Merida Drawing Her Bow in a Meadow coloring page

About this coloring page

Merida aiming an arrow is straight out of one of the best scenes in Brave. During an archery contest held to pick her future husband, Merida enters the match herself and hits every bullseye, leaving the suitors stunned and her mother furious.

There is more to archery than letting an arrow fly. A traditional bow is made from something springy, like wood, along with a strong string. When the archer pulls the string back, the bow bends and stores energy. Let go, and all that energy launches the arrow forward fast.

Hitting the target takes strength, balance and serious focus. Archers plant their feet, lock their eyes on the target and release the string smoothly without moving the arm that holds the bow. Small things, like a gust of wind or a shaky breath, can change where the arrow lands.

Today archery is an Olympic sport enjoyed by people of all ages. Lots of clubs run classes for kids, and some coaches have said they saw more girls signing up after Brave hit theaters. Like Merida, many of them discovered that patience matters as much as strength.

• brave
• merida
• archery
• disney princess