It is of the highest importance to teach the kids properly. Before you shoot, please refresh yourself with the safety rules and/or take a firearms safety course:
It is early on in the way of summertime, but I know eventually, we will hear, “I’m bored.” Do you have many ideas for fun things to do with your kids? Hopefully, some of them include getting outside. Oh yes. I hear the excuse, “It’s hot outside.” No worries. You can wait until the evening when it cools down, and you are unwound from work. This is an idea for the entire family to have fun.
Get outside and shoot targets with a rifle or pistol. You can spend time exercising your Second Amendment right and teach your children important things.
There are so many fun targets on the market these days. You, of course, can use the old-fashioned pop can or bottle, but there are lots of other paper, and plinker targets out that will leave you with no glass shards to clean up.
One type I saw at the supply store the other day was a series of mutant targets. There are also zombies, which are very popular. I am unsure if they will frighten the kids or if they can imagine they are “offing” the monsters from their nightmares. Regardless, they do look like lots of fun!
If the monster-looking mutants aren’t what you want to aim at with your children, there are always the traditional bulls-eye targets. I do tend to steer clear of them with a very novice shooter. It sometimes makes them try too hard and discourages some if they are not on the dot with every shot.
Once the basics are covered and safety is taught, you can have fun as you work on accuracy. One target that provides a contest for the family is the VisiColor Dartboard target by Champion. It provides a dart board game with bright colors appearing as the shooter hits the mark. Varied colors represent a shooter’s points. The shooters can also play “C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N, ” similar to the horse or pig game played in basketball and other sports. One shooter hits the mark, and the next is supposed to follow up with the same shot. They make other sizes and shapes for shooting fun and sighting in as you prepare for fall hunting season. The high visibility paper targets allow seeing the point of penetration with ease.
A “rewarding” target for many kids and adults is the plinker. The traditional plinker makes a sound as each shot hits. The kids gain confidence as they hear a reassuring sound with their shot. Some plinkers will re-set themselves when the shooter hits, spinning them in one direction and then hitting again, spinning them back. The great thing is they last a long time; the most basic ones we have found retail under $20.00. Check the caliber for use indicated with your plinker before you start shooting.
Regardless of the shooting you do, we hope you will get out there. Be safe. Have fun. Most of all, spend time as a family.
Mia Anstine is an outdoor writer, licensed outfitter, hunting guide, life coach, keynote speaker, and range safety officer, firearms instructor, and archery instructor. She is the founder of MAC Outdoors and Host of the MAC Outdoors Podcast.
Mia Anstine strives to encourage others to get outside, hunt, fish, shoot, and survive life with others in a positive way.
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Want to write to me? Mia Anstine MAC Outdoors LLC PO Box 31 Ignacio, CO 81137-0031
Great post Mia! Love the mutant targets – so far the kids here have thought they were a hoot! They loved them 🙂