how to teach kids

[ninjaboy]

hey guys,

i'm looking for tips on fun drills/activities/games to complement the regular syllabus to keep kids interested in class.

all advice is welcome.

thanks!

neil

[viper]

Maybe look up some p.e games or some gymnastic fun stuff or physical sponge activities.

[YouKnowWho]

How about have 3 rounds grappling game that whoever can

- grab hold of his opponent's leading leg, or
- have his hand control his opponent's neck, or
- get a head lock on his opponent, or
- get an overhook, or
- get an underhook, or
- get a bear hug, or
- ...

will win that round. Try to make it simple and start with 1 target. You can then increase to 2 targets, 3 targets, ...

[Oso]

imo, if a kid isn't prepared to train and drill they aren't ready for martial arts.

i'm not saying kids should train with the same intensity as adults. but the same information should be taught in roughly the same manner within the physical and developmental restrictions of the age of the child you are teaching.

otherwise, you're babysitting.

How's it going, Neil?

[Lucas]

Use a stick.

[Shaolin]

Start here.

http://4kicks.com/

[Oso]

bah, teach kung fu/karate/judo/jujitsu whathaveyou.

if you need a game then it's not a martial discipline now is it?

the biggest reason you have sites like that is because people are trying to make money off of teaching to kids and kids are hard to teach martial arts to because it's hard and boring to learn the basics.

defeats the purpose it does.

[MightyB]

The thing to do is to give them lots of sugar and caffeine just prior to sending them home with their parents.

[Shaolin]

bah, teach kung fu/karate/judo/jujitsu whathaveyou.

if you need a game then it's not a martial discipline now is it?

the biggest reason you have sites like that is because people are trying to make money off of teaching to kids and kids are hard to teach martial arts to because it's hard and boring to learn the basics.

defeats the purpose it does.

Do you own a school? Or have kids of your own?

I ask because I usually see this type of mind set with traditionalist who have very little experience with children.

I've been teaching martial arts for 15 years and I have 5 kids with a 6th due in August. You can't be so hard core when it comes to teaching children. If you are they won't listen to you and they'll quit real fast. And if you own your own school a high turn over rate is bad for business.

Most of these games are martial arts related. Just because the child isn't sitting in a horse throwing punches and kicks while you walk around and condition them with a shanai doesn't mean they'll develop poor "martial discipline". The idea isn't to play games all class ever class but having them play a game at the end of the week for the last 10-15 minutes of class will boost moral and give them something to work/train hard for.

Teach your students good quality martial arts. Have passion while doing so but also have fun with your students and they'll learn better and stay longer.

[TenTigers]

I have several "games," that I use to develop proper technique, focus, etc;

1) Operation: This is used to develop proper front kick structure-knee up, kicking straight.
remember the game where you remove different items from the "patient?"
Ok, so here how it works;
Take two-three kicking sheilds and stack them. Then take two and place them vertically on top, so it looks like an inverted Pi. You will have to stand in back and hold these up. I also place a strip of blue, or green painter's tape (an indispensible tool) so they can stand in fighting stance on it.
The idea is to kick over the pads and in between the two upright pads.
If their foot touches any pad, you make the "ERRRRT!" Buzzer noise.
They love this, the other kids love watching and making buzzer noises, and they learn to develop and understand proper structure.

2) Concentration: Develops focus during forms.
Use your most basic form for this, counting each move one at a time.
Rules: any movement that is not in the form, you're out and sit down.
This means ANYTHING- you can't scratch, you can't open and close your hands in chamber, you can't look around. If the kid's next to you head catches on fire, LEAVE IT! If an ant crawls in yur nose looking around for something cool to eat, leave it! And no laughing. (this is important as the game goes on and there are only a few left.)
Also-eye contact-look straight ahead. If I am standing in front of you, your eyes better be straight. If I see you make eye contact, you are out.
You will be AMAZED in how fast they pick this up, and the look on parents' faces when they see the discipline.

[Oso]

Do you own a school? Or have kids of your own?

I ask because I usually see this type of mind set with traditionalist who have very little experience with children.

I ran a school from 2001 to 2009. Teaching children the entire time.
From 1993 to 2001 I taught kids classes at my teachers school.
I received high praise from parents during both of those times including many at my teachers school who appreciated my approach vs. my teachers.


I've been teaching martial arts for 15 years and I have 5 kids with a 6th due in August. You can't be so hard core when it comes to teaching children.
I didn't say 'be hardcore'. I said:
i'm not saying kids should train with the same intensity as adults. but the same information should be taught in roughly the same manner within the physical and developmental restrictions of the age of the child you are teaching.
If you are they won't listen to you and they'll quit real fast. And if you own your own school a high turn over rate is bad for business.

you summed it up...'bad for business'. I already said the idea of games for kids is based on the needs of a business.

Most of these games are martial arts related. Just because the child isn't sitting in a horse throwing punches and kicks while you walk around and condition them with a shanai doesn't mean they'll develop poor "martial discipline". The idea isn't to play games all class ever class but having them play a game at the end of the week for the last 10-15 minutes of class will boost moral and give them something to work/train hard for.

Teach your students good quality martial arts. Have passion while doing so but also have fun with your students and they'll learn better and stay longer.

I've stated my views on the typical methods of running a kids class before this thread. And, I have the experience to have my own opinion even if it differs from someone else's.

[TenTigers]

more:
"Gunshots."
get some sheets of x-ray paper from the local vet.
Hold these up for punches. When they hit them, they make a loud "crack"
All kids love making noise.
X-Ray paper doesn't hurt, doesn't buckle their wrists, so they don't hold back.
What is also cool, is when you show the kids the x-rays and see if they can recognize what it is of. We had one of a bird that looked like an alien, so of course, I told them it was.
ps-Bruce Lee was an advocate of using x-ray paper to develop speed and focus

[TenTigers]

Fei Charp Choy-Flying Leopard Punch-similar to Superman punch only the front knee is forward-ex: right knee, right Leaopard punch,
Anyway, we do this when we are doing warm ups and I have the kids shuffle around the cones, (small orange plastic cones you can buy in any sports store) then jog, adding jumping jacks, mountain climbers, and then I hold a pad and have them as they come around, run and throw fei charp choy to the pad.
They beg to do it every class.

Power Lines
you can do this with any technique or combination. Basically, you have them line up at one end of the room and you do the drill to the other end, one at a a time, then run back to the end of the line.
some examples:
1. Figure eights-walking gwa/cup choy to the focus pads as you walk backwards in front of them holding them.
2. Shuffle side kick to the sheild-he moves you across the room, and at the end, he fires off 5 quick side kicks
3. Front leg roundhouse, rear leg roundhouse, (landing forward so you keep switching sides as yo go across thr room. At the end, jump roundhouse, jump roundhouse, jump high five.

[yutyeesam]

We do a lot of partner oriented games to ease kids into the idea of cooperatively working together.

Our goal is to get kids to spar.

So in order to do that, we make sure they know how to work with each other, 1 on 1 without losing focus or control. One example is pairing them up and have each kiddo carry one end of a folded mat and hop across the room - can't let the mat drop.

We found that the more kids are able to cooperate with each other in a 1 on 1 scenario, the easier it is to direct them towards doing partner oriented combat drills.

-123

[-N-]

One is to make them both stand with one foot inside the small circle at center court(basketball).

I do a quick 1-2-3 count. As soon as I start counting, they both have to try to attack and get the other guy before I finish.

First to score, wins. Stepping out of the circle counts as a loss. The game is called ""3 second death match". But it's more like 1.5 seconds. You can do this over and over again at a fast pace.

The point being that you instill the aggressive instinct and explosive attack. It's structured and fast and desensitizes the person from being flinchy. Each person gets a decent amount of positive feedback when they know they "won". They also get trained not to mentally fixate on whether they hit or got hit last because the next "match" starts in 2 seconds.

I do this with kids as well as adults.

[YouKnowWho]

My guys had tried the following game in his school.

- Get 3 persons.
- 2 persons spar/wrestle in a circle.
- 1 person stays outside that circle.
- The person outside of that circle can attack anybody at anytime.

This will force you to always "watch your back" and remain mobility and alert. It may sound like anti-ground game but it does develop some useful skill.

[-N-]

Another one I've done is to make them race when doing sparring footwork drills.

And I'll make contests for fastest footwork, and also for most distance covered in one attack.

I also have the kids partner with me and hit me full force when training applications.

They also are supposed to try to hit me with head shots. I let them get close but barely miss.

If they can hit me in the head, or make me say "ow!" or whatever, then they get to be in charge and pick the next exercise.

They get really excited and motivated, and they can't stop talking afterwards about how close they were, and that they will get me next time.

[YouKnowWho]

Here is a simple and safe game. Whoever can use his hand to hold on his opponent's wrist for 3 seconds, he wins that round.

[-N-]

My guys had tried the following game in his school.

- Get 3 persons.
- 2 persons spar/wrestle in a circle.
- 1 person stays outside that circle.
- The person outside of that circle can attack anybody at anytime.

This will force you to always "watch your back" and remain mobility and alert. It may sound like anti-ground game but it does develop some useful skill.

Interesting.

Another one I do is have them spar me 2 on 1. Fun and different for them, and extra exercise for me.

We also do continuous sparring, and if I get them down on the ground or otherwise tied up, they have to fight their way back up/out. And they are supposed to be ready at all times, and are allowed(supposed to) try to sucker punck/kick me if I "make a mistake".

Keeps them constantly looking for opportunities, and also gets them to recognize what not to do when the situation is reversed. Also gets them to recognize potential traps.

[-N-]

Here is a simple and safe game. Whoever can use his hand to hold on his opponent's wrist for 3 seconds, he wins that round.

That reminds me...

They liked doing continuous chin na attacks, escapes, and counters.

I'll pair with them first, so they have good examples. Then they pair with each other.

We also include getting the other guy's back and RNC, getting the other guy down and various immobilizations, getting the other guy down and getting knee on chest, etc.

[Oso]

hey guys,

i'm looking for tips on fun drills/activities/games to complement the regular syllabus to keep kids interested in class.

all advice is welcome.

thanks!

neil

keep kids interested in class

so, like if they are not interested in the class then why force or otherwise coerce them to train martial arts?

there is nothing special about martial arts training. nothing more special that can be gained from training any martial art vs. any other physical endeavor. a focus on anything can yield the same 'benefits' that are touted by martial arts schools. swimming and gymnastics (basic tumbling skills) are far better and more physically rewarding for young children than martial arts as they are less complicated in movement and more immediately rewarding in gains in motor skills, cardo and strength.

the games are not for the kids. they are for the teachers. lol, it's far easier to play a game with a kid then to try and impart real martial skill to them. and, the appropriateness of teaching a kid to fight is subject to question in todays society anyway. (I don't agree with that, btw)

bottom line: if the basics of martial arts are not interesting to a particular kid: THEN THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN TRAINING MARTIAL ARTS.

as an instructor, coming up with ways to keep kids interested in 'class' is not for the benefit of the child, by you, the instructor.

again, there is nothing special a child will gain from learning martial arts that they can not gain from some other physical or mental (thinking art here) endeavor.

modern marketing has falsely touted the supposed benefits of martial arts training NOT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE CHILD but for the school owner.

and, Neil, I do hope you realize I'm not attacking you personally. I think you do and i'm not worried since we have actually met face to face a couple of times.

or anyone else for that matter. but, really, get a grip guys. martial arts ain't magic. if you can't teach the core of it to someone of any age who is truly interested in it, stop with the gimmiks.

[ninjaboy]

oso,

thanks for asking, i'm not doing too bad for an older fella ; ) and of course i dont take your viewpoints as a personal attack... i do believe, however, you CAN blend modern marketing with quality instruction and a splash of fun despite your opinion. by the way, i enjoyed the yoda impression : )

to the rest of you,

lots of great ideas, i really appreciate you sharing some of your class activities with me, i will give them all a try and get back on the forum in the coming months to let you know how things are going. don't hold back either, if you guys have any more or anyone else who wants to chime in, i'd love to hear about it.

neil

wish me luck!

[Shaolin]

I don't take your viewpoints as a personal attack... I do believe, however, you CAN blend modern marketing with quality instruction and a splash of fun despite your opinion.

I second that.

[GeneChing]

TCEC 2019 is May 18-19. READ Why Kung Fu Tournaments Are Great for Your Kids – How to Keep It That Way! (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/ezine/article.php?article=1468) by Raymond Pacheco with Emilio Alpanseque

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How to teach kids (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?65964)