Back Garden Archery

Back garden archery in the back garden with the kids? Are you serious?! Yep!

Archery is something we all like, and have done it now at many attractions and forest school. I'm better than the kids at archery on the WII, but they're better than me in real life (isn't that meant to be the other way around?).

If you wanted to, there's nothing stopping you getting a real (and deadly) bow and arrow set to use in the back garden, though it's advisable to get a net to protect your neighbours!

There are also proper archery sets around for the whole family, including junior and adult bows.

However, we went for a safer (and cheaper) option and got a Stealth Archery Set.

Stealth Archery Set Review

this is a toy, but it does feel like a junior bow and has some power behind it

OK, so this is a toy, but it does feel like a junior bow and has some power behind it - in fact, the manufacturer warns it is not for under 14s, though with very close supervision, our four-year-old was fine with it (and they let him use a real one at attractions and forest school).

Unlike a usual kids archery set, the Stealth arrows are plastic with a sucker at the end.

You still need to watch where they point it, but it's safer for everyone, and you don't need a net in the back garden to protect your neighbours!

We simply stuck the homemade target to some cardboard (save the box from Amazon that the set comes with), pushed some garden canes into the ground, and taped the cardboard target to the canes.

The suction cups don't stick too well (on the surfaces we tried), but that didn't matter as they stayed on long enough to see what points you got on the target. (There's a target on the back of the box, or make your own).

Another difference compared to a real bow is that the arrow goes through a slot at the front. This does make it easier for novices, but it is perhaps the biggest difference in the feel of a real junior bow.

The archery set also folds away nicely.  The two ends of the bow connect to a slot on the handle.  Simply disconnect, and the whole set, including arrows, folds back into the box. So great for a sunny day in the back garden, taking along to picnics, or even camping (though don't scare your fellow campers and always supervise children).

We were quite pleased with this set. Great fun on a sunny day. This is certainly something a bit different try and another string to your bow as a parent (sorry!).

If you're interested in getting one for your family, click this link (to Amazon).