From Tiny Capes to Big Dreams: How Superheroes Shape Your Child's Future! (Ages 3-9)
Martial arts offers a multitude of physical and mental benefits for children, including improved coordination, self-discipline, and self-confidence. However, before diving into formal martial arts training, it's important to lay a foundation of pre-skills that can make the journey smoother and more enjoyable. In this article, we'll explore how you can teach your child the essential pre-skills of martial arts through dance, games that enhance body awareness, and self-discipline exercises.
- The Rhythm of Movement: Dance as a Pre-Skill
- The Art of Concentration: Memory and Focus Games
- Deep Breathing
- Self-Discipline through Routine
- Reading List
By incorporating these pre-skills into your child's daily life, you can lay a solid foundation for their future martial arts journey. These activities not only enhance physical capabilities but also cultivate important life skills like self-discipline, respect, and concentration. As your child progresses, they'll be well-prepared to embrace the martial arts with enthusiasm and confidence. Make your own or download a sticker chart
The Rhythm of Movement: Dance as a Pre-Skill
Dance is an excellent way to introduce children to the concept of controlled and coordinated movement. Encourage your child to take dance classes or simply groove to their favorite music at home. Dance helps improve balance, posture, and spatial awareness, essential elements in martial arts.
Activity! Props!
- Make and use a drum
- Dance with scarves
- Dance with something on your head!
- Newspaper - place leaves of paper on the floor for child(ren) to dance one, hop from one to another, or use in a dance.
Activity! Chants
- Story chants
- Sign to songs
- Songs for transitions that callout specific movements or activities (like clean up and teeth brushing)
Activity! Guessing Game or Call Out Games
There are two ways to play these types of games - you call out the what to do and children do it OR children do it and you guess what they are doing.
- Body part dance (call out a body part and only that part dances)
- Dance like an animal (call out an animal and mimic how it might dance)
- Dance like an appliance (call out types of appliances to be mimicked - blender, washing machine, coffee maker etc)
- Activity dance (call out types of activities and dance while doing it - folding laundry, mowing the lawn, flipping pancakes etc)
Activity! Dance Mode
Before an outing agree to play DANCE MODE - You get a set number of turns, say two. If you hear music playing You give the agreed upon signal and dance mode is invoked - a tap on the shoulder or head. Dance mode player dances until the song is over or you have moved out of the songs reach.
Activity! Secret Move
Make some action cards with (clap your hands, jump, make a bow, turn your head, stand on one leg, kneel, hop, wave your arms, crawl, walk backwards, lie down put your hand on your head and so on). Give each player a card and a piece of tape. Players tape their card to another person's back. Then each person tries to act out their movement. Other players (they can see the card on the player's back), tell whether the guess is right, wrong, very close or not quite.
Activity! Secret Move 2
Using the same cards you made of actions - this time hand out the cards, have child look at it without showing anyone and put it away. Play music - have child dance anyway the want, but add the secret movement to their dance. They can add the secret movement slowly, quickly, subtly, and with great flourish. Other players guess what it is. Once guessed, change dancers.
The Art of Concentration: Memory and Focus Games
Martial arts demand concentration and memory. Play memory games (matching, guess who), strategy games (connect four, tic-tac-toe), or practice mindfulness exercises (including body awareness, see next point) with your child to improve their focus. Encourage them to pay attention to details and stay present in the moment.
Activity! One Step Forward
Try this concentration game. Use two different hand signals - one for forward, one for back. Child or children face you as you give the signal and follow the directive. Make it a little more difficult by adding how many steps (use signal or words).
Activity! Night Prowlers (Group game)
(101 Movement Games by Wiertsema)
Set up two lines of tape or rope or chalk, 16meters by 3m. Have all but two players stand on either line, but no one touch another person. Blindfold them. The two who are not in line must run the gauntlet and not be caught. You can place a bell or bells at one end for the prowlers to get. Upon returning they will jingle to make it more exciting for the catchers.
Activity! Who Is The Leader (Group game)
Have players stand in a circle. Join them and start them moving around following your lead. Change the movement and encourage them to follow you. Repeat this mirroring a few times. Have one player go out of the room. Choose a new leader. Have the leader choose some motions and be mirrored by others. Have player return from outside and guess who the new leader is.
Activity! Cat and Mouse (Group game)
This is a game of tag where who is who is constantly changing. One person is the cat, one the mouse and everyone else stands in a circle legs apart. Cat chases the mouse on the outside of the circle. The mouse is safe if they go in a mouse hole (between someone's legs). When they do this, the 'mouse hole' becomes the cat, the cat becomes the mouse and the original mouse becomes part of the circle.
Body Awareness Games:
Engage your child in games that enhance their body awareness. Games like "Simon Says" or "Twister" require them to move specific body parts or maintain balance.
Yoga for kids is another fantastic option to improve flexibility, strength, and body control.
For children three and under consider upping your Serve and Return
For older kids - learn to juggle!
Activity! Sitturtag
Learn to do a Sitturtaq 1) Squat down and stick out one leg straight out in front of you. 2) As fast as you can switch to the other leg!
Activity! Joints
Sit on the floor - You will go joint be joint and move it and name it. Start with your toe joints, wiggle them or make circles. Ask, what else can these joint do? Try to find five things that each joint can do (try wiggling, circles, pull apart, move together, move up, down, to one side). Move on until you have used all of the joints at least once in various ways (knuckles, wrist, neck, pelvis, hips, knees, elbows, backbone, shoulders). Have player(s) stand on one side of the room. Ask them to cross the room without bending their knees. Without moving their neck. Without moving their hips. Run to the other side without moving your elbows. Now move across the room moving your shoulders as you go. Moving your hips as much as possible. Using your back as much as possible.
Activity! Two With A Ball
You need at least two players or a group of even numbered players (and that many soft balls). Have each pair explore different ways they can hold a ball without using their hands (pressed between foreheads, arms, backs, knees etc). Then have them try to do different things while holding the ball in that way - squat, jump, hop, sit, walk, dance. Add another ball to each pair! Or instead of a ball, try a box, toilet paper roll, building blocks, balloons, so on.
Activity! Robot
One person is the robot, the other the controller. If the robot is touched top of back, it moves forward. Left shoulder, it turns left. Right, it turns right. The movement is controlled by touch, so as long as the hand is on the robot, the robot will move. Otherwise, the robot stands still. Give the operator an objective, like get your robot to the other side of the room or to the slide (if playing outside). When objective is reached, change who is the robot and who is the operator.
Activity! Driving Dance
Agree upon seven movements that are related to driving a car, say turning the key to start it, backing up by shifting gears and looking back, turning right by rotating the steering wheel and so on. Start the music and call out the first of the agreed upon actions. Dancer will do the action for a count of 8, then call out the next action.
Activity! From Liberia
Stand in a circle. Play music. Clap to the rhythm. Person in the center hops with the rhythm towards another player and lifts one leg, knee bent, toe pointing down. The other player must do the same with their right leg. If they are not in rhythm or lift the wrong leg, they go in the center.
Deep Breathing
Teach your child deep breathing techniques to help them manage stress and maintain composure during challenging situations. Controlled breathing is an integral part of martial arts, aiding in focus and relaxation.
Activity! Slow Ray Gun
Create a slow-ray gun or wand. Tell child that whenever you zap them with it they must continue doing what they are doing but in extreme slow motion. Try catching them at different times of the day, doing different activities. Unzap after a few minutes.
Activity! Be the Balloon
One player is the balloon and the other is the blower. Blower uses breathe and sound effects to show how much air they are putting in the balloon- they also get to choose if to tie the end of the balloon or to let it go. Other player is the balloon and must respond to what they hear and see.
Activity! Sword Play
from 50 Dangerous Things
Activity! Handstand
Activity! Turning Circle (Group game)
Have three players on chairs and one in the middle without a chair. The one without a chair asks the other players to do things like turn left or right - and players must move chairs according to the directions. Practice calling out directions a few times. Chairless player tries to find an empty seat (if someone's reaction time is too slow).
Self-Discipline through Routine:
Create a daily routine that includes chores, homework, and physical activities. Teach your child the importance of time management and sticking to a schedule. Discuss how discipline is crucial not only in martial arts but also in achieving any personal goals.
For places to practice dancing with kids, you could try Just Dance Kids Or Move to Learn
Positive Reinforcement/ Encourage Persistence
Praise your child's efforts and persistence, regardless of the outcome. Teach them that setbacks are opportunities for growth and improvement, reinforcing the importance of perseverance.
Activity! Teaching Persistence
Respect and Self-Control: Martial Arts Values
- Emphasize the values of respect and self-control in everyday life. Encourage your child to use polite language and treat others with kindness.
- Discuss how martial artists use these values to maintain a respectful and disciplined training environment.
- Remind children, you cannot control others, only yourself. One who cannot control their own desires, does not deserve power.
- Talk about the difference between being a hero and being a bully
Reading List
