Why and How Do We Teach Young Children Kung Fu?

Teaching children Kung Fu may seem like a challenge. It certainly would be if we didn’t have a plan during the lesson. Nevertheless, we know what the goal is and that is NOT to create the next, new 6-year-old Bruce Lee.  

5 GOALS OUR MARTIAL ARTS PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN FOCUSES ON:

1. Improving learning ability by teaching children to concentrate better and maintain their attention.

2. Developing physical coordination and body awareness.

3. Teaching our values, with respect and encouragement of others at the core.

4. Developing social skills through teamwork.

5. And of course: the basics of our self-defense techniques.

As martial arts instructors, we understand that the needs of parents and children may have changed over the past year. With digital, virtual learning environments and socially distanced classroom instruction, martial arts schools have also had to adapt. We (as school owners) are also parents of young children ourselves and understand how lessons must be given to keep young children’s attention engaged in a positive learning environment. How do we do that exactly? By following these guidelines!

1. FUN!

Making learning fun is important for the development of young students. For young children, life revolves around play – and during play, many important functions are (unconsciously) developed. Playing is therefore something we encourage and incorporate into our guidelines. We want every student to excel in their own way, but it is just as important that students enjoy themselves. However, fun does not mean that this way of teaching comes at the expense of respect, discipline, and classroom structure.

2. OUR FOCUS IS NOT ON PERFECTION.

At this early stage, we don’t worry about precise details. Building a strong foundation is far more important! Trying out new movements, developing coordination, and memorizing basic forms are central. Over time, we refine the techniques.

3. DEMONSTRATE OFTEN

Young children learn by copying, and some of them enjoy taking the role of leader or star of the show. We teach our children that everyone is worthy of being at the front: you are always allowed to make mistakes. Students thus learn the basics of leadership, which is also a great lesson for their self-confidence. Others follow and get inspired by the person at the front of the class!

4. KEEP IT FRESH!

As a parent of a young child, you know how (short) attention spans can be. It is therefore crucial that we do our exercises in short segments and incorporate learning techniques into various exercises, so there is enough variety during the lesson.

5. REWARD EFFORTS – ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION – CELEBRATE OFTEN!

At first, it’s not about whether the exercise is “correctly” performed or not, but about the effort. It’s a cliché, but the most important thing is really that our children try their best and show it. And shy children? They are encouraged but never forced to make an effort. This is important to build their self-esteem. Of course, we want to celebrate their efforts, but we don’t want to give “false praise” because this doesn’t help the child, and they know it’s not genuine.

6. FOR STUDENTS: DO NOT COMPARE YOURSELF TO OTHERS

When students compare themselves to others, one of two things happens:

1. They get a false sense of superiority. 2. They get a false sense of inferiority. We remind students that they win when they put in a good effort – not when they are “better” than someone else. Learning Kung Fu is a team effort. Every person, child or adult, has a different area in which they excel. In the Kwoon we respect this about each other and see it as an opportunity to learn from each other, not to polarize.

These are just a few reasons why parents of our children love our martial arts program; and why we love teaching children. We hope you give your child the chance to try martial arts at KEI Kung Fu! You will be amazed at what your child is capable of after just a few lessons. We have full confidence in that.

Would you like to join once? This can be without obligation! Contact us via email or phone.