A 5-week soft-tip darts programme for children ages 7 to 11.
Small groups. Real equipment. A simple way to learn, practise and play.
Kids do not need a long list of instructions to learn darts well.
They need a few clear things to remember, plenty of chances to try again, and enough space to enjoy the game.
The iDartsLife Junior Academy is a 5-week programme for children ages 7 to 11. Using safe soft-tip darts on professional Phoenix darts machines, kids learn a simple four-step routine called B.E.E.F. and practise it through drills, games and friendly competition.
Over five weeks, they learn how to set up their own throw, recognise what happened when something goes wrong, and come back for the next dart.
By week five, kids will know the B.E.E.F. routine well enough to check their own setup, recognise common mistakes, and even help a teammate remember the four cues.
Four Simple Cues Kids Can Use on Their Own
Every lesson is built around four cues we call B.E.E.F. Each one gives a child something clear to do, not something abstract to remember.
B – Balance
Start from a stable position. A steady base makes the rest of the throw easier to repeat.
E – Elbow Up
Set the throwing arm before the throw begins. One less thing to think about once the dart is moving.
E – Eyes on Target
Choose the target and stay with it. Where the eyes go, the dart tends to follow.
F – Follow Through
Finish the throw. The motion does not stop the moment the dart leaves the hand.
At first, the coach reminds them.
Then they begin reminding themselves.
That is the real goal of B.E.E.F. Not to give children more things to think about, but a simple routine they can return to every time they step up to throw.
How the Programme Works
Weeks 1 to 4: Coaching Lessons
Each lesson is 50 minutes of small-group coaching. We use Phoenix soft-tip darts machines, the same machines used in competitive leagues and completely safe for children.
Classes have a maximum of 8 kids with multiple machines running at once, so your child spends more time throwing than waiting.
After the lesson, there is 10 minutes of free play before pick-up. Your full hour is yours.
Week 5: Graduation Tournament
Week 5 is where everything comes together. Kids use what they have practised in a friendly team tournament, experience what it feels like to play a real game, and learn how to reset and throw the next dart, whether the last one went in or not.
Parents are welcome to come and watch.
The Graduation Tournament is included with the programme. No extra charge.
Your Coach
Over the past two summers, Deakin Ng has taught darts to more than 80 children at a summer camp in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, learning along the way how to break the game down simply enough for kids to actually use it.
Deakin is also a sponsored soft-tip darts athlete with Target Sports Japan and an official Phoenix Darts player. He is the author of Darts Don’t Lie, a book about what darts reveals about us under pressure.
Programme Details
- Ages: 7 to 11
- Class size: Maximum 8 children per class
- Length: 5 weeks
- Each session: 50 min coaching + 10 min free play
- Equipment: Phoenix soft-tip darts machines (no sharp steel tips, safe for all ages)
- Location: Unit 150 – 12860 Clarke Place
- Schedule: [Days and times]
Price
$200 per child. Full 5-week programme. Graduation Tournament included.
Have two kids? The second child gets 10% off. That is $180.
*On tournament day, players bring their own coins for the machines.
Save Your Child’s Spot
Each class has a maximum of 8 children. Once it is full, it is full.
Add your name below. We will contact you when spots open. No commitment needed.