A question we often get: how young is too young to take my son/daughter shooting?
A good rule of thumb is when your kid understands the difference between life and death. Shooting is serious stuff, and you want to be sure your child understands that not taking the rules seriously could result in irreversible consequences.
Most kids have a clear understanding of life and death by 7 or 8 years old. A good first step is a clear respect for common household items that have some inherent danger, like the lawn mower, weed wacker, kitchen knives, etc. Another is the ability to list and explain the importance of the three safety rules (safe direction, finger off the trigger, unloaded until you're ready to shoot).
Taking the mystery out of firearms and teaching children to respect guns is important at an early age, but starting too soon could result in an irrational fear of guns or an accident.
For kids not quite ready to head to the range, we highly recommend the NRA's Eddie Eagle youth safety program. We also offer Youth training classes, which will show you how to teach your child. Details at CinciCCW.com.
