Making Karate fun.

[darrianation]

Hey guys I need some ideas for making a karate class fun for kids. We have a number kids (8-12 years old) in our dojo and our sensei has no idea on how to teach or handle them. He teaches them the same way he teaches the adults. He didn’t’ even want to teach kids but I talked him into it. It took allot of talk and persuasion too. So he wants me to do it. Oops… I have no idea either.

So what I am asking is for any drills or games that will make learning Karate fun and interesting and at the same time learn some skills. We do Shotokan but many other types of games/drills you’ve done in your dojo’s can usually be modified if need be. Just give a few general ones. Please…thanks. Also any web site that addresses this subject would be great too.

I know Toudiyama[NL] and a few others can help me out.

[brokenelbow]

Naked women with breast enhancements!

[darrianation]

Nah. I'll save that for the adult class!

[Toudiyama[NL]]

What is done a lot of the times is teach movements through movents of other sports

or for sparring, do tagsparring, i.e. scoring if you can touch the other on one of the scoring areas ( body, legs and head)

Keep track of that most people , both adult and kids can remenber 7 things in a row, so break up a kata

Never use negatives with kids

for the rest I was alway on the spur, when going to the dojo I would determine what I would teach them and how I would start, depending on how it went I would think of way of conveying the message

Give me something you want to teach and I see what I can think of, it has been more than 4 years ago though

Oh one excercise, kids al running around, you call a technique, they have to stand still and excecute the technique

Instead of doing basics on a line ( standing basics) put them in pairs in front of eachother

Use a lot of methaphores they can relate to

If the names you use can be turned into a funny thing by changing a few of the letters do so
Excample would be what our judoteacher did, he called tai otoshi a "taaie tosti" taaie= not easely bitten through, tosti=toasted ham cheese sandwich

just a few thoughts that popped to mind this early in the morning

[Toudiyama[NL]]

what the kids loved to do was spar with the teacher and assistant all together
the teacher shouldn't do real techniques, instead just tap them or turn them around or steer them to the ground

they love to gang up on the teacher

[BadgerFu57]

This would be more Judo/wrestling but SUMO. Have a circle and have kids try to push each other out.

Simon Says with karate moves.

Glo-chuks!

[Thai Bri]

I saw a Judo instructor once who was great with kids. Firstly, he was as strict as hell. he tolerated no pissong about whatsoever, and occasionalyl banned kids if they strayed too often.

But his classes had a basic plan a bit like this.

1 - Warm Up. About 5-10 mins. This was done by playing games. For example he would split them into two teams, then have them in two lines, facing each other. Each kid on each team would have a number, with the kd facing him the same number. He would throw a belt into the "No mans land" between the kids and shout "2, 3 and 6" or whatever, and kids numbers 2,3 and 6 from each team would wrestle / fight over who got the belt (all in fun, more tug of war than fighting).

2 - Stretching. 5 mins.

3 - Technique work. 10 mins.

4 - Another game

5 - More technique work

6 - Another game.

7- Technique work

8 - Finish on a game.


You'll have to think up your own games. The point was this, their attention span only ever had to be for about 10 minutes at a tie, before he got them "playing" again. But the games were also physical, so the were exercising without knowing it.

[darrianation]

Thanks!

Hey thanks guys except the strippers this stuff really helps. I can only remember playing dodge ball when I assisted the kid’s class from years back. I remember playing other games but can’t quite remember all the details.

I don’t have any particular things I want to work on with the kids just basics but that can become monotonous so having some fun playing games helps keep the kids interested.

We do role play with stranger danger and lost at the mall type stuff and they love to yell and scream at me (as they run away) when I try to grab them. We also spar and yes they love getting the teachers especially kicking use in the groin.

Anyway thanks for your responses, if you think of any more please feel free to post. If I think of anything more specific I’ll be sure to let you know. I’m sure I will. This is my first time teaching the kiddies.

[Toudiyama[NL]]

well then brace yourself

[platinum_angel]

line them up and hit them with noodles and tell them to block it. if they don't then tell them to do 10 push ups

[darrianation]

Tonight I lined all the kids and we practiced break falls on the mats. They love working the mats. Also I and another student held a bo and had the kids run and dive/roll over the bo. We all had a blast doing that.

We also did self-defense they love stomping my instep, kicking me in the knee, and kicking/kneeing me in gonads. Here’s a tip: always wear a cup when training with kids! Because no matter where the target is supposed to be they will still kick you in the nads.

[Thai Bri]

I wouldn't teach them how to break legs just yet. What are you going to do next week? Teach them how to crush a wind pipe?

[darrianation]

Nah, but we did work on that in the adult class.

[Nit]

Glad its going so well for you Darr.

I remember in Judo when I was young doing a version of bull dog, where you run across the room and if you are pinned to the ground you have to the one in the middle until there are none left.

Also the kids we have love doing the stuff they see off TV... so when their attention wanes we will do something 'cool' like flying kicks, or judo rolls, or just a fast simple combination of 4 -5 moves.

I've also noticed Kids hate standing in line

[Thai Bri]

I remember attending a Thai Boxing class where the adults trained alongside the children. The instructors went way overboard on the "games", it was embarrassing. Once we were 35 minutes into a 1 hour class, and we were all still warming up by playing ball tick.

I made my excuses and left...........