MsVeedub

My sensei has allowed me to start teaching some of the littlest kids' lessons and kids' group sessions. I'm trying to learn as much as I can about how the little devils learn, and am especially interested in making up games for them. We study Shaolin Kempo, but really, the goal is to help them with following directions, balance, coordination, how to work with others, etc.

Anyone have a favorite game they run their kids through? Ages range from 4 to 12ish.

Regards,
Susan

Thai Bri

A Judo guy who used to teach my eldest had this game playing stuff down to a fine art. His classes were basically structured around 10 minutes of practice, and then 10 minutes of games, etc etc. He was a strict disciplinarian during "training" time, but had a laugh at game time.

But the great thing was this, many of his "games" actually developed attributes for Judo - so the kids were training without knowing it.

Heres a few -

"Jockeys up" - the kids pair up. Half the kids form a large circle with their partners standing behind them. As the instructor shouts "Left", the outside kids all run to the left, around the ring. He shouts "change" a few times to get them to change direction, and then shouts "Jockeys up!". The the kids have to run round the circle back to their partners and then jump on their backs. Last one up is out. Then the kids swap over and play again until only one pair is left.

Another game involved to lines of kids, kneeling down, facing each other. Each side is numbered, from 1 to how many are in the line. The instructor toses his belt into the middle of the two lines, and then shouts a number. The kids with that number race into the middle and have to do what they can to get the belt back to their side, so lots of rough and tumble ensues. He sometimes shouts more than one number, and they fight like little bastards.

"Bulldog" - people here may have played it already. All the kids (except 1) are at one end of the room. They have to run across (or crawl for a safer game) whilst the remaingin kid has to catch one and hold him down for a 3 count. Anyone held down is then helping to catch ids until, eventually, only one is left.



Unfortunately for me this cool instructor left, and a right bimbo dip shit took over. SXhe just let the kids run wild, so I took my kid out.

osopardo

The second game Bri described we call "Steal the Bacon". Two lines of children facing each other across the room. Each child in each line has been assigned a number. There is a training pad on the floor in the center of the room. When the instructor calls out a number, the children from each side who have been assigned that number run to the center of the room to pick up the pad and run back to their line with it. The child who did not get the pad must tag the one who did get it before he can make it back to his line. The game is not really on until someone picks up the pad and sometimes the players will face off over the pad, waiting for their opponentr to pick up the pad so he can tag him or wait until the oppponent is distracted momentarily to pick up the pad and escape being tagged. It then becomes more tactical, with smaller, faster kids able to win over bigger, slower ones. And like Bri said, it sometimes invloves more than one number being called out.

Another game we play is a type of "Tug o' War" with two children standing on stools, each holding the end of an adult's belt or sometimes a rope. The object is to unbalance your opponent off their stool by pulling them off or tricking them into pulling hard and then letting go so that they fall off by their own force. Again, a tactical game where size and strength don't matter as much as tactics.

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Tom Yum

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osopardo

LOL I sound just like that, too!


....and she calls me Lance Largo!

__________________
Le Bear Extraordinaire!
Mike Brewer's 2008 Athleticon Challenge!!!
Pushups Completed: 5 1/2
Situps Completed: Does using my hands count?

Tom Yum

More on teaching children.....

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Oraenor

simon says is a good one
bullrush
tags
dodgeball?!?!

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Tom Yum

Shuttle Runs - have the kids form 2 lines. Place a baton 25 yards away and another one 50 yards away.

When you shout "Go" 1st kid runs out, get the first baton and place it at the start, then continues to dash out for the 2nd one and drops it at the start.

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gregimotis

Wheelbarrow race and three-legged race.

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