Teaching kids martial arts who are under 5yo

[RJCKarate]

G'day all,

While I refer to 'karate' below this is simply because it is my martial art, but please take it as a general reference and weigh in despite your art...

I get a lot of enquiries for teaching kids under 5 (youngest being for a 2yo). I do not teach children under the age of 5. What is your opinion on 'kinder karate' and do you think it really has advantages over gymnastics / other coordination based activities?

Edited January 13, 2013 by RJCKarate

[Dobbersky]

I too have the same ethos.

I start mine from 6 although my guide is 7. I have taught younger and found as you stated it seems more like either cheap child care of karate-nastics! It takes more concentration and indeed a smaller instructor/students ratio.

Predominantly the fees charged are less so it seems less value for the instructor/school.

I know when I get calls I always recommend gymnastics or dance and say if they still want Ro do karate in a few year's time they can call me again. I think kids under 7 should be allowed Ro grow, the bone structure in the hands and feet are not formed properly enough to be punching and kicking pads etc.

Just my 2 pennies worth

[sensei8]

While not all black belts can teach, it takes a black belt with a special gift to teach children, but it takes a black belt with an extraordinary gift to teach children ages 2-4.

Imho, to teach them that young isn't responsible of that MA instructor. As Dobbersky has already mentioned, they're [instructor(s)] possibly causing irreversible damage to their small and undeveloped bone structure. For what reason? Imho, it's a way for those schools of the MA to soften their bottom line, and for me, that's not being a responsible instructor.

To teach the MA in the age bracket of 2-4 years old is possibly nothing more than a watered down ethos of their MA style for the sake of padding their bottom line. In doing that, those students aren't learning...Shindokan, for example...they're learning to play controlled recess at the best, imho.

Edited January 26, 2013 by sensei8

[Dobbersky]

I agree that some instructors have a gift teaching younger children but with respect, it seems to be predominantly belt factories and McDOJOS that have the "angle" on teaching kids under 6, maybe their syllabus is more akin to kids games than adult's Bunkai and Oyo where neck wrenches and lethal techniques are used.

From what I see in little ninjas or tiger tots or any other programs you car to mention is what I see with these "businesses" I wouldn't call them karate schools. It's a about getting kids in the door to pay the bills not about teaching students karate.

Sorry if I've rattled cages but it's my opinion

[DWx]

From what I see in little ninjas or tiger tots or any other programs you car to mention is what I see with these "businesses" I wouldn't call them karate schools. It's a about getting kids in the door to pay the bills not about teaching students karate.

Is there anything wrong with that if it foots the bill for your proper students? Make enough money from it and it can help keep costs down so that your adult students don't have to pay over the top and you can provide the very best equipment and facilities for them. If you were so inclined you could also put the extra monies into some sort of dojo fund to help assist with subsidizing travel and other expenditures for when students want to attend tournaments or seminars and courses. Or it could even be set aside for purchasing equipment for students who might not be able to completely cover the costs themselves.

To OP, we have a kids program at our school. I guess it is more martial-gymnastics and they don't do anything like heavy striking which would cause them problems later down the line. Aside from what I've already mentioned, there are benefits in that the kid (and parents) have already become part of the school and get hooked on martial arts from an early age. Then they can feed into the main classes later when they're a bit older. You give them a good foundation for later on with respect to things like motor skills and flexibility and also in terms of discipline and developing the right attitude for training at your school. Kids programs aren't for everyone but it works for some schools. If I were you, I'd go and see how other schools in your style or area run their's.

[Tempest]

Most Judo schools I have been to have a kids program, but at my school we won't take them younger than 5.

If you want to teach your own kids younger than that, sure, but I don't think most kids have the coordination or kinesthetic ability to retain what they need to

In order for a child to learn effective movement, they must know left from right consistently and they must be able to follow basic directions. Many of our 5 and 6 year olds still struggle with this but we teach them the best we can.

[FangPwnsAll7]

5 year olds aren't really ready to learn any type of martial art in my honest opinion. They usually don't know left from right like Tempest said. Martial arts is for self defense only and they need to actually understand what they are learning. My instructor teaches anyone of any age as long as they can talk and move. Fortunately, some of the younger students at our dojo are really good.

The only thing that confuses me is the 5 year old black belt we have. I don't know, maybe he skipped belts or he is really good?

[lowereastside]

IMO - just to young - not in a Dojo or Gwoon. Maybe teaching your own kids at home - you can give it a shot. One of my students runs a full time Kung Fu School - and teaches Kids - he will not take any student under 5 years of age.

[MasterPain]

The only thing that confuses me is the 5 year old black belt we have. I don't know, maybe he skipped belts or he is really good?

High mitochlorian count... But I sense much fear.

[tallgeese]

The key is to understand that you're doing things for different reasons for children of this age group. It's not about teaching them your MA. It's about laying the movement foundation for them to learn later and showing them a good enough time that you make them want to learn it later.

My 5 year old started jits when she was 4. Does she do jiu jitsu? Not really. But she plays some fun games that teaches her unconsciously the importance of how to make a certain positions work. She go some fun movement games that mimic transitional sequences. And she like to go. She's quietly being brainwashed into wanting to do jiu jitsu when she's old enough because she associates it with fun.

So, with that in mind, I've go no problem with young kids in a program. Everyone wins, it's just a long term investment, not the immediate skill set pay off an adult would see.