Children with high self-esteem are more likely to be accepted by others, feel confident about their abilities, and believe in themself. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?
Archery is an extracurricular activity that you may not consider, but you should. There are several reasons how archery helps your kid’s self esteem.
Trying New Things
Children are often exposed to the same things over and over. Most kids (and parents) know about mainstream sports. Soccer, baseball, basketball, even swimming get a lot of attention. Archery is something new and different, which can make participants feel special and unique themselves.
When a child tries something new, they build resilience and confidence. Even if they don’t fall in love with archery, just attempting a new activity makes a difference. Next time, they confront an unknown, they may be more willing to test the waters.
Unlike some other sports, archery is very inclusive. There is adaptive equipment for differently-abled individuals, so they can participate and develop their skills. If your child has struggled with other physical activities, then give this one a go. When a kid discovers something they can do, they feel empowered and proud of their accomplishment.
Making New Friends
Friends are one of the most critical factors in a child’s self-esteem. How archery helps your kid’s self esteem is by providing many social opportunities at the range and competitions where archers can interact with each other. It is both a team and individual sport.
While there are many opportunities to compete in tournaments, the sport fosters a sense of support among its participants. The environment this creates helps children feel safe and comfortable. A sense of security is essential when it comes to building a child’s sense of worth.
Building Strength and Skills
Physical strength and ability often go hand in hand with self-esteem. Kids who are stronger and more coordinated typically feel more assured and confident. Archery builds full-body physical strength, including core muscles. These gains lead to better balance and endurance, making kids more confident when approaching other physical activities.
In addition to building strength, archery also teaches new skills. Hand-eye coordination is vitally important in archery and infiltrates in several other areas of life. From computer skills to handwriting, your child may see improvement in their skills and abilities.
Patience and Control
Patience is fundamental in archery. A calm body and mind work together to wait, relax, and choose the perfect time to let go. Too soon or too late won’t yield the results you want. This lesson is transferable to your child’s everyday life. The ability to wait calmly reduces stress and anxiety and gives children a feeling of control.
The intense control used to perfect the timing when you shoot a bow teaches children so much. They are powerful. They can use that power to make things happen. Armed with this knowledge, children are much more confident and self-assured.
Outdoor Opportunities
Many studies link being outside and active with high self-value, particularly in children. Being outdoors is how archery can help your kid’s self esteem through being outdoors with nature.
Unlike many other sports, there is no set season for this one. It is a year-round activity that is always available, so you don’t have to wait for months to get moving, or deal with long breaks.
Growth Mindset
As in any athletic endeavor, the mental game in archery is strong. In archery, you need to be able to focus on your target. Setting goals comes naturally with easy to measure progress. When kids can see they are getting better, they get a confidence boost that carries over into other activities.
Making that progress takes determination. This means clearing your mind and blocking out distractions when you are on the range. Skills such as these are helpful for children not only in archery. Focusing on meaningful and positive things, and ignoring distractions will help your little one worry less about what other people think and concentrate on their strengths.
Learning from mistakes is an integral part of progress. Archery teaches kids to evaluate their actions and determine what changes they can make to improve. Children with the ability to learn from failure approach life with a sense of motivation and hope. Isn’t that what every parent wants for their child?
Bull’s Eye
Archery is an activity that hits so many targets when it comes to building a child’s self-esteem. The skills and lessons they learn on the range will give them the confidence to take on life’s obstacles, whether they are in the classroom or the playground.
If you are looking for an extracurricular that teaches life skills, forges friendships, and empowers children, then check out archery. It might be a bull’s eye for you.
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