The Best Archery Games

Approaching the line, aiming and firing an arrow can be a meditative experience for some, as the process is repeated many times. Archery is a sport where people are in a constant competition with themselves to hit closer to the desired target. Adding some games into the mix, whether you're shooting alone or in a group can provide a new challenge and target variety. Archery games are also great tools to use when teaching the sport.

  1. William Tell

    • If you're teaching archery at a summer camp and looking for a way to challenge the campers, start by reading them the story of William Tell. Pass out crayons or markers to all the campers and have them each draw a picture depicting the head of William Tell's son with an apple on top. Have the campers pin the pictures to the target and take turns aiming for the apple. The first person to hit the apple wins a real apple for a snack. This game gives young archers a new type of target to focus on and adds elements of imagination as they pretend to be William Tell.

    Balloon Target

    • Start the setup of the game by hanging colored balloons on each of the targets. Put a different color in each corner of the target and one in the center as well. In this competition, each person gets five arrows to shoot at her target. Start at a distance of 10 yards. Once that round is complete, tally up how many balloons each person popped. Move back to a 15 yard distance and place new balloons on the target. Repeat this process until you reach a round where no one hits the balloons. Whoever pops the most balloons by the end of the game wins. This game challenges the players' aim at different distances and focus, as they'll be aiming at a different point with each arrow.

    Marbles

    • The archery version of marbles is played by placing tennis balls in a rope circle. Make a circle with approximately a 10-foot radius. Form a small pyramid with the tennis balls. Use blunt arrows to try to knock the balls out of the ring within a certain number of shots. This game adds a 3D element to a sport where you usually shoot at a flat target.

    Archery Golf

    • If you have access to a very large, deserted area that encompasses woods and fields, set up an archery golf course. To make the "holes" use 55-gallon trash bags, filled with hay and sealed. Spray paint the bags a neon color for visibility. Lay out the bags in varying distances and around obstacles like ponds or trees, if possible. Come up with a par for each bag based on the distance and difficulty. Mark each hole's starting point with a line of spray paint or field chalk. Have each player start from the line and shoot. The game proceeds like an actual game of golf. Lost arrows count as a penalty stroke. This game is good for a group and gives players the chance to practice shooting from a variety of distances in a short period of time.