This is sad. How old do you think kids should start playing?

[RPP]

First time I played, I was 8. I loved it from the get go, but I was a little crazy kid. I never minded getting hit, probably why I'm a hockey goalie too.

It's definitely a kid to kid case, some won't like it and some will love it. I had great times playing with my dad and brother back then.

I think those of us that enjoy/are obsessed with paintball are all a little addicted to the pain/stimulus lol.

[Sadman102]

Just started my brother at 14 I waited for him to ask and play now we are part of group and he learning to take the hit

[zmannz1984]

I think it depends on the kid now more than ever. I grew up on a farm and was running free with a BB/pellet gun at 6. I got my first marker at 10 or 11 after seeing my friend's older brother with a stingray. We thought seeing the ball fly and break on stuff was more fun than shooting BBs, so we would sneak his stingray out when he was working. I didn't play until 12 I think, but it was organized by parents. We were in a saddle club and someone thought us kids would have fun paintballing so they got us some Brass eagle Talon sets and made us wear the masks. Never had an injury or problem over years of weekends in the woods on our own.

I was playing at a field by age 14 (1996-97ish) and our posted minimum age was 12 if I remember correctly, but there was a lot of discretion regarding mask fit and any lifted mask was an immediate dismissal to wait at the staging areas. We regularly had kids under 10 that were big and responsible enough, and a fair number of adults that couldn't keep their mask down lol.

I am just coming back to the sport, partially inspired by my nephews, 11 and 13. They got themselves gel blasters this spring and watching them made me nostalgic. My sister wants both to play, the older one needs teamwork and discipline and the younger could stand to "toughen up" a little. I am trying to get enough gear to play on our farm some then I plan to take them for the older one's 14th birthday. I am considering trying to do some coaching for kids as well.

The one thing I think helps the youngsters stay safe and fall in love is parental involvement. The kids that got dropped off for the day were always the problem players at our field, either being little buttheads or basically hiding away in a corner. The kids with moms/dads playing too always have a blast and nearly always came back.

[Chuck E Ducky]

If you are starting the kids early parental supervision is Key I agree!

[ATBen]

I tell my 7 year old she can play when she lets me shoot her at 50ft. So far, no interest. She still asks if can play whenever she sees me packing tho.

[Chuck E Ducky]

I don’t think shooting them outside of a game is a good way of introducing them. There is definitely a benefit of adrenaline dump that comes from playing that deadens the first shot. With mine we played some games ware the kids got to shoot at the adults with no markers. Then we pair the kids up with an adult and got shot at. End of Day Dad gave them there first shot to see how they could handle it. Next time out we played normally in controlled outlaw environment. Then went full send at a commercial field. I played with them keeping overwatch till they were ready to hunt on their own. They now regularly take off to the front line on their own during big games while Dad is flapping his gums.

[vijil]

My oldest is ten, but she wouldn't be interested. My boys are 8 and 7, but they've never seen me play.

I haven't even touched a PB gun in over a decade now. Mainly because paintball in NZ is in terminal decline.

[trashcollector]

I introduced my oldest (9) with the markers turned down to 200fps. He bugged me to come to the field and play with me. There were tears when he got hit followed by breaks on the side of the field but if I’m playing and having fun, he’ll come back and join me in another game.
10-12 would have been best but if he’s up for it, why not? I made the consequences clear. He didn’t like the pain but I think the camaraderie won the day. He’s looking forward to laying in a big game with tanks and nerf launchers.

[Fouts1323]

10+ in a hoodie and somewhere there aren't arseholes to overshoot them. Nothing worse than a young kid getting lit up their first time and being done.