my daughter 

http://www.elkridgearchery.com/index.html


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## Mightymouse (Sep 19, 2007)

GuT_PiLe said:


> So being a new daddy myself (19 Month old boy)
> 
> I found myself in my tree stand with a completely different outlook on things. Instead of thinking and focusing on hunting and being "in the moment". My mind was drifting and thinking about my boy and when I should start him on the path to righteousness that is archery and archery hunting. It seems like the answer is as soon as he shows interest?
> 2-3yrs old?


My only comment would be "don't rush him". When he is interested and wants to do it he will let you know, until then I wouldn't try and set a date.

Most likely your son will be like most sons and want to do whatever daddy is doing. My son is 4.5 now and this will be his 3rd season going out in the woods and "hunting" with me. Like most boys he idolizes what his daddy and his puppa do and wants to do it to. A bit to my surprise, when he was just 2.5 he wanted to go out and "hunt" so out he went with us......for 20-30 minutes at a time if we were lucky. Sometimes he wouldn't even make it out to the woods before something else would catch his eye, in fact I distinctly remember one time he didn't even make through getting dressed before he had lost intrest and moved on to playing with trucks instead.

Last year he was even more into it and one night during gun season last year he sat with me for 90mins thanks to some books and toys (and a bit of stubborness on my part). Now this year its been his favorite past time out in the yard and he's just dying for his first weekend up north so he can go hunting out in the woods.

My point is if you are a hunter and you talk about hunting around him and get him in the outdoors he will eventually want to take part in it with you. I wouldn't worry about setting a time frame, he'll let you know when it's time


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## kozal01 (Oct 11, 2010)

Thanks for the great replies and pics / vids too. I see there are a few other options if I decide she's ready for a "real" bow once she gets a handle on the toy bow. Overall I'm just totally stoked that she is showing interest in what her daddy is doing, I hope her brother will do the same when he is her age. I can't think of much cooler than sharing the outdoors with my kids. 


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## Mightymouse (Sep 19, 2007)

kozal01 said:


> I can't think of much cooler than sharing the outdoors with my kids.


There really isn't anything much cooler than watching you children build their own love for the outdoors. Watching the world through their eyes will make you smile time and time again.


I wrote this article shortly after my son's third birthday:

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/mscms/hunting-articles/whitetail-weekly-the-next-generation/


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## MSUFW07 (Jan 22, 2009)

My daughter is 2.5 yo, she loves watching MOOD, and if my parents have her for the day, her and my dad will watch Outdoor Channel all day long, if grandma lets them. She doesn't seem to be bothered by the sight of a dead deer, either on TV or in reality, even after we let her watch Bambi, now she tells my in-laws "You can call me flower if you want too". I actually got a crying phone call the other day when I went to the "hunting store" with out her. 

Wife wants to get her a "real bed" as an x-mas gift, but I'm thinking I might just surprise her with her own fishing pole and maybe a kids bow. Don't worry she will get a new bed also, she getting to big to lift in and out of a crib.


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