Children's Taekwondo Classes and More
At United Martial Arts, we believe a kid is never too young to enjoy the benefits of learning a martial art.
Martial arts training for kids is healthy, fun and teaches them the self-control to use their youthful energy, curiosity and spark in constructive ways.
For years we have watched all sorts of kids – girls and boys, big and small, bold and shy – thrive on positive feedback and encouragement as they master new skills.
Our academy intentionally fosters a fun and high-energy environment because our years of experience have found this is the best way for kids to integrate the new physical, mental and emotional discoveries they make about themselves.
Find out more about our Kids’ programs below or look at our taekwondo timetable.
Taekwondo for 3 to 6 years
Our Little Tigers program is for littlies who can’t wait to get started! If you were looking for karate for kids then consider Taekwondo. To read more about our Taekwondo program, click here.
In a fun, safe and supportive environment, this motivating program is reward based and takes into account the physical, emotional, social and intellectual development of these, our youngest students.
Our experienced and caring instructors also involve each student’s parents in the classes for mentoring, support and encouragement.
This program covers the early fundamentals of Taekwondo, as well as basic life skills:
- Focus
- Listening
- Awareness
- Control
- Attitude
- Confidence
- Character
- Discipline.
Little Tigers are rewarded with coloured belts unique to their program based on their development through our fun, safe and creative taekwondo skills drills.
Teaching kids martial arts
All our junior students are taught in a way that instils the values of respect, honour, courtesy, assertiveness and integrity. These are summed up in the values creed we teach all our students:
- Always tell the truth
- Always listen to parents and teachers
- Always be polite
- Always keep promises.
Martial Arts for Middle Childhood
Panthers Tae Kwon Do – for 7 to 9 year olds
The Panthers program builds kids’ character and confidence as they begin to grow up.
A program suitable for boys and girls, this program is designed specifically for children in an age range where their physical and mental capabilities are greater than those of our Little Tigers but do not yet suit the lessons taught to our 10-14s group.
Panthers is the level where your child begins the first formally graded steps towards their black belt.
In this age between early childhood and adolescence, kids benefit from role models that help them to develop character traits like:
- Courage
- Social skills
- Good friendship and relationships.
While this graded program is still fun and engaging, it builds the techniques and discipline needed to progress in higher age groups. Panthers classes focus on the following skills:
- Concentration
- Speed
- Flexibility
- Intensity
- Perseverance
- Technique
- Agility.
Our instructors nurture our Panthers to develop positive attitudes, encourage them to have a go, introduce goal setting and develop their focus and determination.
Martial Arts for Youth
Lions Tae Kwon Do – for 10 to 14 year olds
Young women and men in this age group do their best when they are empowered to make good choices and lead their friends in a positive way.
We teach our Lions to be responsible with their skills and aware of their growing strength. These students are in an age group facing many physical, emotional, social and intellectual challenges. We help our students confront these and build a strong sense of self through lessons focusing on:
- Confidence
- Responsibility
- Leadership
- Determination.
This class also seeks to build resilience and skills to help students face the transition to secondary schooling. Special focuses are non-violent conflict resolution and how to avoid being a victim of bullying. Other benefits of training include physical stress relief and a clear, focused mind.
What is the difference between Karate and Tae Kwon Do?
The word “Karate” is often used to refer to any martial art. However, it is only one style among hundreds. Very often, it is confused with Tae Kwon Do – perhaps because they are both regularly taught in the same academies and used similar uniforms. There are, however, crucial differences between the two:
| Differences | Karate | Tae Kwon Do |
| Origin | 14th Century Japan | 14th Century Korea |
| Focus | Self-defence | Sport, Self-defence and Discipline |
| Emphasis | Punches, kicks and grappling | Kicks, Punches and Blockings |
| Olympic sport | Not yet | Yes |
| Weapons training | No | Some techniques exist, but they are very rare |
Martial arts for girls
From the local academy, right through to the Olympic stage, the martial arts are unisex as sports and as a way of life. Instructors welcome every student as equally deserving to learn and be empowered. Every student learns the same skills as a group.
Yet, while in junior classes there are roughly equal numbers of girls and boys, as the students grow older, girls drop out at an increasing rate. It gets to the point where classes that are open to all students don’t have a single girl.
There are many reasons for this, but at United Martial Arts we don’t feel those reasons are good enough! We have seen martial arts empower so many girls and young women to access their inner strength, build stronger characters and develop assertiveness and willpower.
If your daughter is interested in martial arts but you have reservations, thinking it is only for boys, please come along to the academy and speak with our instructors. You will soon get a sense of how useful the pursuit of a martial art can be in helping your daughter develop into a strong and self-aware adult.