Part of the fun of having children is introducing them to your favorite hobbies and hoping they stick, or taking the family on outings that allow you to learn new skills together. Depending on how old your kids are, you might not have considered that bowling can be a great family activity. In fact, you can teach children as young as one or two years old to bowl. They might not score a perfect game for another decade or so, but they’re capable of learning the basic skills at an early age. (Plus, what kid doesn’t love sending one object crashing into another?)

Here are some basic bowling tips in Hampton, VA to help teach your kids about the sport:

• Start them early: Believe it or not, if your child can walk, they can bowl. Using a lightweight ball and bumpers or a ramp, you can show them how to roll the ball down the lane, and introduce them to the satisfying crash of the pins.
• Learning is more important than technique or form (at first): You might turn your nose up at bumpers or ramps, but there’s no sense in making the sport harder than it needs to be—after all, you want your child to have a good time so they’ll look forward to coming back for more. For example, using bumpers can increase their confidence in being able to knock pins down, which will help when it’s time to remove the bumpers.
• Stick with the basics. In addition to throwing the balls down the lane, teach them age-appropriate basics, such as where to start their approach, how to approach and how to stick the landing. If your children are old enough to support the full weight of a ball with one or both hands, you should teach them that the ball is held at the waist, and how to swing. Even if your kids still have to do the “granny” approach of rolling the ball between their legs, that’s a good opportunity to show them which pins to aim for.
• Repetition is key… most of the time. As with any new skill, repeating and practicing is key to improving—but depending on your child’s age and interest level, be aware that you might have to sacrifice some technical skill or time in deference to keeping them interested and ready to learn. In other words, reserve the lane for an hour or less the first time, and avoid fantasizing about retiring on Junior’s championship winnings (at least vocally). As your child’s skill improves, so too will your family’s enjoyment.

Teach bowling to your family in Hampton, VA

Ready to take the family out for a bowling lesson? Visit Sparetimes in Hampton, VA. Our independently owned and operated bowling alley features 30 well-maintained lanes, a pro shop, bar and game room, so even if the bowling lessons don’t go as well as you’d hoped, there’s still fun for the whole family. We’re equipped to serve all bowlers, regardless of their age or skill level. Pay us a visit today to see what we’re all about!

Categorised in: Bowling