At what age can a child start bowling? We see a lot of young basketball players, martial artists, and soccer players on the internet these days, but not so many child bowlers. Is there a reason why not as many young bowlers are seen? Are there safety reasons or health-related aspects behind this?
In this guide, we go through the aspects of bowling at a young age. If you want to learn more and have your child enter the world of bowling, then continue reading!
What Age Can a Child Start Bowling and Why?
Fortunately, a child can actually start at any age when it comes to trying out the sport of bowling. Granted, babies or infants will not be seen rolling a 16-pound bowling ball down the lane.
What we mean by any age is a child as young as 2 years old, who has good control of their motor functions (such as walking and swinging arms) can readily engage in the fundamentals of bowling, which can be boiled down to rolling a ball down a lane to knock down pins.
This is why miniature bowling sets (typically made of plastic) are popular gifts during the holidays. It does not take much to have the necessary equipment needed to get your baby started on the right path.
As for having children participate in bowling via an actual bowling alley, then this will have to vary from location to location. Most bowling alleys require that a bowling participant be at least 6 years of age for safety reasons (and liability concerns).
However, if the child can prove, despite being young, that he or she has the physical prowess and mental maturity to handle a bowling ball in an actual bowling alley, then exceptions may be made.
The Benefits of Bowling for Children/Kids
Energy Outlet
One common gripe of parents is having their kids lash out in unruly ways at home or in public areas. With bowling, children can have a productive and healthy outlet for their seemingly limitless energy stores and end the day tired and satisfied which, in turn, would keep mom and dad away from stress and fatigue.
Coordination
Although a lot of sports require coordination, bowling demands a whole lot of it due to the nature and mechanics of throwing the bowling ball down the lane. Everything from what your eyes are targeting all the way to the way your fingertips roll the ball down the lane requires a decent amount of coordination.
At first, children will be inconsistent with their throwing mechanics but over time, bowling will teach kids how to be coordinated which will translate well into other sports or physical activities.
Balance
Bowling, like tennis, badminton, or baseball (pitching), often relies on heavy use of the dominant arm and hand, which means that there will be an imbalance in weight distribution on the feet. The more kids play bowling, the more they get to become naturally in tune with the balance required by the sport.
Just like coordination above, balance will translate particularly well in other physical activities.
Discipline and Sportsmanship
When it comes to discipline and sportsmanship, most parents would think that martial arts such as Tae Kwon Do and Karate would be most beneficial. However, contrary to popular belief, even a non-contact sport such as bowling can provide just the same (if not better) benefits.
Playing the sport of bowling requires a lot of patience and discipline. This is simply due to the nature of how bowling is played today. Kids would have to learn to wait for their turn, learn the proper manners or decorum while in the bowling alley, and learn to execute the right movements during the throw.
Fun
Last but definitely not least is the fun factor of bowling. Of course, bowling may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but you will never know if a kid likes the sport until you have your little one try it out. Bowling is a fun, crazy sport and we can't stop recommending the sport to anyone and everyone willing to listen.
Special Equipment for Kids’ Bowling
Light Bowling Balls
Bowling balls are rugged and heavy. These standard balls may not be fitting for someone under the age of 10, especially those that weigh upwards of 10 pounds (which represent most house bowling balls in bowling alleys). As such, we recommend purchasing a personal bowling ball that weighs under 10 pounds, if possible.
Ramps
For the even younger aspiring bowling ball players, say those around the age of 4-7, a bowling ramp may be the best tool to have just to help the children understand the mechanics and physics behind bowling without exerting too much effort. The ramp essentially takes the place of the gather and release of the bowling ball and allows the kids to experiment with what kind of motion (speed, power, distance, spin) would work the best in the sport.
Bumpers
No one likes gutter balls, absolutely no one. Heck, if we were given the choice, we would have bumpers installed permanently in casual bowling alleys! Bumpers cover the gutters on either side of the bowling lane to significantly increase the likelihood of the bowling ball coming in contact with the pins.
Shoes
Shoes are definitely an important piece of equipment. Some bowling alleys ignore the shoe requirement for children and just have them wear whatever they have on but we highly advise against this practice. Go check online or visit your local bowling specialty store to get a decent pair of bowling shoes for your kid.
Bowling Leagues for Kids
Most, if not all, states in the United States have bowling leagues specifically designed for kids and pre-teens.
Some adult bowling leagues and social clubs even have a “junior” version where they have the kids of the members participate on a regular basis to teach them the joys of the sport of bowling.
To know more about bowling leagues for children near you, either get in touch with your own bowling league or you can look it up online searching the area near you. Here are some resources to get you started: AMF and Bowl.com.
Conclusion
So now you should have a better idea of what age a child can start bowling. If this guide were to leave you with a single message, it would be this: bowling does not discriminate in terms of age. Young or old, you can begin to bowl today even as young as 3 years old!