It’s getting to be that time of year again, when parents begin searching for summer camps for their kids. In most urban areas there are a large variety of camps to choose from, art camps, science camps, horse riding camps. Some of these camps can be little more than day cares, offering no stimulation, especially for the older children.

Another type of camp you may not have considered is a martial arts summer camp. These camps have a large physical component while also teaching and enforcing the discipline of a martial artist. Children who train in martial arts are often better academic students as well. To train in a martial art throughout the summer helps keep kids’ bodies and minds sharp and focused for the next school year.

While the kids are learning valuable and potentially lifesaving skills like self-defence they are also building their overall self-confidence and concentration. Throughout the camp they will also be building friendships with their fellow students and the beginnings of a lifelong interest in living a healthy, active lifestyle.

Many martial arts summer camps will split the days into a martial arts training session and then a more relaxed games or activities session. Some camps will be martial arts training throughout the day. All martial arts summer camps will help kids master the core principles of being a martial artist:

1. Honesty – Everything starts with honesty. Honesty in your life and in your training will allow overcoming obstacles. Honesty lets you realistically look at where you are and where you need to go to be successful in life

2. Respect – Respect for others and yourself creates a better atmosphere for learning and training. Respect helps create long-lasting relationships, which makes lives more rewarding.

3. Perseverance – The most rewarding things in life are those which usually require most effort. Through your training you will acquire that spirit, and the discipline to achieve higher successes than you ever thought possible.

4. Patience – Martial arts training is all about striving to move from a level of perfection. One has to be dedicated, disciplined, and patient to achieve this. Once you do, it will be one of the proudest accomplishments in your life.

5. Self-Control – Self-control does not only mean controlling your kicks and punches, but controlling your life and your destiny. Stay focused and disciplined on your goals; be in charge.

In addition to providing your kids with valuable life skills, martial arts summer camps are often cheaper than other day camps. Some high-end skills based camps can cost $500 or more for the week, and are often provided only at locations such as universities or technical schools where they have the tools available for the camps. On the other hand many martial arts schools will offer some martial arts summer camp options, and those are often located in or very near your neighbourhood.

Try searching online for martial arts summer camps and then add the name of your town or city to get a list of schools in your area that are offering this service.

Benefits from exercising as a family

The growing epidemic of overweight adults and overweight children is well publicized.  Part of the problem is that kids are only exercising in their gym classes, and don’t see their parents as good fitness role models.  Telling your kids to practice good fitness and lead a healthy lifestyle is not nearly as effective as sharing your own good fitness habits with them.  Many studies have shown that kids who have healthy role models in their parents are far more likely to lead active and healthy lives themselves.  Exercising as a family also means you don’t have to choose between spending time with your kids and exercising, which happens so often in today’s hectic and busy world.

 

Finding Fun Things to do with the kids

Finding something that is fun and calorie burning for both adults and kids can be a challenge.  When looking for physical activities for kids that adults can also participate in you should also be looking for something you can do at the same time, together.  Lifting weights while your children participate in a group class in another room is not going to be as beneficial as doing something directly with your kids.  One of the many possible activities that does fit both of these requirements is martial arts.  If you can find a martial arts school that offers family or all ages classes then you have found a wonderful activity you can share with your kids while each of you exercises and also learns a valuable set of skills.

 

Increasing motivation

When you train in a martial art as a family you are learning something together with your kids, and not necessarily teaching it to them.  This will give you kids a greater sense of power and confidence as they see Mom and/or Dad learning something with them instead of showing it to them.  Your children may even advance through the grades faster than you, or be tasked with instructing you during the class.  These are both excellent ways of promoting their self-confidence, and encouraging them to continue training or exercising throughout their lifetimes.  Having new belt levels or responsibilities to strive for is also an excellent way for both the adults and the kids to stay motivated and continue training.

 

Bonding through shared interests

Once your kids have developed an appreciation for the martial art classes then you will forever have that shared interest as a bond between you.  This bond will act as just another way of remaining close with your kids as they grow.  As children whose parents are active in their lives show better grades, communicate more freely with their parents and display fewer behavioural problems while growing up, the benefits of family fitness through martial arts training really begin to add up.

Martial arts is a very effective addition to a healthy lifestyle.  The physical and mental training required to be successful in any martial art will give students valuable skills they can apply to many other aspects of their lives.  With dozens of martial arts schools in even the smallest cities it can be a challenging task for parents to evaluate them and determine what is the best martial art for their kids.  While there is no single martial art that is suited specifically to all children there are some that are more suitable than others.  Some styles may focus more on the physical competitions and preparing for them, while others might have a greater emphasis on character and confidence building.  Similarly two schools that teach the same martial art style will teach that style differently, placing greater emphasis on different aspects of the style, for example learning the formal movement patterns vs a focus on the sparring components.  In this article we hope to help you with some information about the best martial art for kids.

 Firstly you as a parent need to be sure you know why you are looking for a martial art for your kids.  There are a number of skills to be learned through martial arts such as self-defence, fitness improvements, teaching self-confidence, or training to compete in tournaments.

 While most if not all martial arts are in some ways suitable for children, the same cannot be said for all martial arts schools or teachers.  That is why the first step in choosing a martial art for your kids is to evaluate the schools in your area, the instructors in those schools and then the type of training they provide to both students and to instructors.

 Start by researching some of the martial arts schools available in your area to see what their basic styles are.   The Internet is a wonderful resource for this as you can get a quick overview of the tenets, history and styles involved in each individual martial art.  Consider not only your goals for your child, more self-confidence or building physical strength for example, but also the strengths of your child when determining which martial arts may be best suited for them.  Judo and mixed martial arts both have some emphasis on grappling, which is locking or pinning opponents to the ground.  So these may not be the best martial arts for kids that are claustrophobic.  On the other hand these styles will be effective in helping your child build their physical strength and endurance.

 Once you have a list of martial arts styles that would be appropriate for your kids, start contacting the schools in your area that teach those styles.  Find out what particular style of martial arts will be taught and make sure the response matches with your research.  For example, Taekwondo has only two official branches, the Kukkiwon/World Taekwondo Federation branch and the International Taekwon-Do Federation branch.  If a Taekwondo school cannot verify that they are affiliated with one of these organizations then their training, and the belts they award to students, may not be valid or authentic.  Ask if they have programs specifically designed for children, or if the children are grouped into a general class.  Sometimes children can be very intimidated if they are surrounded by teens and adults, and in those cases they will not be gaining a lot by taking the class.  Ask if the instructors have certifications in first aid or child education.  Find out if the schools have formal training classes for their instructors, to teach them how to teach.  Keep in mind that being a champion at a sport does not necessarily mean that someone can teach well; consider how many great hockey and football players have had spectacularly bad coaching careers. Find out how many instructors and students are in each class, so you can get a feel for how much individual attention your children can expect during the class.  Find out how much experience the master or senior instructor has with children.   Get an idea of what the ongoing costs will be to attend the school, including items such as promotion testing fees, uniforms, and additional equipment requirements like arm and shin guards for sparring practices.  Find out how long the school has been in operation, how long it's been at its present location and whether or not the school gives back to its local community through fundraisers or group volunteer activities.  These things are important indicators of the level of commitment that the instructors and masters have to the school.  

 Once you've found a school that appears to teach in a style you're looking for and has an instructor that you're happy with its time to inspect the school facility itself.  It might be best to do this initial investigation without your child present, so that if the school does not meet your needs you don't need to be the "bad guy" if your children are excited about starting classes there.  Inquire as to if you can come by to watch a class or even take a class yourself to evaluate the teaching in the school first hand.  Most schools will offer a free first class to prospective students.  Finally, if the school allows you to take a free introductory class they will likely allow your children to do the same.  After the class speak with the instructors to find out if your child is a good fit for them as well as talking with your child to see how they felt about the class.  The instructors may feel that your children are too young or too old for that particular class, and may have some suggestions as to what the kids need to focus on to be successful with their training.

 Final tips:

 Children can be more committed to the martial arts training if it becomes a family activity.  Consider signing up yourself to train alongside your kids and help them appreciate the dedication to physical activity throughout their lives and outside of school.
 Many martial arts schools emphasize discipline and respect for parents, instructors and elders.  Make sure you are reinforcing this at home if it's important to you that your kids practice this respect.
 The history of the martial art and/or the club itself, the grand-master or the organizations the club is part of may be required learning at the school that your kids go to.  Be sure to help your kids with some research into these aspects.