Darts is a great game to learn and play for all ages. It’s easy to keep it in your house, and you’ll often find game sets out in public places like restaurants. No need to leave the kiddos out either, you can have a set just for them so they can play along too!
Before you set up Junior’s game you might be wondering, “how high should a dartboard be for a child?” The rule of thumb is that a dartboard should be hung at the height of a player’s nose aligned with the center of the board.
In this article, we’ll discuss in detail how to set up a game of darts for your little tike.
Take Measurements of Your Child
Grab your measuring tape, we’re going to get nit-picky here! Remember that rule of thumb about dartboard heights mentioned above? Follow the below process to get that dartboard at exactly the right place for your kid to start playing.
- Have your child stand up tall – no slouching!
- Measure from the floor up to the center of their nose
- Record this measurement
A standard dartboard measurement setup is 5’8” from the floor to the center of the board. We’re dealing with children here, and this measurement will be far too tall for them to enjoy the game. The measurement you just recorded will be used to set up your kid’s board so it fits them well.
Now, find the spot on the wall you’ll be placing the dartboard. This could be underneath your adult set board (just make sure your friends are aiming at the right one when you play). You’ll need a nice open wall space, just in case any darts go awry. With kids, this is more likely to happen.
You’ve got your measurement and you’ve found a spot on the wall to place the board. Time to get it mounted!
Set up Your Dartboard
Use that measurement you recorded from your child and measure from the floor to the wall and mark lightly with a pencil. This mark will be the center of your dartboard. But now, how do you hang it? Here’s your guide:
- Measure from the center of the dartboard to the hanging apparatus
- Record this number
- Using the number you just recorded measure from the pencil mark on the wall straight up and mark another spot. This is your hanging location.
Hammer a nail (or screw a screw, it’s your call!) into the top mark. Make sure it is level and secure. Hang your dartboard and double-check that the measurement from the floor to the center of the dartboard is equal to the distance from the floor to your child’s nose.
Behold your work! Your little buddy is ready to start beating you at your own game! Hmm, maybe you should’ve left it at adult height after all…
Consider Using a Kid Friendly Dartboard
For added safety, you should take take purchasing a kid-friendly dartboard into consideration. The main difference of these dartboards is that the darts do not have sharp or pointed tips.
This dartboard from amazon has magnetic tips and is a great alternative to a normal dartboard set. This type of dartboard is very safe to use indoors with children and eliminates most of the dangers of playing darts with steel or soft tips.
You won’t have to worry about darts causing holes in the walls or somebody being struck by a pointed dart.
Troubleshooting Dartboard Placement
What if you don’t know the height of the child you’re setting the board for? Maybe you have a restaurant and you just want a dartboard that’s more accessible to most children, or you want your home set up to be ready to play for your nieces and nephews.
In this case, there will be no kiddo to measure the floor to the nose. Instead, you can use what is called the “3/4’s Rule.” That is, set the board up at 3/4 of the standard dart playing height. This board will be positioned as so:
- 51” throwing distance
- 70” height to the centerboard
This 3/4 standard setup will accommodate most older kids (not talking toddlers here, but let’s not go giving them any darts anyways). They’ll be able to reach the darts and fetch them after they’ve been thrown. And they won’t be craning their necks to see the board.
Final Thoughts
There you have it! No matter if you have a specific kid in mind or you’re prepping for the general youngster, there is a method for setting up a dartboard for kids. The main idea here is to make darts both fun, accessible, and fair.
Remember to take accurate measurements and make adjustments as needed. Also consider using a kid friendly dartboard for an overall safer experience for everyone.
This way, we can encourage our kids to enjoy the game with us. That means, more fun for the family and more darts for us!