Lesson Number 1

[sensei8]

Teaching kids is harder than teaching adults. Both require the ability to teach, not all black belts can teach, but it takes a very special instructor to teach kids, especially 4/5 year olds.

This being said, Play with them and ease up on the strictness of the Dojo. If one can't, then one shouldn't be teaching kids that young.

Century Martial Arts has a fantastic line of stuff for teaching kids like your Little Ninja's. Buy them, try them, and then have fun while you're teaching the Martial Arts.

Otherwise, these kids will quit and/or they won't want to go anymore because you're too strict and you don't want to play. Shoot, I play all of the time; I become a kid myself and in this I find the kids receive more as a sponge than if I barked and the like. What kid do you know that wants to "play" with a meany? I don't and I wouldn't!

It's NOT hard to teach while playing; you just have to have that ability about yourself. Your kids will be more receptive to your teaching than if you cram it down their throats. Besides, they'll love you and respect you more if you can come down to their level instead of towering over them. They're afraid already and they don't need any extra pressure on them...they're just kids. Flow with the punches!