Children's Aikido
What is Aikido?
Louise Wills – Senior Children’s Instructor
Aikido is a martial art that teaches practical self-defence techniques and skills for daily life.
Aikido will not teach your child how to fight or be a hero.
Aikido will not teach your child violence to sort out problems.
Instead, Aikido will teach your child how to avoid, or to manage and control violence.
Children will learn that the most appropriate response to an attack is simply to get out of the way, then, if necessary, to control the attacker. We teach children to blend with their opponent’s energy and lead their opponent through an aikido technique, instead of using force to block an attack and then counterattack. Children will learn how to blend with their partner, developing skills to redirect movement so that conflict and physical injury do not occur.
Unlike many martial arts that emphasise straight-line, direct movements such as punching and kicking, Aikido is based on natural movements where children respond to an oncoming force by moving out of the way, and with relaxed, powerful, circular motions.
How do kids benefit from Aikido?
Aikido is a martial art that enhances and develops focus, physical energy and concentration. This training helps children develop calm, clear minds. As a result they absorb knowledge more easily and think with greater clarity, thereby enhancing focus and concentration at school.
The training increases the awareness children have of what is happening around them and of the intentions of others. It also develops relaxed power that doesn’t depend on strength, agility and coordination, The positive benefits will flow through to all types of physical and academic activity. Increasingly, children become aware that when they move correctly, they do not need to rely upon size, strength or athletic ability.
Our aim is to provide children with skills for daily life, to deal with difficult situations and people, so they do not want to resort to aggression or violence, but have the ability and confidence to deal with it decisively when others employ it. We teach children to maintain a positive mind in a stressful situation, so that when they encounter conflict they learn how to relax and redirect the energy, or simply to leave the conflict. They learn conflict resolution for daily life through practice of Aikido, and respect and consideration for their partners.
We teach children that staying calm and relaxed can be much stronger and have a greater impact than anger, force and aggression. We teach our children that aggression is not appropriate, and instead to meet it with compassionate assertiveness and confidence. The awareness and confidence they develop is directly useful in all aspects of life.
Through the concentration that children will use as they learn practical self-defence techniques, and through the energy they expend during the fun, skills-focused games, they will naturally push themselves emotionally and physically beyond what they think they are capable of.
And they will have fun. Our training is serious and committed, but also fun and joyful.
And the end result? Children who have a sense of calm, quiet self-assurance and respect for all human beings.
What happens at the dojo?
The dojo is a training hall. It is a refuge from the outside world where we like to maintain a sense of calm and focus to ensure that children reach their full potential at training. Experience has shown us that children respond more positively to learning if the parents leave the dojo quickly and quietly once they have dropped their child at training, allowing the child the time and space to focus on the task in front of them.
Throughout the year we will provide opportunities where families are welcome to attend and join in demonstrations to ensure that parents remain in touch with their child’s progress and understand what their child is doing.
We also request that children arrive 10-15 minutes early, allowing the class to start on time.
As you would expect in a martial arts environment, there are some etiquette and dojo rules that all who enter the hall are expected to observe, to focus minds and set the environment for successful learning and safety. [For further information on our occupational health and safety approach, and our child protection strategy, please read the Health & Safety page on this website.]
We start the class with meditation, then exercises and stretches and training in ki. On alternate weeks the class starts with a Boot Camp, to develop core strength, followed by stretches. The majority of the time is then spent learning Aikido technique and thinking, with the help of games and exercises for the younger group specifically targeted at the objectives for the class and more complex Aikido and some weapons work for the older group. Both younger and older groups explore self-defence scenarios and appropriate responses, with the older group doing more complex scenarios.
Minikids
Aikido Minikids has been specifically developed for children aged 3-5 years just as they are beginning to socialize beyond the family. The program is about:
- Fun!
- How to be safe
- Co-ordination and agility
- Respect for each other
- How to be calm
- How to listen
We strongly believe that anyone and everyone can benefit from learning Aikido, especially young children as they begin to develop their first friendships.
Aikido is self-defence. We do not teach children to fight. We teach children how to deal with difficult situations, for example if someone says something unkind or tries to hit them. For this age group in particular, the emphasis is on how to move away from a situation of conflict. Children will learn that responding with aggression or violence to a confrontation is far less effective than staying calm and retaining control. This is especially relevant in early relationships when young children haven’t yet acquired and developed their social skills.
Young children learn best when engaging in natural and fun activities. They will be running, rolling, stretching and learning some very simple techniques. They will learn through using the same kinds of movements that they use every day. Over time they will develop their skills and learn to have confidence in their actions.
Our aim is to nourish a positive attitude and a sense of calm to help young children live in harmony with each other as they begin to socialise.
Training Information
Locations:
Schedule:
Children’s classes are held during school term:
- Mondays at Deakin:
- 3.30 pm-4.30 pm, 5-8 years old.
- 4.45 pm-5.45 pm, 8- teenager.
- Tuesdays at O’Connor:
- 3.30 pm-4.30 pm, 5-8 years old.
- 4.45 pm-5.45 pm, 8- teenager.
- Wednesdays at Deakin:
- 10 am- 10.45 am; 3-5 years old; Preschool;
- 3.30 p.m.-4.30 p.m, 5-8 years old.
Holiday Programs run during school holidays. The program(s) offered vary depending on demand and on the length of the school break. During the Xmas break several different programs may be offered.
Programs include:
- Personal Safety – protective behaviours and self-defence, in Kids and Teens age groups.
- Aikido weapon training introduction – staff, sword, knife. These use training weapons, not real ones!
- Aikido
Programs will typically run for 3 half-days each, and the fee is usually around $120.
Fees:
Fees are for a school term = $110, and $100 for siblings.
Orders for uniforms (Gi) can be arranged with the instructor during class. A Gi is typically around $38.
The traing uniform (Gi) is optional; most kids prefer to have one; some parents wait until their child has shown commitment to training and then purchase a gi. Gi can be ordered from either Louise or Murray at any time. The cost of a Gi varies, but is typically around $38.
See our Contact Us page for our contact details.