Karate games for kid's class?

[Renee1]

Does anyone have any games they use in kid's classes? I am looking for new games for the kid's to play. I like my kid's to have fun and karate games do the trick. I will play a game with the young kid's in the last 10 to 15 min. of class. The kid's leave happy and are excited to come back!! I am having trouble coming up with new games to keep my kid's class fresh.

[andyb28]

Split them into two teams, the teams sit back to back in a line down the centre of the dojo.
One team is Rabbits, the other Rats.

When you call Rabbits, the rabbits team have to run to the wall they are facing, the rats team have to turn around and catch them before they get to the wall and vice versa.
You can mix it up calling rabbits or rats, but hang on the the Rrrrrr of the rabits or rats you are calling and watch them all getting ready to run.

Another I like to do for warm up is the beans game.
The kids are running around in a big circle. When I call a type of bean they stop running and there is an action they have to do.

Runner Beans, running on the spot
Jumping beans, jumping on the spot
Broad beans, holding arms out stretched
Jelly beans, shake on the spot
Baked beans, devise something funny yourself

I guess it depends on the age group, but the class I do this in are 7-10 years old.

[Eliz]

Hi Renee and welcome to the forum.

Question: You do not list Karate as one of your Martial Arts. What style are you teaching? What age group are you addressing?

An energetic and experienced instructor can end a class on a positive and enthusiastic note using traditional learning tools. I really am not a fan of employing games to keep students motivated. There are occassions when a little unannounced fun is earned by the students - the key word being earned, but those times are rare and usually considered very special.

I look forward to hearing of your experiences and I hope you enjoy being a member of BudoSeek!

[wingchundo.girl]

Sometimes you can find great games from outside sources. One source I have used is PE (Physical Education) website. Look for age appropriate games and modify them to fit your goals.

http://www.pecentral.org/

[Renee1]

Thanks Andy, I will give them a try. Great stuff. I will let you know how I make out!!!

[Renee1]

Hi Elizabeth, I teach Tang Soo Do. I teach the kid's that are 4 to 8 years old. I found that a karate games works for the little kid's well. All my games have kicks, punches or blocking in them. I don't do them every class. I make sure the kid's are doing what they should be doing first. Thanks for the reply on my post.

[andyb28]

I use them as part of the warm up, it works well for our juniors, they look forward to it.

Another we do, which turns into a bit of a race is running from side to side in the dojo, or corners if you prefer.
Set exercises for each time the reach the side wall.

So for example, they start off doing 10 reverse punches, run to the other side, 9 star jumps, run back, 8 front kicks, other side, 7 squats, etc.

[JWhiteSensei]

One thing we do is get a bottle of soap bubbles. Bring them up one at the time and start blowing bubbles. The object of the game is to kick as many bubbles as you can. After you have went through the group, start over and let them punch the bubbles.

Also get a small hulla hoop (or cut out the bottom of a laundry basket) and let the kids kick through it without touching the sides.

Take a peice of paper and fold it until it is about the size of a playing card then tape it to where it will stay. Have the kids form a circle. Have the first kid place the "card" between their toes. The object of the game is to pass the card completely around the circle from child to child using only their feet. Once it has made it around, swirch feet and go the other way.

Flashcard games are good too. Make flashcards with pictures of someone front kicking, roundhouse kicking, punching, ect. flash the cards one at a time to the group. The object is for the kids to name the technique using the Japanese, Korean, Chinese, ect word for it

[Renee1]

Thanks Jim White, I will give them a try. Thanks for all your help! Master Renee Harris

[onnie]

Renee, use to teach a little kid class, 4 to 6 yrs. A few "games" the kids liked. "Walk like Cane" is one. Take bubble wrap, around five or six feet. Lay it out (like rice paper) and see if the kids can walk it length without popping the bubbles. Next one, take a balloon and place it between two students back to back. Now give them commands and see if they can work together or have a race with teams. These are not traditional karate drills, but then again kids are kids and if you can build coordination and focus while they are having fun it will carry over when they start with more traditional training as they get older.

[Ali Sensei]

I have just posted three articles on suite101.com which list a variety of games that can be used in most dojo's.
I can't post the address on this thread but just go to the site and sports/martial arts and they should be there.
hope this helps