What age should Children start training?

[Andy Murray]

I wondered if everyone would be willing to give me their thoughts on very young children starting the arts. My daughter has just turned one, and I'd really like her to enjoy some form of Martial Art. If she prefers Ponies and Soccer, I'll respect that, and support her.

I noticed that TKD and some Karate clubs keep their children interested, where as an instructor I have a very low retention rate with Rugrats.

What are the pitfalls I need to avoid?

Who can I trust with my most treasured posession?

What age should she really start a club?

What kind of stretching can her malleable tissue take?

Thanks,

Andy Murray

[waya]

WIth children you will want to avoid alot of repetition, routine, and most of all boredom. Turn things into a type of strcutured game. And you have to give them praise when they do something right, also not be too harsh when they don't. Personally I began children's classes when I was 3 but I loved training from the beginning. Generally I would say around age 5 or 6 isn't too early to start most kids.

Rob

[Thomas Vince]

I don't teach any child under the age of 6 unless developmentally they are far ahead of their siblings. Coming from the New York area and then moving to South Carolina i noticed immediately the develepmental differences in children, They are slower here.
I think repitition is absolutely necessary, more so for children and that's the main reason I keep it fun like adding front rolls to basic block , kick, strike combo's and arrangement's of simple Kata's with rewards for a jump on the trampoline or an ice pop. We do obstacle courses, rope swings and lot's of other fine fun things. I definately agree with waya on the fun and games part but I think if you are teaching 3,4 & 5 year olds your babysitting, maybe a few will progress but most need basic skills of balance and recognizing their right from their left.
Andy I am sure you will have no problem making the right decision when the time comes!
Watch out though, stay in practice or you know she'' kick your a''.
Keepin it real.

[Andy Murray]

Ok Guys, thanks for the replies so far, but you know............I'm probably not the best person to teach her.

What questions, along with the ones I already mentioned, should I be asking about a club or instructor if I took her along?

Thanks,

Andy

[Sticky]

What about encouraging them to mix the learning of the art form with some other activities during the week that will "enhance" their physical ability? Thus, you remove a potential barrier to the uptake of knowledge and increase the ability to perform the techniques learned.

Flexibility is an ideal example. I don't think they'd sit still long enough for yoga practice, however, to enhance performance and avoid injury, I would be looking at either dance classes, or indeed a style where the instructors showed a good understanding of Anatomy and Physiological function.

Also, I think the temperament and manner of the instructor can often be crucial when teaching children. I once led a childrens class, and found myself very soon a frustrated substitute parent to them.

I would imagine a low retention rate of rugrats would be common. If I were to source out a good class I would be looking for somewhere they had a dedicated class, with a dedicated (in all senses) instructor/coach, at a suitable time. I have a good friend who taught a kids class on a Saturday morning, and they loved it.

Of course another question is, at certain ages (or indeed in general) should the parents be present during the class?

Opinions?

Gordon.

[waya]

Thomas,
Might I ask why you say children down here are slower? I have lived in most of the US at one point or another and I disagree.

Rob

[Thomas Vince]

Education levels have always been a problem in the South even though it is getting better I notice a difference between a 6 year old down here in South Carolina when compared to a 6 year old in New Jersey. Now I have been forunate enough to get parent's who serious about their childrens education, but I have noticed a difference.

[waya]

In NC I haven't noticed one at all. My girlfriend's sone is at about a 4th grade level and is 6 so I guess I don't see the other issues. I have to say though I have lived the majority of my life in the Southern US and found the education to be equal to or better than I recieved in other areas, with the exception of a few places. There are some places here though that have alot less educational funding than I would even consider to cover basic necessities.

Rob

[Thomas Vince]

Well,
right now as we speak i have signed on and contracted for 24 day care centers and the towns YMCA summer and afterschool programs. The daycare centers we do during the early afternoons or late mornings say between 10 Am and 3 PM, and then I go to the after school program at the YMCA where we have 300 kids. So far between the ages of 3 and up to about 11 will be taught. I am going to start with about 140 day care kids after memorial day so I will let you know what they can learn and what they can't learn. The 300 students at the YMCA are in the same range but the good news is that by the begginning of the school year sept. 2002 we are looking at 450 - 600 kids. My hands are full, 6 days a week from 7 Am to 10 Pm I will be moving. But the bills will be paid and there might be something left over for me this time?
Thomas

[LilBunnyRabbit]

First off it depends a lot on the child. Then you've got the parent. We have a lot of kids because kids are effectively goldmines, they bring in their friends, and their parents buy them all the equipment just to keep them happy. Any age can start, but its wise to keep them in a seperate class from the adults and sometimes even from the older kids.

[waya]

Also I think it depends on the type of training. I give some 4-8 week programs on abduction prevention and such topics that are geared for children that are around age 5 or so.

Rob

[Thomas Vince]

Absolutely,
Children need to learn about basic emergency procudures for a health crisis and or a fire crisis. We have a 911 system that dials direct to a local emergency operator. Kids are also taught our of a program called "kid smart" that teaches respect and awareness. True children pay the rent, but they also the future of martial arts and you never know how you will touch a young life. When teaching children it is much more than ma's. And yes I also beleive that children classes should always be kept seperated from the adult classes.

[Freeform]

Trying not to be bias, but for younger ages I think that Judo style classes are probably the best, if you managed to combine this with awareness and evasion stuff I reckon it would be pretty good.

Read an article quite recently in one of the martial rags about a Karate school in England that ran a series of experiments on child abduction. They staged them in a supermarket and had one of the adult members try to forceably remove a child member from the shop. When the child kicks and screams passersby just assummed a naughty child being draged out by their parent. But when the child is calm and looked directly at passersby (especially women) and said something like "This isn't my dad, help me please" they got a better rate of response. Something to think about.

Thanx

[STASH]

LOL, I say put them in a uniform and send them of to a school as soon as there born! Just kidding guys, if we did that we would probably produce a generation of killer psychos that break boards over their heads to pass the time.