Curriculum for kids?

[MDS]

So my boys, 4 and 2, are showing some real interest in guns lately, especially my oldest. I like what Kathy has to say in her "Kids and Guns" section of the Cornered Cat website. So as soon as either of them showed any interest by asking about guns (usually prompted by bumping into my carry gun,) we'd have a short reminder chat about what to do if they find a gun, and then I'd take them to the basement, unload, make sure there's no ammo in the area, and dry fire at a concrete wall. It's a 5-minute routine and they never had the attention span to reach the actual dry fire part. It went like this every couple of months for maybe a year or more. About a week ago, it happened again but they stuck through the routing, they liked dry-firing a lot, and they wanted to shoot it for real. I made them "earn it" by sitting through a few more dry fire "sessions" and yesterday we took a crappy little airsoft rifle in the back yard. They loved it, and even though they're asking to shoot the "real gun" I'm thinking of keeping them in airsoft until I feel like they actually care about hitting. Then I'll take them to the woods with the 22lr rifle and some reactive targets (cans, plastic bottles, balloons...) and force them to earn each shot by demonstrating safe handling.

That's about as far as I've thought it through. I guess I should google for kid-sized ear and eye pro. Would love to hear thoughts, criticisms, any feedback at all!

[RoyGBiv]

2 is a bit young. IIRC, mine were little more than gurgling schmoos at 2.
Definitely not capable of retaining safety requirements for handling anything that involved projectiles (not even Nerf). YMMV.

For the 4yo, you're probably familiar: http://eddieeagle.nra.org/

Spring loaded airsoft worked for us as a transition.
22 rifle was next, at about age 5. I found rifle on a rest was easier for them to shoot than a 22 handgun, which has to be held and is relatively heavy.
Single shot weapons are recommended as starters, to reduce the chance of an excited/inattentive kid shooting unintentionally, (Crickett).
"Hey dad, did you see me hit that?!?!?!".... <BANG!>

We encouraged our kids NOT to discuss guns or shooting during school (not even on the bus).
We told our kids that if any of their friends expressed interest, we'd be happy to take them shooting as long as a parent came along. Never had any takers.
We were VERY clear about "never trying to touch guns in the house when nobody was around". Everything was locked up and the safe was out of sight, so it wasn't a worry as much as demonstrating discipline.

In the end, the kids are competent, safe shooters but not interested hobbyists. They enjoyed showing off at camp, etc., but never got the bug.

[David S.]

I don't know anything about airsoft, but I sent a gazillion bb's into my childhood back yard. A Daisy pump, iirc.

[LittleLebowski]

What is ".22LR?"

[LOKNLOD]

We've been having the "what do you do if you see a gun..." etc. talks for a long while now, and my girls always showed and interest in "wanting to see daddy's guns". I dont always drag them out on demand, but I have taken the time to get them out and show them what they look like and of course give the safety spiel. The oldest (7) has been asking to shoot, so I picked up one of pink Red Ryder BB guns the other day, and let her and her middle sister (almost 5) shoot it in the back yard. Again, working on the safety aspect and just trying to encourage them and make it fun. They're both pretty tiny and to shoulder the rifle their dominant arm was fully extended just to reach the trigger, so I sawed the stock off so it fits them better. It looks like some sort of ridiculous prop from Terminator 2.5: Pride Parade but it lets them get a sort of cheek weld and try to line up the sights.

[Odin Bravo One]

What is ".22LR?"

Come on over, I'll show you. It's the tens of thousands of bullets filling ammo can after ammo can after ammo can in my garage.

[RoyGBiv]

forgot to mention, best way to take the thrill/mystery out of guns for kids is to require them to help clean after every trip to the range.

[MDS]

Come on over, I'll show you. It's the tens of thousands of bullets filling ammo can after ammo can after ammo can in my garage.

I have seen this glory. Worthy of pilgrimage.

[MDS]

And thanks for the stories and tips, all!

[Jared]

I honestly can't remember my first shot from a real gun. I do remember that dad was very "conservative" with me about what I was allowed to do as far as age, so I was like maybe 14 or so before he would let me shoot on our farm without being under his direct supervision. This was all done for safety.

That said, I do remember being maybe 5 or 6 and us shooting a 10/22. He started me on rimfire rifles, and it was maybe a couple years before we did any handgun shooting.

He always tried to make it fun, and it always was. I'm gonna get a little sentimental here, but those shooting times are probably the fondest memories of my childhood. They were a great father/son bonding experience. To this day (I'm in my 30's now) I still make it a point to make time to shoot with Dad no matter what I have going on in my life.