The benefits of Martial Arts for Kids

There are numerous extra-curricular activities available for kids these days from soccer to dance.  It is known that participation in sports is a great way to help a child develop physically and, there is also a great deal of mental and emotional development that benefits the child as well.  Participation in martial arts is no exception.

Not only do kids develop physical skills but in learning the patterns (which are specific sequences of movements taught by all martial arts disciplines), kids develop better focus and concentration for school and more confidence in being able to defend themselves in the playground, especially if they are ever confronted by a bully.

But don’t be concerned that your child will use his or her new found martial arts skills to start beating on younger siblings because martial arts classes teach kids to first manage conflict with their words.  Kids are also taught to respect others by their martial arts instructors.  Classes typically end with a bowing towards the “higher level” belts in the class and bowing to the teacher as well.

The journey to being awarded with a black belt in martial arts typically takes several years for a child.  Most disciplines require testing for at least 10 belts before reaching the black belt level and along the way, your child will develop a greater sense of accomplishment in being able to set and achieve goals for their next belt.

For younger children, martial arts classes are designed to instruct and entertain and allow them to burn off all that extra energy.  Some instructors will include running games in the class warm up such as dodge ball.

Classes generally run for 45 minutes to an hour and most schools will offer several classes per week geared to specific belt levels.  For example, little ninjas (which are typically pre-schoolers) may attend classes in the early evening or after school, while white to green belts may have two classes per week after dinner time and then blue to black level belts attend an hour later during the week.

At D’Souza Martial Arts Academy, we offer several classes per week in Tae Kwon Do for all ages.  Classes are taught by a third degree black belt with several years of teaching experience in a fun and supportive environment.

Visit our Martial Arts Academy in Waterloo to learn more about class times and fees.