All feel free to correct me, but this sight does not have a forum I can go to for suggestions on how to step by step get my children started out handling and shooting firearms. I mean beyond when they take and pass a basic hunters education cource. I also mean teaching beyond the Eddie the Eagle program as well, besides no where I know of teaches the ETE program near my home.

My boys at present have both soft air bb guns as well as single shot .177 pellit guns that I use to teach and prepair them for their first .22s. If ever there was a proper use for the term "EXPERT ADVICE" finding a method that will work well to teach my boys safe firearm handling would be it.

I mean I can beat them to death with the do's and dont's but I strongly feel there has to be away to make the lessons far more easy to learn and retain than if I simply do it totally on my own without some expert help.

I have searched the internet and checked with the major sporting goods stores near my house and none offer children spacific firearms handling classes.

Being as children are litteraly the lifes blood and future of both firearm ownership and hunting in America, I think having a forum devoted to strictly the best ways to get our children started in what will become a life long passion of friearms and hunting make absolite sence.

Please give me fed back and your suggestions on this, as I feel it is of the utmost importance to all serious firearm ownwers and hunters. If nothing else does anyone know of a book or website that offers step by step of how to introduce your young children to firearms and train them accordingly? my boys ages are 8 and 10.

Thankfully both my boys are constantly asking me when will they go on thier first "real hunt" with a "real gun" and when will they get to start going with me to the shooting range. So you can see why I need help and expert advice in as timely a mannor as possable. I dont want to tech them as I was tought because I had no formal firearms trianing and was self taught, so other than simply using common sence as my giude I feel expert advice would be of tremendous value.

Thank you,
Art.

Art, Your own expertise and common sense are the best training you can pass on to you children.
When the time came for mine being able to hold a proper firearm I took him to the range.
Here in Scotland the range/club is very structured, with range officers making sure you are doing it safely and correctly. A bit like having to pass the driving test.
We also have organisations like the British Association for Shooting and Conservation, who organise 'young shots' days, dedicated to help the youngsters,with a treasure trove of helpful, legal, useful information,at least on this side of the pond.
Talk to Saeed,a very knowledgable man, who teaches his youngsters. And a lot of good info on these (various) forms.
Maybe the NRA.jc

Art,

If kids wish to learn to shoot, they should be learning from grown ups.

They should read and participate in all the relevant forums here, where people have been very generous with sharing their knowledge.

Art, how did YOU get started with firearms? My Dad was not a hunter or a shooter, he liked to fish. All my experience was either self absorbed or thru a little help from friends. If you have a gun range you go to on a regular basis, take your children with you as observers.

You don't list where you live, so things will be different from state to state and country to country. Nearly all of the U.S. states and I think most or all of the Canadian Provinces have Hunter Education programs in place.

If you are comfortable and confident handling firearms/shooting/hunting then you are the one most qualified to nurture your boys into the sport. Check with the NRA or depending on where you live check with the local FFA (Future Farmers of America) chapter as they offer training programs in some areas.

Also check with your states/provinces Game & Fish Dept.

Do you have a hunting buddy who your kids know and regard as a family friend? Often its easier for a non-family member to teach youngsters the do's and don'ts because the relationship is differant to the parent/child thing.

Ultimately the best thing you can do , however you do it , is to spend time in the outdoors with your kids. Set up a target , shoot some cans , get one of those self-setting metal targets that make a plink when you hit it. But dont make the kids do this all day long. Little and often is better. Interactive targets are great - and you guys have access to exploding ones which would be even better.... ;-)

I take it nobody is contemplating with this that kids would be involved as posters on AR.

That would not be a real good idea at least in the states. You can't have under 18s involved in discussions and photos on the internet of handguns and tech weapons without attracting attention of the kind you don't want.

There are more person to person ways to accomplish acquainting youngsters to the shooting sports.