Teaching Your Children to Play Ten Pin Bowling

Bowling is a fun sport played by people of all ages, gender, and abilities. Even over seven hundred years ago evidence of this game was discovered in an Egyptian boy's coffin. This shows that bowling was popular among children since the sport was born. Bowling is the only sport that is considered to be a family activity. When they are old enough to understand the rules and safety of the game and hold a bowling ball, your children can be hitting the lanes with you. When your child enters the bowling alley for the first time, he will excited and enthused with the sights, sounds and smells that come with a bowling alley. It is a sport where children can understand the rules of the game easily. With some teaching, you child can become good at the sport in a short period of time. The main key to teaching this sport is to make sure that your child has fun while he is learning. By using these tips, you child may be getting a better score than you in no time at all.

Before even picking up a bowling ball, it is important to teach your child about proper bowling etiquette. Just like at the dinner table, they have to know they have to use proper manners at the bowling alley. How frustrating, annoying and distracting it can be, if a child starts screaming because he placed his ball directly into the gutter. By understanding that he has to behave while he is playing, he is creating a pleasant and safe environment for bowlers around him.

The child should wait for the bowler on his right to bowl, if both are bowling at the same time. Since the child is a beginner bowler, he can even offer to let the other person bowl first. He also should sit down and wait for his turn to bowl and be ready when his turn comes up. Make sure you child is wearing socks. This way he will not get blisters on his foot or pass foot infections to the next person. Your child must not use bad language. This is even inappropriate for adults. Also, keep food out of the bowling area. When there are crumbs and spilled drinks on the approach lane, your child can slip, fall and get hurt.

Now that your child understands a little about the etiquette of bowling, you are ready to let him hit the lanes. You first must make sure that he is wearing comfortable and loose fitting clothes. The bowling shoes should be snug. If either the cloths or the shoes are too tight, your child's movements and performance might be hampered. Loose fitting clothes allow your child to have a full range of motion and flexibility.

You have to have a ball that is suitable to the size and strength of your child. You do not want you child starting out with one of the heaviest bowling balls in the alley. Compare several different balls to see which one feels the best to your child. Have him practice the swinging motion with the different balls and get the ones that are easiest to grip and release. You do not want a ball that has finger holes that are too tight or too loose.

Do not take you child to the bowling alley during peak hours. If there is too much noise or activity, your child can be distracted. It also can be frustrating when you have arrived at the bowling alley and all the lanes are occupied. You will have to wait until a lane is open. Your child's learning can be hampered because once you finally get on a lane, the games may be rushed.

Show your child the correct way in holding, gripping, swinging and releasing the ball. If you are an occasional bowler yourself, do not be afraid to ask for help. There are many bowlers who are willing to show your child some techniques.

Teach your child to use the aiming arrows in the center of the lane. Remember, that it is almost impossible to roll your ball straight in a ten pin lane. His aim will be better by using the arrows.

Start slow at first. Once he has mastered the correct bowling forms and set well-placed balls, then he can try to increase his speed. He has a better chance of knocking down more pins when he rolls a faster ball.

As your child practices and improves his bowling, have him start using the four step approach. Let's assume that he is a right handed bowler. He stands with both feet together, holding the ball with both hands. He steps forward with his left foot, pushing the ball forward and a little to the left. Then he steps with the right foot, allowing the ball to swing on the right into the back swing. Then he steps again with the left foot, with this step the ball is at the arc of the back swing. The final step is with his right foot and he rolls and releases the ball.

Have your child use the conventional grip on the bowling ball. With this grip his fingers go in to the knuckles and the thumb goes all the way in. The type of grip works best for beginner bowlers.

Bowling has been around for centuries. People of all ages can enjoy this sport. If you are looking for a sport to play with you child, try bowling.