When I worked at the School Age Program Summer Camp at Hill Air Force Base as a college student we took the kids bowling each week. For an hour and a half the kids bowled their hearts and sweaty fingers out. My 2nd graders learned quickly how to run the monitors so I quickly learned how to bowl fast with my other camp counselors. As the summer wore on my skills improved and by the time I started dating my husband that fall I was racking up some real points in the lane. (Is that how pro bowlers talk? IDK) He had no idea I basically had bowling practice every week and was surprised when we went on a bowling date that I was such a serious bowler.
Our bowling dates look different now with kids but it is still one of our go to activities. National Bowling Day is the second Saturday in August, so here are some reminders of why bowling is so great.
10. Bowling is fun year round! Too hot in the summer? Go bowling! Too cold in the winter to be outside? Bowling is your game!
9. Bowling can be exercise. I know I do a nice little shuffle up to the line and my Fitbit recognizes my arm movements, so I’m counting it!
8. The bumpers don’t cost extra anymore! As a kid we never had bumpers on our lanes because of the extra charge. It appears that something has changed the last 25 years and most place don’t charge you more. I like it best when you can choose to keep them on or off electronically, but if you’re somewhere old school, put ’em up for the kids and enjoy the extra points for yourself!
7. It’s fun to throw your rage (in your own lane of course) in ball form and check your speed. There’s something satisfying about knocking the pins down after a furious throw. Hear that crack!
6. Kids love it. I’ve taken my kids bowling since they could walk and have made them carry their own ball for years. The lanes usually have some kind of hideous plastic dragon or a boring metal ramp they can push the ball down that gets the more points than me. My kids also love the glow in the dark everything there. We try to wear white shirts just in case so we’ll glow. 
5. Lots of military installations have bowling alleys. I’ve personally bowled at Hill Air Force Base, Fort Sam Houston and Fort Wainwright. At Fort Wainwright we went almost once a week for their special deal of pizza, soda and bowling. When I worked at the School Age Program Summer Camp at Hill Air Force Base as a college student we took the kids bowling all the time.
4. The shoes. Who doesn’t look great in bowling shoes? And you know they’re sort of clean because sometimes you can see a little puff of that aerosol cleaner come out when you put your foot in.
3. You get to use that goofy nickname that you secretly love. In our family we don’t get to pick our own screen names, so things get a little silly. My youngest daughter has been Fruit Toot and I’ve definitely been up there as Mama Llama or worse.
2. It can be a budget friendly activity. During the summer there’s the Kids Bowl Free Program. Check with your local bowling alley, they may even have a deal for National Bowling Day.
- Bowling can be fun way to make memories as a family. My girls learned good manners on the lane, cheering for each other and trying their best.
