Afterschool kids class

[makosub-wrestling]

I am in the planning phase of my school and would like to hear any advice on how you set up your kids class. Does it turn into a day care situation were the kids are at your school long after your hour class. DO you need anything special to teach kids like HRS cert., Do you have to pick them up?

[red dawn]

Well, children are somewhat different to teach than adult classes. Teaching kid classes depend also a lot on age group. At my dojo we teach agas 4-7 then 8-14 and those two classes run very differently. The 4-7 you just set up the class to work on basic techniques. And don't worry to much about detail, it's mostly motor skills your trying to get from them.

At about 8 and up you can be a little harder on them, get them to show more detail and harder techniques. But all in all, you want to make the class fun, make up some games. There is really a lot you can do with kids. You just alway have to keep in mind, that a lot of the kids aren't in MA because they have a real passion (Though many are), some of your students might be inbetween with sports and other activities as well as school events so you want to make your classes as flexiable as possible.

-take care

[powerof0ne]

When I was in charge of a kid's program I picked up a few of the kids but the school owner charged an insane ammount of $ for everything so not too many parent's opted to pay the extra $.

[karatekid1975]

I worked at one of my previous dojangs (the yucky one) that had an "after school program." To me, it was an expensive "flop." It turned into a "daycare" type situation. The parents just had the kids dumped off (they had the school bus them to the dojang) till they DECIDED to pick them up. They were supposed to be out of there at a certain time, but a few of them never were.

But, I do believe if you have a good plan, and strict rules for an after school program, it could work.

[belar86]

Our dojo has kids classes running from 5:30-6:30pm, which works out well. It gives kids the chance to go home have a snack, get changed and get to the dojo. The adults class is on at 6:30 so there are people there, if the kids aren't picked up on time, but the parents tend to be pretty good in this respect.

[KamasandSais]

my instructor had this whole program where you pick the kids up from the schools and they stayed at the dojo until 6:00 there was a finishing homework part and 2 hours of class differently depending on the day.

[danbong]

How well did that program work out?

[KamasandSais]

it worked out well, it was exactly the same as the normal classes with not having homework after and the sparred every wednesday!!!!