Pre-School and Daycare

XP: Has anyone taken DC bowling?

We are taking DD bowling tonight. Any advice or experience?  Did your DC like it?  She will 3 in a few weeks, if that matters.
image

Re: XP: Has anyone taken DC bowling?

  • It's been quite a while since we've taken DD, but I'd definitely get a bowling ball "rollercoaster" after she get tired of trying to roll the ball. Not sure what it's called, but it's a little ramp for the ball. The child places the ball at the top and it rolls down and gets enough velocity to actually make it all the way to the pins.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
  • imagebrightning:
    It's been quite a while since we've taken DD, but I'd definitely get a bowling ball "rollercoaster" after she get tired of trying to roll the ball. Not sure what it's called, but it's a little ramp for the ball. The child places the ball at the top and it rolls down and gets enough velocity to actually make it all the way to the pins.

    Those are what inspired us to take her!  We went a few months back and saw a child using one.  We wanted to wait until her arms were a little stronger. Thanks for the tip.  

    image
  • Loading the player...
  • Ditto the "ball rollercoaster" and also don't be too concerned about keeping score and making sure everyone takes his or her turn when it comes up.  If it's Susie's turn and she's more interested in playing with the blower that dries your hands off, but another kid is itching for a turn, let the other kid bowl in Susie's place and give Susie a turn when it's her time.

    Also, the first 10 frames with a kid or kids always seem to zoom by.  You'll be tempted to play another 10 frames.  Don't.  Spend the rest of the time checking out other cool stuff in the bowling alley, such as the ball racks, the shoe rental place, the food counter, the arcade, and the gumball machines.  In my experience, kids are really only interested in bowling about 3 more frames of that second game, then they are done.  Getting them through the last SEVEN frames is a drag.  By the end, no one is looking forward to coming back next time.  Leave when everyone is still jazzed for bowling and you'll all be happier.

    High School English teacher and mom of 2 kids:

    DD, born 9/06/00 -- 12th grade
    DS, born 8/25/04 -- 7th grade
  • imageneverblushed:

    Ditto the "ball rollercoaster" and also don't be too concerned about keeping score and making sure everyone takes his or her turn when it comes up.  If it's Susie's turn and she's more interested in playing with the blower that dries your hands off, but another kid is itching for a turn, let the other kid bowl in Susie's place and give Susie a turn when it's her time.

    Also, the first 10 frames with a kid or kids always seem to zoom by.  You'll be tempted to play another 10 frames.  Don't.  Spend the rest of the time checking out other cool stuff in the bowling alley, such as the ball racks, the shoe rental place, the food counter, the arcade, and the gumball machines.  In my experience, kids are really only interested in bowling about 3 more frames of that second game, then they are done.  Getting them through the last SEVEN frames is a drag.  By the end, no one is looking forward to coming back next time.  Leave when everyone is still jazzed for bowling and you'll all be happier.

    By next kid, you mean DH, right? :P  Thanks for the tips.  The place we are going has a huge arcade and climbing room.  I am hoping one game is enough.  

    image
  • imageMysterious_wife:
    imageneverblushed:

    Ditto the "ball rollercoaster" and also don't be too concerned about keeping score and making sure everyone takes his or her turn when it comes up.  If it's Susie's turn and she's more interested in playing with the blower that dries your hands off, but another kid is itching for a turn, let the other kid bowl in Susie's place and give Susie a turn when it's her time.

    Also, the first 10 frames with a kid or kids always seem to zoom by.  You'll be tempted to play another 10 frames.  Don't.  Spend the rest of the time checking out other cool stuff in the bowling alley, such as the ball racks, the shoe rental place, the food counter, the arcade, and the gumball machines.  In my experience, kids are really only interested in bowling about 3 more frames of that second game, then they are done.  Getting them through the last SEVEN frames is a drag.  By the end, no one is looking forward to coming back next time.  Leave when everyone is still jazzed for bowling and you'll all be happier.

    By next kid, you mean DH, right? :P  Thanks for the tips.  The place we are going has a huge arcade and climbing room.  I am hoping one game is enough.  

    Yes, snort!  That's often the way it works in my family too.  We joke sometimes that DH has 2 kids, but I have 3.

    I went last summer with a mommy friend whose 2 oldest sons happened to be in my kids' classes.  All told we had the following bowlers:

    Me, other mom, a 9 y/o boy, an 8 y/o girl, a 5 y/o boy, a 4 y/o boy, and a 2 y/o boy.  Every kid, right down to the 2 y/o BEGGED to play another round at the end of the first.  But even the 3rd graders were getting distracted and bored by the middle of the second game!  The other mom and I pretty much dismissed them to the arcade and just rolled enough balls down one after the other to clear the game and get outta there!

    High School English teacher and mom of 2 kids:

    DD, born 9/06/00 -- 12th grade
    DS, born 8/25/04 -- 7th grade
  • I take DD and she loves it!  My bowling place also has one of those ramps which makes a world of difference.  I also agree that one round is about all you can expect at that age.  
    Lilypie Kids Birthday tickers
  • Rink08Rink08 member
    My IL's own a bowling alley and DS has been bowling since age 2. We just use the bumpers and try to use a lane on one of the ends (there were a few times that DH had to run down and "help" the ball when DS was younger but now he's just fine at making it all the way down.) He loves it and wants to go whenever we see the IL's
  • Griffin was a few months before 3 y/o when we took him bowling - he LOVED it - the rack they have to roll the ball down was really great, and bumper bowling of course.  He had so much fun- we considered doing his 3rd bday party there but decided to wait until he was older (since there was something else cute we wanted to do for 3, that would be too babyish for 4 or 5)
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"