Are you looking for a fun activity for your kids that will keep them away from the TV and gaming consoles for a while?
Archery can be a great outdoor pastime for your kids. If you want to encourage your kids to get into archery, you have to buy the right equipment.
Purchasing the best short draw compound bow for short draw length should top your priorities. Even if you are an avid archer yourself, shopping archery gears for children might feel a bit puzzling for you.
You might get confused about what will be too overwhelming, and what could be too much of an underwhelming option for beginners.
Therefore, we have decided to break down the factors you need to be looking at while buying entry-level bows.
To make your pursuit even simpler, we have shortlisted 5 bows that you might find befitting for your children.
5 Top Best Bow For Short Draw Length Reviews 2023
1. Bear Archery Wizard Youth Bow
Bear Archery is one of the oldest archery equipment manufacturers currently in business. They specialize in making archery gears aimed at children.
Therefore, Bear Archery products will feature predominantly in our best bow for short draw length reviews. First up, we will focus on Bear Archery Wizard Youth Bow.
The target demographic for this bow is children aged between 5 to 10 years old. It’s very flexible to use and has a high margin of error for positioning and shooting.
The bow set comes with arrows and a target, so it is the complete starter pack for your kids to have their very first archery experience.
Even though it’s made for a minor age group, the Bear Archery Wizard Youth Bow is no toy. It is a highly rated learning apparatus for young archers.
Many youth clubs and scouting troops use the Wizard Youth bow for training their members, which signifies the effectiveness of this bow as instructional equipment.
The bow is as basic as it comes. But, it serves its purpose well. The rise has a spacious grip, which makes it comfortable to operate for extended sessions.
The fact that it’s lightweight, adds more to its maneuverability. The bow boasts an ambidextrous design, so that can it can be used by anyone regardless of hand orientation.
Features
Specs
Bow Size: 44 inches.
Draw Weight Range: 10 to 18 pounds.
Draw Length Range: 17 to 24 inches.
PROS
CONS
Check Out The Related Reviews: Best Recurve Crossbow
2. Bear Archery Titan Bow
Bear Archery Titan Bow caters to a slightly mature group of archers. For pre-teens and young adults, this could be the best bow for short draw length.
The fiberglass build is incredibly gorgeous and sturdy. This would be a fantastic choice to accommodate your children’s transition from a beginner to an intermediate-level archer.
That said, the low weight and versatile grip of this unit make us believe it would be good for younger users as well. The rubber-laden grip makes the bow highly ergonomic.
The composite limbs paired with ambidextrous compatibility make for a truly practical design. Weighing less than 1.6 pounds, this bow would feel like a breeze at anyone’s hands.
The Bear Archery Titan Bow packs enough for power to pursue some low-key hunting. You can hope to bag small games like rabbits and squirrels using this bow.
You can effortlessly pierce foam targets from 25 to 30 yards out. If you know your way around a bow, you can hit the spot from 40 or even 50 yards.
Upon unboxing, the only thing you need to do for completely assembling this bow is to attach the string.
The full set includes a paper target, finger tab, quiver, and two 28 inch safety-glass arrows. The draw weight of this bow ranges from 20 to 29 pounds, which is ideal for target practicing.
Features
Specs
Bow Size: 60 inches.
Draw Weight Range: 20 to 29 pounds.
Draw Length Range: 22 to 28 inches.
PROS
CONS
3. Bear Archery Firebird Youth Bow
Bear Archery Firebird Youth Bow is another high-quality junior-level bow to consider for your children. Like the Titan, this bow is also suitable for 12-year-olds.
If you are looking for the best bow for short draw length to get some target shooting done, you might find this to fit your profile. The fiberglass-made body will impress you at first sight.
It’s great to look at, and once you take it in your hands, you will be able to apprehend the sturdiness of the bow. The 60-inch raiser has a synthetic handle and armrest for better comfort and enhanced performance.
Your kids would have a lot of fun learning to shoot arrows with this bow. The only assembly job you have to do by yourself is to string the bow. The string is the same polyester bowstring used in Bear Archery Titan.
It assigns the perfect draw weight for entry-level archers. Your kids should have no issues pulling it back and releasing the arrow with maximum momentum.
For the level of utility, you would get from this bow, the price is fairly low. The bow can generate sufficient penetrating power to kill small-sized animals.
So, it can be used for small game hunting. Overall, this is a good recurve bow to purchase for kids and adults who are still newcomers to the archery scene.
Features
Specs
Bow Size: 60 inches.
Draw Weight Range: 30 to 35 pounds.
Draw Length Range: 22 to 28 inches.
PROS
CONS
Related Guide: best broadheads for recurve bow
4. CenterPoint Archery ABY215 Sentinel Youth Recurve Bow
The CenterPoint Archery ABY215 Sentinel Youth Recurve Bow is a bow specifically designed for children. The age group in question is 4 to 8 years old. So, it doesn’t have much of a use for adults or even pre-teens.
But, it can be the best bow for short draw length for the age class it originally targets. The bow comes with a complete archery set. The bow comes pre-assembled and ready for use.
No need to string it as well. The package also contains a two-piece quiver (which you have to put together), two pieces of composite arrows, and finger tabs. Once fully assembled, the bow looks fascinating.
However, it needs to be kept in mind that this set is for preliminary level archers only. It’s quite cheap, so it’s a good option to introduce your kids to the fundamentals of the sport before you move on to a more advanced weapon.
With appropriate arrows, your kids can hit targets within a 20-30 yards range. The 8-inch brace height is highly forgiving of posture and aiming errors. Since it’s aimed at kids, the bow feels virtually weightless at hand.
This bow set from CenterPoint merges the gap between toy replicas and a fully functioning bow. It incorporates the best of both worlds to give your child a gleeful introduction to the world of archery.
Features
Specs
Bow Size: 45 inches.
Draw Weight: 20 pounds.
Draw Length Range: Max. 25 inches.
PROS
CONS
5. Bear Archery Crusader Youth Bow
We will wrap up our best bow for a short draw length list with another Bear Archery bow. The Bear Archery Crusader Youth Bow is meant for children aged 9 years and up.
If you buy the entire set, it will come with almost everything you need to get your little archer ready for his/her first shooting session.
The only thing missing from the bow when you take it out of the box is the string. This bow doesn’t have a stringer.
You need to buy an additional stringer, but the low price of the entire unit somewhat makes up for it. After stringing the bow, take some price shot to ensure the stringer is holding up well.
This bow is strictly educational, as it is far too underpowered to take on some serious archery challengers.
The arrows that come with the set are a bit too little. I would recommend going with 27 or 28-inch arrows for better precision and launch strength. The bow only weighs a couple of pounds.
You can stay assured that it will not wear out your kids after a while. As we have seen in other Bear Archery bows in this article, this bow has an ambidextrous riser.
The bow parts are made of hard-wearing fiberglass, so you can expect the bow to last for a few years. This is a good transitional bow for your children to hone their skills. It’s easy to handle and maintain.
Features
Specs
Bow Size: 45 inches.
Draw Weight: 20 pounds.
Draw Length Range: Max. 25 inches.
PROS
CONS
How To Buy The Best Bow For Short Draw Length?
Recurve or Compound?
Bows are available in two common variants: recurves and compounds. A compound bow is more sophisticated, compared to its recurve counterparts.
You can assemble several accessories to put together a compound bow unit of your liking. The customization option allows the archer to tailor the bow according to his needs.
This results in more flexibility and better accuracy. Recurve bows, on the other hand, are the most basic forms of bows. They don’t have the extravagance of compounds.
You will have to be relying on your natural skills more often while using these. And this particular aspect makes recurve bows a superior learning choice than compounds.
Using a recurve, you can develop your posture and shoot profoundly over time. Recurve bows are also easier to care for, given the lack of complexion.
They come with cheaper price tags as well. The extra curvature in recurve bow limbs makes them the best bow for short draw length. The bow design enables it to produce superior speed and power at any pulling strength.
That’s why Olympians use these bows. In fact, recurve bows are the only type of bows allowed in archery events in the Olympics.
Choosing The Right Draw Weight
When an archer draws the bowstring towards his body, he holds on to a certain amount of weight. The draw weight is the exact amount of weight held by the archer when the bowstring is fully drawn.
This number could add up to anywhere between 30 to 70 pounds for an adult, but it has to be significantly lower for children. The draw weight varies from bow to bow.
Children and beginners mustn’t start with higher weight ranges. If the draw weight feels too burdensome, the users will not be able to generate enough penetrating force.
They will also be susceptible to muscle injuries, which would be rather disheartening. Starting with appropriate draw weights, children would be able to adapt fast.
They will also build up sufficient muscle strength and instinctive prowess to perfect their draws and releases. Here is a recommended draw weight chart for different age groups-
| Age Group | Draw Weight |
| 6-8 | 10-13 lbs |
| 9-13 | 14-24 lbs |
| 14 and above | 15 lbs and above |
The best bow for short draw length should have a draw weight that is consistent with this chart.
Get The Draw Length and Bow Size Right
Draw length is one of the most important fundamental properties of a bow. Once you determine a perfect draw length, you can choose a bow size accordingly.
Simply put, draw length indicates how far you can pull the string back from its original position. You can calculate the ideal draw length for you applying this simple formula-
Draw Length=Arm Span/2.5
The arm span is the distance between the tip of your right-hand middle finger and the tip of your left-hand middle finger.
To measure this, spread out your arms and ask to measure the distance between the two fingertips. The alternative term for this metric is the ‘wingspan.’
After determining the draw length value, your next step is to pick the bow size that can deliver that draw length. The following chart will be helpful in finding the correct bow size for your draw length-
| Draw Length (inches) | Bow Size (inches) |
| 14-17 | 48 |
| 17-19 | 54 |
| 19-21 | 58 |
| 21-23 | 60-62 |
| 24-27 | 64-66 |
| 27-29 | 66-68 |
| 29-31 | 68-70 |
Ensure Comfortable Bow Weight
Most youth-oriented bows are quite lightweight. Still, you should let your kids try the bow out first-hand. If they feel comfortable with the weight, then go for it.
Heavy bows will stress out the user and make it difficult for them to maneuver. So, the weight factor is particularly important too.
Select Appropriate Arrow Size
A lot of archers don’t give much thought to arrow selection. Many even believe that all arrows come in a similar size. That’s not the case in reality.
Arrows come in a variety of shapes, and for short draw length bows, standard arrow sizes won’t be suitable.
You need to use arrows sized between 28 to 30 inches. Otherwise, children will have a hard time releasing the arrow and producing adequate string tension to power its flight.
Don’t Overspend
Children grow up fast. So, there’s no point splashing serious cash on buying archery equipment for kids.
You can purchase some of the best bows for short draw length at modest prices. Of course, there are high-end options that boast superior features.
But, you should keep in mind that your kid will not be using this forever. He/she will soon outgrow the bow they are using now, and you will have to buy them another one when they do.
Save the money now, and invest it in better gear after the kids get the hang of the bow and arrow game.
Why Should I Teach My Kids Archery?
It’s Mentally and Physically Beneficial
Archery has substantial physical and psychological benefits. When you pull a bowstring, you are holding considerable weight on your hands.
This helps in strengthening hand muscles, and you can gradually take it up a notch by increasing draw weights.
Arrow shooting demands a decent amount of stamina burn too. Maintaining correct posture and position contributes to building up upper body strength.
As you attempt to hit your target, your eye-hand correlation will get better. All of this will result in improved body balance. The psychological gains from practicing archery are not overlookable at all.
When you are out with your bow and quiver, all you would be caring about is hitting the bulls-eye. This temporary escape from the real world, allows you to eradicate stress and anxiety from your life.
Taking up archery can also provide a healthy mode of competition for children and help boost their confidence levels. As they get better with practice, they will feel more encouraged to explore newer activities.
Teaches Valuable Life Skills
Archery can help your kids master some essential life skills. It can make your kids more determined to achieve their goals.
If they develop enough passion for the sport, they will refuse to give up before they get that perfect shot. They also need to adhere to the guidelines to materialize their archery ambitions.
The effort your child puts into the range can teach them persistence, patience, and discipline. Without developing these skills, you will never be successful in archery.
And once your kids become adept at these qualities, they can implement these in other aspects of their life.
Archery Is An All-Inclusive Activity
Compared to other sports, the barrier of entry is exceptionally low. You don’t need specific physical attributes to excel in archery.
One of the myths you might have heard about archery is that you require a 20/20 vision to become a successful archer.
Many Olympic archers have imperfect eyesight, and you will face no troubleshooting arrows wearing regular eyewear.
You can successfully pursue archery regardless of your age, physical shape, and sex. Since archery is open for all, it can be a fun family undertaking.
Unaffected By Weather Conditions
The versatility of archery makes it a sport for all seasons. You can try this outside, or under the roof, in either setting, it’s fairly entertaining.
Be it summer, or be it winter, your children can always keep themselves busy with their bows and arrows.
Scholarships
Archery is more than just an after-school activity for your kids to blow off some steam. It’s a globally recognized sport, and there are some lucrative scholarship offers for promising young archers.
The National Field Archery Association Foundation (NFAAF), World Sport Chicago, State Archery Association of Massachusetts are some of the organizations which have scholarship programs for archers.
Some of these scholarships can amount to up to $20,000 per year. Many colleges have their own archery scholarship offerings.
Michigan State University, for example, has a $2000 scholarship program for archers pursuing a higher educational degree.
It’s Fun
The primary purpose of any sport is to lift your morale. Archery is excellent as a recreational activity. The joy of hitting a streak of bulls-eyes is no less satisfying than scoring a touchdown or hitting a home run.
Is Archery Safe For Children?
Contrary to popular belief, archery is one of the safest sports for children. In a report published by Archery Trade in 2016, statistics suggest only bowling, badminton, and table tennis have reported fewer injury cases than archery.
In archery clubs, children are given safety instructions, and they remain under strict supervision. So, the risks are almost non-existent.
Final Thoughts
To make your children fall in love with the wonderful sport of archery, it’s imperative to give them a bow that will keep them motivated and persistent.
Hopefully, this article will help you pick the best bow for a short draw length that can properly assist your children in developing their abilities as an archer.