4 Creative Martial Arts Games For Kids

Children have an enormous capacity for learning new concepts. However, when their minds are not stimulated, they subconsciously erect walls that prevent the absorption of these concepts. The same is true when teaching kids martial arts. While the physical activity offers a tactile experience which aids the learning process, the routine can quickly become monotonous. When it does, a child can easily lose interest; they may go through the motions during their classes, but fail to truly absorb and memorize what they're learning.

In today's article, I'm going to provide a short list of creative martial arts games for kids. They're designed to make the training fun and exciting while stimulating their minds. You'll find that children are not only willing to participate, but they'll become more mentally engaged in learning various skills associated with the martial arts.

#1 - Group Hog Tie

Separate the kids into small groups of 4 or 5. Provide each group with a soft rope or pliable belt. The objective of Group Hog Tie is for the group to use the rope (or belt) to tie the hands and ankles of one member of the group. The target member of each group should maneuver their arms and legs in order to prevent their being tied.

You'll need to watch each group carefully to ensure that the students don't use too much force in trying to subdue their group's target members. This game teaches the children to cooperate with one another toward achieving a shared goal (tying up the target student).

#2 - Blindfolded Judo

This game pits two kids against each other while blindfolded. The goal is for each student to successfully throw his or her opponent and then pin them to the ground. Judo is a perfect style for this game because it focuses primarily upon throwing rather than striking. Technique, timing, and balance are crucial. Blindfolded Judo not only improves a child's reflexes, but trains them to rely upon senses other than sight.

#3 - Tag Until Thrown

Every child knows how to play tag. One person is "it" and must make contact with another to transfer the "it" status. Tag Until Thrown follows similar rules. First, identify the type of throw you'd like the children to learn. For example, you may want to teach them how to perform an Osoto Gari leg throw or a Tai Otosha body throw.

Next, choose a student to be "it." That child's goal is to tag others. When another student is tagged, the "it" status does not transfer to them. Instead, the tagged student is frozen. The only way to "un-freeze" them is for another student to perform the correct throw on the frozen child. The objective is for the "it" student to freeze all of the other kids.

#4 - Stampede

This game begins by choosing one child from the class. Instruct the other kids to line up against one of the walls of the dojo. The first child stands in the middle of the room and selects one person to cross to the other wall. The chosen student must do so by crawling on their hands and knees.

The goal is for the first person (in the middle of the room) to overturn the chosen one and pin them. If they do so successfully, the pinned person becomes part of the first student's team in the middle and another person is chosen to cross. Otherwise, if the person in the middle fails to pin their opponent, and he or she reaches the other side, all of the other kids begin crawling simultaneously.

These martial arts games can transform an otherwise monotonous class into a fun experience that kids look forward to. The games are designed to involve the children mentally and physically while sparking their natural competitiveness. Most importantly, they're more likely to learn and retain key skills because they're enjoying themselves in the process.