If you’re a darts lover and also a parent, there are definitely lots of things you’d want to teach your child about your favorite sport. Well, guess what, at IgnatGames, we all share your passion for darts and some of us are parents too, so we’ve decided to write a useful post for all darter parents out there who want to share their love of darts with their children. Enjoy the tips below when playing darts with kids and feel free to share your own insights in the comments section.
Always put safety first
Kids can be quite energetic and unpredictable, and this type of behavior is not compatible with those sharp darts you’re using while practicing at home on your traditional bristle dartboard. These darts can be dangerous if they get to hit someone as their sharp tips can easily cause injuries. There are many safety concerns that come to a parent’s mind when they think about playing darts with kids for the first time. For this reason, to make sure your children are safe, and you get to keep your peace of mind, you should pay close attention to the darts gear you’re using. Steel tip darts and traditional sisal dartboards are great choices for adults. However, these tools might not be suitable for kids. If your son or daughter is only 8 or 9, which is more or less the minimum age at which you can start training them to play darts, you might want to begin with plastic tip darts and an electronic dartboard or special dartboards and dart sets for children.
Adapt your darts setup to your kids’ needs
Depending on your child’s age, and more precisely, their height, you might need to adjust your darts setup so that they are also able to play. If your child is only 10 or 11, but already eager to start throwing those darts at the board, you have to see if your current setup is suitable for them, which might not be the case yet. The smaller a person is, the more difficult they will find it to aim for the dartboard. If this item is regularly positioned on the wall at a height of 5 ft 8 inches and the distance from the wall to the throw line is the official 7 ft 9.25 inches, they might find it hard to play. For this reason, it might be a good idea to place the throw line closer to the board or place the dartboard lower on the wall if you’re playing with kids.
Moreover, to make it easier to keep your darts in order and prevent losing them while playing with kids, you should have a darts holder where you can safely store them and make them easy to reach.
Give kids chances to win
Kids love games and they love to win. When they engage in a new sport or game, they often put all their strength and energy at play. Not surprisingly, they get sad or angry if they lose. While teaching your child to respect the rules when playing darts, or any other game for that matter, is important, letting them win is also a good strategy. Unless you do this, especially if your kids are still little, you might never see them grow fond of this game. Even if letting them win means compromise, for example by allowing them to throw more darts or ignore their mistake and let them have a second try, in the end, there’s nothing more fulfilling than seeing your kid truly enjoy a game of darts.
Don’t get too competitive
On a similar note, remember you are only playing with children. Even if they’re starting to develop their skills and are already able to mark more points than you, try to savor their victory instead of getting too competitive. As darts players, we know how frustrating it is when you lose points. However, when your opponents are your kids, you can take it easy because, well …. In the end, you’re the one who thought them how to play darts.
Playing darts with kids is a great pastime if you have a genuine passion for this sport, one you’re willing to pass on to the next generation. We know from our own experience that teaching a child how to play darts can be a fun and rewarding experience and we hope you’ll get to feel the same way as we do. If you ever need more tips on how to play darts, our blog is full of useful resources. Also, don’t forget that we can also help you with quality darts supplies such as the sturdy wooden darts holder you can find here.
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