Try these helpful beginner bowling tips for kids and enjoy more strikes and higher scores.
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Choose a good pair of bowling shoes that fit
Bowling centers require everyone participating to use bowling shoes. They will rent bowling shoes to you, and it’s a good idea to make sure the shoes fit right because it’s a challenge to keep your balance when bowling. Approaches can be slippery because bowling shoes have leather soles and are designed to slide. Since the rental bowling shoes cost a few dollars every time you go bowling, you may want to buy a pair for a few dollars more.
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Select a bowling ball that fits
When I was a kid my first custom bowling ball was very special. I remember how it fit so good and allowed me to bowl with less effort. Even if you don’t have your own ball, try to find one at the bowling center that really fits. The right fit enhances a bowlers ability to control the direction and speed of the bowling shot. Consider a custom drilled beginner bowling ball.
Choose a bowling ball weighted “just right”
Choose a bowling ball not too heavy and not too light. A bowling ball too light won’t knock as many pins over as a heavier one. Kids that are smaller often struggle to throw a bowling ball that is too heavy and can easily lose control of their shot. A “just right” bowling ball weight gives a child the right combination of control and power into the pins.
Use bowling lane arrows when aiming
Bowling beginners often just look at the pins when throwing their shot. Bowling lanes have arrows about fifteen feet past the foul line that are much easier to hit. That is the reason the arrows are there, for aiming. Every fifth board there is an arrow and they are typically used for aiming and to make adjustments.
Use the bowling approach markers
The approach markers are helpful to the bowler because they allow you to begin your bowling approach in precisely the same position. This combined with the lane arrows is an effective method for aiming and even a beginner can become consistent very rapidly. You can also adjust the length of your approach allowing you to finish near but not over the foul line.
Start far enough up on the bowling approach
Many beginners make the mistake of finishing too far behind the foul by several feet making the game harder in a couple of ways. The lane is already sixty feet long so adding a few feet obviously makes it harder. Also, the approach doesn’t have oil on it and the lane does, if you have any kind of hook on the bowling ball it will hook instantly when released onto the approach and not onto the lane itself.
Learn basic bowling timing
Bowling can be a difficult game. Learning to aim, timing the bowling approach, and adjusting to mistakes make it a big challenge. The ability to throw the bowling ball in the same direction every shot depends on consistent timing. Typical bowling timing uses a five step approach, although beginning kids may want to use a four step approach because it may be a little easier for them.
Use bowling bumpers for very young children
Very small children have difficulty keeping the ball on the lane until it hits the pins. Most bowling centers have some kind of bumper that bounces the ball back onto the lane and guarantees that the child will hit some pins. It is a much more exciting experience for the child.
Don’t go past the foul line
This is obviously a rule of bowling, but another reason for this bowling tip is safety. The bowling center puts oil on the lanes to protect them among other reasons. This oil is incredibly slippery and has caused many accidents for the unsuspecting beginner bowler.
Bowl when it’s your turn and not before
Wait for the lane on either side of your lane to be clear of bowlers. Another safety tip and also a general courtesy to bowlers on the lanes next to your bowling lane.
Consider joining a junior bowling league
Learning to bowl with others is one of the fastest ways to improve. The competitive spirit in a league can drive kids to learn from everyone around them and usually the bowling center will have a junior coach that can help out.
