Creative Martial Arts Games
Are you a martial arts sensei looking for creative martial arts games to engage your younger students? We all know that when it comes to children, this task can be even more challenging. Kids have short attention spans and are like endless balls of energy.Therefore, keeping them engaged is crucial to running a kids martial arts program. That’s free of chaos.
This comprehensive guide, explores a variety of martial arts games for kids. From enhancing coordination to teaching discipline, these games offer a perfect blend of fun and learning. These games keep the children entertained and is a perfect way to warm up or as a reward at the of the class.
SHIP TO SHORE
This game is specially designed to enhance their concentration skills, by following simple commands.
HOW TO PLAY:
Kids start the game in the middle of the room and the sensei will call out one of the following commands. If a student doesn’t follow through that need to sit out, until only one students remains.
- SHIP: Run to the front wall.
- SHORE: Run to the back wall.
- PORT: Run to the left wall.
- STARBOARD: Run to the right wall.
- SCRUB THE DECK: Students drop to the floor and pretend to scrub the deck
- LOOKOUT: Students imitate a sailor looking through a telescope.
- SUBMARINE: Everyone lies on the floor with one leg in the air.
- CROWS NEST: Everyone imitates someone climbing a ladder.
- THE CAPTAINS COMING: Students need to stand with their feet together and salute their sensei.
ZOMBIE TAG
HOW TO PLAY:
- Select 1 student to start off as the infected zombie and give them the pool noodle. This is the only zombie that will be allowed to run in the game.
- The rest of the students will start off as “survivors”.
- Everyone must stay on lines of the gym (this is the biggest rule). It doesn’t matter if you’re a survivor or zombie you must stay on the lines.
- There is no line jumping. Line jumping is when students jump from one line over to the next one.
- If a student/survivor is tagged, they are no longer a survivor and get turned into a zombie. To become a zombie, they must either walk on their knees, crawl on their bellies, or bear crawl. Remember they must stay on the lines.
- These new zombies now become taggers as they are as well and will try to tag survivors that are still in the game to try and infect them.
- Zombies are allowed to work together to try and trap survivors that are still in the game.
- Play either for a certain time limit or until you have 1 lone survivor.
SUMO
This game tests balance, strength, coordination, and speed. It is primarily a test of balance and having an effective base and stance.
HOW TO PLAY :
- Select 2 students and get them to stand in the centre can of the ring (this can be made from rope, pads or even belts) to represent a real Sumo ring; if one child is pushed out of the ring, then they are out. After a winner is decided, another two children are selected, and so on.
SENSEI SAYS
This was an oldie but a goodie in my karate dojo. Sensei Says is a variation on the old game “Simon Says,” but has a more of a karate emphasis to it.
HOW TO PLAY :
- As the sensei you simply call out Karate techniques for the kids to do, but if you don’t say “Sensei Says” first and the child does the move, they are out.
- Kids have a lot of fun with this one and It is easy to challenge the kids with this game. Making the move difficult as you go through and slipping in a non-Sensei-Says will often throw them off. It is an exercise to build on their focus and concentration.
TIC TAC TOE RELAY
One of the most creative martial arts games to play with your younger practitioners.
HOW TO PLAY :
- Get 9 hola hoops or use masking tape to make a grid for 3 squares by 3 squares, like you would use for Tic Tac Toe.
- You need 6 items, 3 of the same colour and another 3 of a different colour. You could use old martial arts belts, cloth or mini bean bags.
- Divide your students into 2 teams and give the first three players in the teams the items, each team has the same colour for each player.
- The first player runs the length of the room and places their items in a square. They tag the second person who runs and places their second item.
- Then the third person goes. The aim is to get three in a row, but to also stop your competing team from getting three in a row too!
- Once the three items are down, the following team members can move one of their items to try make three in a row. This continues until one team gets three in a row!
THE DROP GAME
HOW TO PLAY:
- Students line up in front of the instructor, who is holding a magazine above their heads. You can also use a mitt if you do not g have a magazine handy.
- Students go into a fighting stance.
- The instructor drops the magazine, and the student must attempt to punch it before it lands on the mat. Each student gets the same limited number of tries.
MITT GRAP
Even the adults love this game because it is so much fun.
HOW TO PLAY:
- Each students fastens their karate mitt to one of their ankles ( This game is okay in pairs)
- Two students will sit on the floor back to back with the legs out in front of them. Students are not permitted to stand at all during this game.
- Once the sensei says go the objective is to grab each other’s mitt strips before they get yours.
- The first person who manages to achieve this wins.
THE ATTENTION STANCE GAME
HOW TO PLAY:
- Line up your students in rows, just the way the students do at the beginning of each class. Depending on your students ratio I would suggest around 5 to a row.
- Each student must stand in attention stance and not move, blink, laugh, smile, or make any kind of changes.
- The instructor job is to try break their concentration and lose their focus; you could crack jokes, make weird noises full faces, or even tap them with a pool noodle. The instructor can be as creative as they like.
- As soon as a student laughs or breaks focus in any way, they must sit down. This goes on until there is only one student left.
RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT
This is an oldie but a goodie. It’s the same in Karate, you can either get them to walk, using different techniques, bear crawl, crawling or even doing leapfrog. One if the many creative martial arts games you’ll want to play.
HOW TO PLAY :
- Have the student line up on one side of the mat.
- When you say “green light,” they start their move and keep going until you say, “red light.”
- You can even make it more challenging for them by randomly throwing other colors into the mix to throw them off.
- Those who accidentally go when you say red light have to go back to start. The goal, of course, is to make it to the other end of the mat.
UNDER AND OVER
This game Is played with along rope or you could also tie martial arts belts together.
- Get all your students to be in the centre of the room. If you have a large student ratio you can split them up into smaller groups.
- Two instructors hold onto each end of the rope. Either going high where the students near to duck or low where the students need to jump over the rope.
- Gradually increasing the speed. If at any moment they get hit the rope they need to sit down, Until only one student remains.
KING OF THE CIRCLE
HOW TO PLAY:
- Call out your students one by one and advise them where to stand; the nominated the King of the Circle needs to stand in the middle of the floor.
- The student in the middle is asked to close their eyes and cover them with their hands. They are instructed not to open their eyes until the sensei begins to count to 5.
- While the eyes are closed, the sensei will then point to one or a couple of students who will be “taggers.”
- When you start counting, the King is allowed to open their eyes. The assigned number of taggers, will go after the “king” and try to tag the either the torso, shins or feet.
- This increases the difficulty yet it’s still remains fun. Instructors adjust accordingly to age and skill level.
- The “king” is allowed to block, parry, evade, or dodge. Whoever is able to tag the “king” them takes over as the new “king,” and another round begins. If the “king” lasts 5 seconds without being tagged, then they remain “king” for the next round.
This game if skill helps tests agility, speed, and focus.
WHY ARE GAMES IMPORTANT IN MARTIAL ARTS
Martial arts games play a crucial role in children’s martial arts classes. Offering not only the benefits of exercise. But also helps improve focus, discipline, and coordination. Making training more fun enhances retention and motivation among your students.
DEVELOPING BASIC SKILLS
Martial arts games are carefully crafted to target specific skills essential for kids natural development. These include skills such as balance, coordination, agility, focus, and spatial awareness. By integrating these skills into your training, children who participate in these games not only improve their martial arts skillset but also enhance their physical and mental health.
TAILORING GAMES FOR DIFFERENT AGES
One size does not fit all when it comes to martial arts games. It’s important for Instructors to consider their students age and skill level, when selecting games and adjusting difficulty accordingly. You find the younger students often benefit from simpler games. That focus on basic motor skills, while older students can engage in more complex challenges that test their martial arts techniques.
ENCOURAGES PARTICIPATION AND CONFIDENCE
Instructors should ensure that the creative martial arts games that they include in their curriculum. Is accessible to students of all abilities and if needed use modifications or alternatives. When you are promoting inclusivity and diversity in your training environment. You create a welcoming environment where every child feels valued and empowered.
Martial arts classes for children should prioritise creating a positive and safe environment. Every student should feel motivated and supported as they go through their martial arts journey. Instructors achieve this by offering praise and encouragement, emphasising progress over perfection.
We want all students to feel like they’re part of a team. Even if they are struggling with something, that it’s okay and they need to be patience with themselves.
I mean Isn’t this what we want for all of our children.
GAMES PROMOTES PHYSICAL FITNESS
Creative martial arts games not only greatly improve your martial arts performance but also contribute to children’s overall physical fitness. These types of games involve a combination of cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and flexibility.
Overtime as they grow improves endurance and stamina, these are vital as you head towards your blackbelt as they become stronger and older. Did you know that making fitness fun and enjoyable, children are more likely to develop lifelong habits of physical activity later on In life.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON CREATIVE MARTIAL ARTS GAMES
By incorporating these fun and effective martial arts games into your younger martial artists, you can make exercise an enjoyable experience that they look forward to. Anyone with kids realise that as we now live in such a technology based world, it’s harder than ever to get your kids moving.
Not only will these games help improve their physical fitness. But also gives them added bonuses like enhancing their martial arts skills, discipline, focus, and overall well-being.Martial arts games for the younger generations offer a dynamic and effective way to learn valuable skills whilst still having fun.
As an instructor of course you want your practitioners to be engaged, during Karate class. Keep in mind that children are full of energy and often get distracted. How you present your tone and energy during training or fun activities are very important. And, after all, remember what it’s like to be a kid. They want to have fun. And, and develop a creative martial arts curriculum, you will have fun too.
