If your family has a shared tradition of hunting, competitive shooting, or marksmanship, it’s natural to wonder:
How can I safely and gradually introduce my kids to firearms and tactical gear if they want to learn to hunt or target shoot?
Is this finally the year we can give them a Red Ryder for Christmas?
How can we make sure they don’t shoot their eye out?
Here are some ideas and recommendations from the expert enthusiasts at Gundalorium.
Start with Play
There’s no rush here. You want to give children plenty of time to develop the coordination and fine motor skills necessary to be safe with hunting and other shooting sports. Start with play. Give them a NERF gun so they can learn the basics of properly holding, loading, aiming, using, and caring for something without any high stakes or safety risks. Pay attention to the ages on the packaging and follow all safety instructions.
Take a Family Course Together
Until I went to a hunter’s safety course, I had no idea there was as much safety, shooting, and hunting as I do now. Instructing, Range Safety Officer, and countless schools and courses drive it home even more.
I still cringe thinking about Mrs. Sheopy’s window, the transformer box in the backyard, my cousins, brother, and the 100 other things I probably shouldn’t have shot at with my BB Gun. Even if they deserved it (Sorry, Brian!), teaching yourself is truly not the best way, SMH! Sure we can all barbarian our way through teaching the mini-mes how to shoot. But if we’re truly raising the next Guild of Gundalorians, we can do better.
There are family-friendly, affordable marksmanship programs like The Appleseed Project that teach children safe marksmanship (and give us some reminders while we stand there cross-armed like we know everything.)
Families and their kids attend programming together to practice target shooting and learn about important events in early American History. Here’s the heart of their message to parents when it comes to safety and requirements for participation:
“As a parent (or legal guardian), you’re probably asking if your youth is ready to attend. We do not have a minimum age for attendance, as we believe that parents know their children best. However, things we suggest you consider:
- Parents or legal guardians must accompany their minor children. (There are special provisions for groups like Scouts, Trail Life, AHG, 4H, etc.) It isn’t necessary that the parent be a student at the event, but we encourage it. Either way, it’s fun to cheer on your child! If you do attend as a student, be assured that the Shoot Boss and Instructors will ensure your child gets sufficient help and supervision.
- Is your child mature enough to safely handle a rifle? For most children, maturity follows age. Our experience has shown that a good beginning age might be around 10 years old. That’s not an absolute (unless it’s a range rule). Remember, these are real rifles, and not BB guns – maturity is an important part of Firearm Safety! We want all our students to have a great time at the range, but only if they are safe.
- Can your child handle the size/weight of a rifle? Depending on the range, we can adapt using a bag or other rest to shoot from. But a rifle that doesn’t fit or is too heavy can dampen the spirit. Sometimes waiting a bit for your child to grow into a youth rifle is time well spent and can certainly make learning the course of fire easier.
- Can your child follow directions? This is incredibly important as it applies directly to safety. Some directions on the range are shouted loud and proud – “Cease Fire!” being the most heard. Our line commands are clear, simple, and MUST be followed. Inability to follow directions will result in a short day on the range.”
Don’t forget, your local range or club may have family days or family-friendly events. Different ranges have different rules. Double-check before you go so you know any applicable age limits.
Set a Good Example
Anyone who has ever been flagged, especially by a novice, puckers up pretty quick. So, let’s get the fundamentals right in the beginning. Ralphie had a loving family, but maybe leaving him sugared up and completely unattended with a fully-loaded BB gun wasn’t the best idea.
When it comes to safe storage and usage of hobby firearms, bows and arrows, and other sporting gear, set the tone and take the lead for your family. Making safety (and appropriate supervision) top priorities minimizes risk and keeps trust strong. This includes having a known plan for first aid and using the proper hearing (and eye) protection every time.
Hobby Holidays Start Here
We wish you nothing but peace and joy this holiday season. Have questions about safe, fun gifts for kids and teens? Looking to connect with other families who love marksmanship, hunting, or archery? Jump on Discord with us: our Guild members are always eager to chat about all things guns and gear.
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Safety Note: Firearm ownership comes with responsibilities. If you’re considering purchasing a firearm or other weapon, do your due diligence. Brush up on State and Federal laws, training and background check requirements, and any permits you’d need. Safe storage and usage is paramount to Gundalorian staff and Guild members.
