How Young Is Too Young?

[Nomad]

We start kids at 4, but it's a different sort of class that teaches some very basic skills (the most important of which are listening & paying attention). The classes are 1/2 hour once per week and are taught through storytelling; the instructors have a few dozen stories they rotate through (one per week). At different parts of the stories, the kids jump up and act out one part of the story (often doing moves that look suspiciously like karate stances, strikes or kicks, even though they may be described as something completely different). At this age, the trick is to catch and hold their attention for the whole class.

At 6, they join the "regular" classes where they start learning katas, partner drills, sparring, etc.

 

[BudoTiger]

So I belive in order to have a toddler class, there should be a basic test before the student can even begin classes, and the test should be done privatly with the child and the parent, basic instructional things...go get me the ball..touch your toes, take 5 big steps...that kind of thing..

i have a test like this some where that one of my former instructors devised after reading an article on child development. i have to see if i can find it and type it up and find a way to post if for anyone interested or if ne1 is they can give me their email addy and ill send it to them....

 

[BudoTiger]

I agree!! IMHO, I'd feel as if it was more of a babysitting session, rather than a MA class. I just can't see how someone that young could grasp anything MA related.

again depends on the child and how much time the parents spends working on basic skills with them at home. one of my former instructors has a little boy that he started in classes at 2.5. before his 3rd birthday he knew all the basic stances, what they were called, why they were done, all the basic blocks, and some of the strikes.

then we had a 4 year old that was so antsy he was a white belt 6 months in. kept having to teach him the same material over again because he wouldn't practice at home. mom and dad didn't work with him to help remember.

then one of my 7 year old students who had a form of autism was so sharp he had all the material to test for yellow belt in 8 weeks, knew how it was done, why it was done, and all the other material i asked him to remember to test.

it all depends on the child. not all can be lumped together. everyone learns on a different curve, even adults.

 

[Kacey]

it all depends on the child. not all can be lumped together. everyone learns on a different curve, even adults.

Very true - and something all instructors should bear in mind at all times.

 

[Budo_NJ]

Both my kids began studying karate when they were five. My daughter is very focused and had no problem in learning the katas. My son, on the other hand, gets distracted. But seeing how vastly his focus and concentration have improved (he's now six), I would have to recommend learning a martial art at this young age.

On the other hand, one of my son's classmates also began the class at age five. Unfortunately, he was constantly distracted, would ask irrelevant questions (why is the sky blue?) and distracted other students. In a case like this I would have to recommend beginning at a later age (or Ritalin).