I have a 4 year old girl who has "hit" balls with me since she was 18 months. In the beginning, I just stood by her at the table and let her bump the balls around with half a cue to let her foster enjoyment for being at the table. No teaching or anything like that. As she has hit balls with me, she eventually tries to do things like I do. About a year ago, she began trying to hit the balls by actually sliding the cue in one hand instead of moving the whole thing at once. I still did not try to teach her anything yet, because she did not seem ready for it. Today, while watching Yu Ram Cha play Karen Corr, she was cheering on Cha, and turned to me and said, "Daddy, I want to be as good as her". I told her she could be if she practiced enough, and she began begging me to go hit balls. We went to the table and I decided to show her a basic closed bridge to give her some control. I do not force anything on her, and let her play only as long as she wants to, but I was wondering what would be the best type of bridge to use at this age. I would also happily accept any knowledgeable advice for a girl this age (4 y/o). Thanks!
What bridge to teach a child?
- Thread starter mantis99
- Start date
I let my boy use his wrist for the bridge, the main thin IMO is for the to learn to hold the cue. As long as they have a something solid to bridge on they can worry about mechanics.
Now my boy is 9 and using a regular open and closed bridge as he sees fit.
Now my boy is 9 and using a regular open and closed bridge as he sees fit.
BTW, my boy started playing at 18 months as well. He used his wrist quite well right up until his fingers were steady enough to switch to his fingers...
In order for the 4 year old to play at a table make sure her height is such that her shooting shoulder is higher than the rail. A booster may be necessary at age 4.
With a sidearm stance (standing sideways) she should make a closed rail bridge (easiest bridge and most appropriate at this stage). Teach her to tuck her thumb.
Set a cueball near a rail and let her shoot it into a pocket. Allow her to shoot 15 to 20 more balls in the same manner. Encourage a pendulum movement. The sidearm is okay for now. As she grows, move the arm position up an inch at a time. In a few years the elbow will be correctly in the up position. 5 minutes a day of this is great for a 4 year old.
As she progresses then place a ball(s) near a pocket so she can start pocketing balls and let her do this for 5 to 10 minutes.
Good luck and have fun!
Stan Shuffett
With a sidearm stance (standing sideways) she should make a closed rail bridge (easiest bridge and most appropriate at this stage). Teach her to tuck her thumb.
Set a cueball near a rail and let her shoot it into a pocket. Allow her to shoot 15 to 20 more balls in the same manner. Encourage a pendulum movement. The sidearm is okay for now. As she grows, move the arm position up an inch at a time. In a few years the elbow will be correctly in the up position. 5 minutes a day of this is great for a 4 year old.
As she progresses then place a ball(s) near a pocket so she can start pocketing balls and let her do this for 5 to 10 minutes.
Good luck and have fun!
Stan Shuffett
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Thanks for the advice everyone!
She actually stands on a kid sized chair with me standing right next to her, so she does not have to adopt a sidearm stroke. I heard once that Lori John Jones dad built her a platform to go around the table for her to stand on when she was 4. If she keeps enjoying hitting balls, I may make an easy to move set up like that.
She actually stands on a kid sized chair with me standing right next to her, so she does not have to adopt a sidearm stroke. I heard once that Lori John Jones dad built her a platform to go around the table for her to stand on when she was 4. If she keeps enjoying hitting balls, I may make an easy to move set up like that.
We started our granddaughter out with her own cue at 6 or 7 months old. At first, we just taught her the parts of the cue (shaft, butt, wrap) and showed her to hold the butt on the wrap area and the shaft where it was comfortable for her. We sat her on the table and tried to teach her to let the cue glide through her closed hand. Sometimes, she did good, sometimes, she just pushed at the balls. But, she quickly got the idea to hit the cue ball into the other balls to knock them in the pockets, because we put the balls (one at a time) near the pocket where they would fall if hit and then, we sat her on the table and helped her aim the cue, so she hit most of them. Sometimes, even before a year old, she would send the cue ball over and knock the object ball in all by herself.
As she grew, we started getting the slide of the shaft working more properly and called it her "guide" hand, because it guides the cue to the cue ball. Now, she loves standing on a crate and shooting the balls around the table. She's not great at it, but she puts the effort in and she knows what the bridge is for. But, we just call it a guide, because it's easier for her to call it something that makes sense and helps her understand the game, right now.
You have to pay attention to what works for your child. Until they get where they can reach more easily and understand the rules of the game, you have to teach them little things that will make their understanding and execution as clean as possible.
And remember.... Little kids take everything you say very litterally. If you say to cut the ball into the pocket, it takes a while for them to understand what you want, because you can't cut something very easily with a piece of round wood!
As she grew, we started getting the slide of the shaft working more properly and called it her "guide" hand, because it guides the cue to the cue ball. Now, she loves standing on a crate and shooting the balls around the table. She's not great at it, but she puts the effort in and she knows what the bridge is for. But, we just call it a guide, because it's easier for her to call it something that makes sense and helps her understand the game, right now.
You have to pay attention to what works for your child. Until they get where they can reach more easily and understand the rules of the game, you have to teach them little things that will make their understanding and execution as clean as possible.
And remember.... Little kids take everything you say very litterally. If you say to cut the ball into the pocket, it takes a while for them to understand what you want, because you can't cut something very easily with a piece of round wood!
It is hard for small kids to form a good bridge. Using their wrist doesn't form a solid enough one to keep the cue in line.
How about letting the little folks just hold onto a bridgehead so they can slide the cue. It works well on my table.
How about letting the little folks just hold onto a bridgehead so they can slide the cue. It works well on my table.
I'm a freaking pool junkie but are you guys serious? Starting kids out at 6 or 7 months, 18 months!?!?! WTF? I have a three year old and there is no way I am going to even think about introducing him until he is at least 5 or 6. Years! I can understand 4 years but 18 months? My son has a $1,000 Dickie cue and an old Meucci my Dad left him and he is not getting his paws on those until he is at least 12 or 13...
I'm taking good advice on teaching him the game as well. I told a buddy that when my son was old enough, and if he wanted to learn, that I was going to make him a champion. He said that when that time came for me to not teach him anything, w/ an emphasis on anything, he would take care of that.... LOL
I'm taking good advice on teaching him the game as well. I told a buddy that when my son was old enough, and if he wanted to learn, that I was going to make him a champion. He said that when that time came for me to not teach him anything, w/ an emphasis on anything, he would take care of that.... LOL
The Saw said:
Its never too early to start fostering an enjoyment for something. She saw me playing and wanted to do what Daddy was doing. So I held her up and let her hit some balls at 18 months. Pretty soon, she asked me every day to go play pool balls as she put it. We only play when she asks to, and only as long as she wants to. She is now getting to a point where a little basic idea of how to hold the cue will increase her enjoyment.
congratulations! you must be thrilled!
My son isn't a year old yet, but I can't tell you how much I look forward to the day I can share the game (and fishing) with him.
My son isn't a year old yet, but I can't tell you how much I look forward to the day I can share the game (and fishing) with him.
I think she can use an omni bridge to help her support the shaft and it help her understand how a bridge can be formed. The omni bridge was invented by Joel Weinstock and it's a great bridge tool as well as a tool for beginner who want to understand how a stroke is support to feel. I'm don't have any available anymore and I'm not sure if it available anywhere as these may have been discontinue. It's a great bridge with stainless steel bearing that allow the shaft to glide. It may be a great training aid device for her.
Regards,
Duc.
Regards,
Duc.
mantis99 said:
That's cool, I may have taken your original comments out of context. In golf, I have seen a few kids get force fed into the game by overzealous parents and become great talents only to get burnt out in their mid-late teens and then hate the game and give it up... It is a shame to see someone with pro-caliber potential throw it all away.
Personally, I'm going to try and keep my kids as far away from pool as I can until they finish university....then I'll look forward to having a game with them. Don't want to give them a head start too young 
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Cuemaster98 said:Personally, I'm going to try and keep my kids as far away from pool as I can until they finish university....then I'll look forward to having a game with them. Don't want to give them a head start too young
I understand why you say this. However, I really wish I had started playing pool at a young age. The game of pool takes so much practice time to become proficient, that it becomes prohibitive when you have a full time job. As a kid, you can practice hours a day, and once you learn and get the feel of things, you can always get it back.
A decent analogy is this. I played baseball from the time I was a little boy all the way through college. I probably took over a million swings of a bat, and threw a ball at least 10 times that. I now play softball with some guys who played baseball until highschool, and are decent athletes, but unless they devote themselves to the game now, they will never gain the feel and knowledge of the game that someone who played it so much has.
With that being said, I simply like to let them try whatever games/sports/activities that they want, them let them choose which they want to pursue, and how hard. If they want to make a real go at it, I will try to provide the resources and support for them to be successful.
