Teaching Karate-Do to Children

How is teaching children martial arts different from teaching adults?

What can YOU learn by teaching children?

You can’t teach children karate-do the way you teach adults. This is because children’s brains and bodies are not fully developed, and children have had fewer lifetime learning experiences to draw from. Children are not miniature adults, so they must be taught differently. We would like to discuss some ways to teach children. Our ideas are meant for teachers who are not content to be occasional babysitters for small children, i.e., those who really want to teach. (We trust that includes everyone who reads past this point.)

Young people learn through contact with the world using their five senses. They see simply the task at hand. Because of this, the detailed physical movements necessary to perform correct karate-do techniques must be carefully broken into component parts and presented in a logical progression starting with the simplest, most fundamental component, followed by the step-by-step introduction of each subsequent component. Each component must be performed with a reasonable degree of competence before the next component can be introduced. What constitutes a “reasonable degree of competence” will vary with the child’s age and physical abilities. A five-year-old simply cannot coordinate physical movements as well as a ten-year-old.

Techniques taught improperly to children (and adults) will remain with them for years. These incorrect techniques must later be unlearned, a painful, indeed sometimes impossible, task. Teachers must not burden children with poor technique that they must unlearn later. Arguably, it might be better not to teach them at all until they are older. Teaching the technique correctly the first time avoids needless waste of precious training time later. (The old adage “practice makes perfect” is, in our opinion, very misleading. Practice makes permanent! Poor technique practiced continuously makes poor technique permanent—not a good idea.)

Step-by-step (component-by-component) progression of achievements as each new component is introduced and learned will motivate youngsters to continue, and help reduce or eliminate the fears of failure and embarrassment that often become self-fulfilling prophesies that can sometimes lead to children quitting karate-do altogether. This component-by-component gradual approach can help alleviate these problems. But this step-by-step process is aided by also using obstacles to force correct movement.

Explore More about Karate-Do at a Traditional Karate Association

Are you looking for a karate association that promotes traditional Japanese martial arts? If so, SMAA is for you!

Members of SMAA bridge the gap between western and Asian martial arts, keeping the traditional spirit and practice of budo alive in the west. If you have an interest in aikido, iaido, judo, jujutsu, or karate-do, call (734) 720-0330 or submit a contact form to learn more about becoming a member!