Target Ideas for Children?

[Big John]

My young children (and their visiting friends) really enjoy shooting rubber blunt-tipped arrows at old bean tins on their Mum's plant rack. However, I want to progress from the cardboard box they have used for their pointed arrows. They have also used target faces spread across a couple of garden canes but shooting through the paper (and into the grass behind) has taken its toll on the fletchings. I have seen the 'garden straw (square) boss' but it looks a bit too big and hard. Anyone used the foam targets? Or, any ideas on cheaper DIY substitutes? Thanks.

[Tarkwin]

how about something like this?

http://www.quicksarchery.co.uk/super...hp?product=305

T.

[Dave]

I've tried one of the straw square bosses in the garden and they're not too hard, I was shooting 34lb at around 16 yards and every arrow passed straight through (you can still see a very nice grouping in the garage door!). If the kids are using lighter bows they may be suitable.

[Big Boy Blue]

The small square straw boss is ok for kids to shoot at, we found they love to shoot at blown up ballons of different shapes and sizes.

[Thunk]

One idea (for the blunts) is a large tin lid; drill a hole at the edge at three points around the circumference and suspend it from a wooden frame. But in the top of the frame, screw in a screw-eye, place a party-popper in it and tie the string of the party-popper to the string holding the tin lid. A hit fires the popper - kids love it!

[geoffretired]

Old telephone directories or similar placed one above the other so the edges of the pages face the archer. String tied round to give a little resistance .
Put cardboard shapes well in front on pencils or equivalent. When hit, they move, which Kids and I love. The directories are really the back stops .

[Toxopholist]

A hessian sack stuffed with old carrier bags and any plastic sheeting works very well. Especially the industrial cling film wrapped round pallets. The Americans use this a lot and the sacks are available in sports shops. The commercial ones have a velcro closure at the top to allow you to easily add stuffing as it becomes worn.

[Big John]

Hey - great ideas everyone! The foam target at Quicks looks good but I am trying to find a lower cost way. Really like the party popper trick - my kids will love that! Thanks everyone.

[sky_high30]

I've got a large square boss, from Aardvark. I can shoot my ACE's (29 1/4in 620's) into it from a 39lb bow and not worry about pass throughs - it's fine as long as you have a stand against them. Or, alternatively, another boss.

You could use anything behind them - pizza boxes, telephone directories, anything with substance really.