Check Your Holiday Gift Guide!

We’re pleased to see The Kids Karate Workbook is now listed in the Century Martial Arts Catalog. It appears in their Holiday Gift Guide, too! As holiday season rushes toward us, keep in mind that a book makes a great gift on many levels. The Kids Karate Workbook helps kids love training (even more than they already do), promotes reading, and brings parents and kids together to discuss important topics like self defense (besides bringing them together to practice martial arts, which is a great family pursuit).

Click here for Century’s online catalog.

Or click here to order from Amazon.

The “Mat Chat”: What to Talk About with the Kids

Rachel left a note on the “Suggest Future Topics” page, asking this:

I have just become a junior instructor and one thing that I am most unsure about is the ‘mat chat’ for the youngest kids class. What topics and themes should I use?

Great question. The easy answer would be, talk about the same things you discuss in the older kids’ classes: respect, etiquette, perseverance, all the martial arts values. But discussions with 4- and 5-year-olds can be a little different.

I remember, early in my experience with that age group, I asked, “Can someone give me an example of using good manners in the dojo?” One hand shot up, and I called on her, “Yes, Kayley?” She announced loudly, and with great pride, “My brother is seven!”

One thing I do with my youngest kids is begin class by choosing a “word of the day,” discussing it a bit, and revisiting it throughout class. These include things like teamwork, fitness, balance, safety, and of course my favorite, respect. Sometimes I talk about the Five A’s of Self Defense: Aware, Alert, Avoid, Anticipate (what?! that’s a really big word!), and Act. (I might not get through all five in a day.) I try to fish for what the kids know and can contribute, while sharing what I think, what I’d like them to remember, and what it would be great to talk about with their parents.

Instructors, what topics do you use with your youngest? And, maybe more importantly, how do you go about discussing them in an age-appropriate way?

Are You a Facebook Fan?

If you haven’t already found our facebook page and become a fan, you might want to have a look. We sometimes post interesting links and discussions that don’t appear here on this blog. Also, if you’re a fan on facebook, you can post links, make comments, ask questions, and start discussions on the topics that interest you. Go check it out! You can get there by clicking on the Facebook “badge” in the right-hand column of this blog, or by following this link to The Kids Karate Workbook Facebook Page.

Eleven Martial Arts WordSearch Puzzles

Now and then I check the blog to see what searches people are using to find this site. What words do you think bring the most viewers to the blog?

Karate? No. Self-defense? No. Bullying? Nope. Teaching martial arts to kids? – Nuh-uh. The search that comes up more than anything else is “WordSearch Puzzles.”

I guess the world has a hunger for WordSearch.

So here’s my modest little holiday gift to all of you: I’ve collected eleven martial-arts-related WordSearch puzzles and one bonus word game into a single PDF file you can download and print as often as you like. Just click here.

The file contains both of the puzzles that were posted earlier on this blog (along with their links to some good puzzle-making sites); the five puzzles from The Cuong Nhu Training Manual for Kids (and Their Parents); and four new puzzles created especially for this occasion:

Taekwondo-Karate-KungFu, which compares some Korean, Japanese and Chinese martial arts terminology;
The Five P’s of an Achiever;
The Five D’s of a Winner;
and The Ten Don’ts of Sparring.

The new puzzles include some martial arts philosophy, and the bonus puzzle explores my favorite martial arts concept: Respect.

Once again, here’s the link for downloading the file. Happy puzzling, everyone!

Kids Karate Workbook featured on Karate Cafe podcast

The Karate Cafe podcast recently featured the Kids’ Karate Workbook and author Didi Goodman, in an hour-long interview about the book, how it came to be, and various topics related to teaching and training in martial arts.

Karate Cafe was founded five years ago to broadcast the kind of after-workout discussions martial arts enthusiasts love to have — talking about anything and everything martial arts, and continuing the conversation till all hours through an on-line forum.

For the recent podcast, Episode #66, co-hosts Gene Myers of Auburn, NY, and Paul Wilson of Dallas, TX, had read the book carefully, and both had plenty of good things to say about it. One thing both hosts remarked on is how the book is not style-specific, but succeeds in spanning many different kicking/punching arts, from taekwondo to various styles of karate. Gene is a yondan (fourth degree black belt) and instructor in Chibana-ha Shorin-ryu karate, and also studies Two-Circle Jujitsu and Hakutsuru (White Crane) Kenpo. Paul holds a yondan in Shoryin-ryu Kenshin Kan, and is founder and head instructor of White Rock Kenshin Kan. Paul has also studied Tai Chi, Wing Chun, Aikido, Jiu-Jutsu, and Escrima.

Gene noted that, in addition to being a great book for students and parents, The Kids Karate Workbook is also a useful guide for instructors who teach kids. He himself had used it to find new ways to explain things, and come up with new activities and training ideas. Both Gene and Paul remarked on the book’s straightforward style of explanation–clear enough for kids (without talking down to them), but also very readable for adults. They also praised the quality and clarity of Linda Nikaya’s illustrations (over 200 of them!) for conveying the techniques explained in the text.

To hear the full interview, visit http://www.karatecafe.com/ — click on ‘podcast’ and listen to Episode 66. And while you’re there, check out all the other good stuff on the Karate Cafe site!

Check out the Karate Cafe Podcast!

This coming Sunday, November 14th, at 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time, 8:30 Eastern, and everything in between, Kids’ Karate Workbook author Didi Goodman will be appearing on the Karate Cafe live podcast to discuss “Teaching Kids: Tips, Tricks and Traps.”

The Karate Cafe crew – Gene Myers of Auburn, NY; Paul Wilson of Dallas, TX; and Dan Williams of Lansing, MI – host regular online discussions of all things martial arts, and invites the public to join in. Check out their archives at the Karate Cafe website, and you’ll find friendly, wide-ranging conversations among true martial arts devotees – the kind of people (like us) who leave the dojo wanting to keep thinking, talking and trying things out till late into the night.

You are invited to join in the live podcast by phone, text or email this Sunday. Follow this link for details on getting connected. If you miss the live event, you can still tune in by visiting the Karate Cafe archives.

Kiai and Kihap for Kids and Teens (and adults?)

Last week I asked one of my classes, “Which is worse: a wimpy kiai, or no kiai at all?”

Instructors, you know what I am talking about. Kids, you probably know, too. Every class has some students who are too shy or self-conscious to make a loud noise. When called upon to kiai, they let out a thin little squeak that sounds more like a sigh of surrender than the spirited shout of a warrior. And as a teacher, it sometimes makes me want to sigh in surrender. I’ve done everything I can think of to get a shout out of these kids (and sometimes, adults), and there it is again: the incredibly wimpy kiai.

So I tossed out the question, and there were good arguments on both sides. Context matters, of course. In class that day we were practicing kata, but there are other times where kiai might be used, and the question could have a different meaning.

What do you say, readers? Is a wimpy noise better or worse than no noise? Why?

And what can we do to help students who are too shy to shout? Do you have a tip or foolproof technique?

Kids’ Karate Photo Gallery

You’re invited to view mommaratzi’s photo gallery from last Sunday’s demo/party/book-signing at Redwood Dojo. There are some great shots from the demos– kids of all ages, as well as teens and adults. Click here.

Do you have a fantastic photo of kids doing martial arts? Would you like to share it on this site? Let us know! Leave a comment below, or email didi@kidskaratebook.com.

Special Guest Drummer to Perform at Book-Signing Party & Demo

Oakland musician and Haitian drumming instructor Lee Hetelson has generously agreed to perform alongside Redwood Dojo’s kids at the party, demonstration and book-signing this Sunday, December 13th.

Don’t miss the fun! A detailed schedule of events has now been posted at the Redwood Dojo website. Come, bring friends and family, and get your books at a special holiday price. Both editions– The Cuong Nhu Training Manual for Kids, as well as The Kids’ Karate Workbook— will be available. This will also be a rare opportunity to get books signed by author, illustrator, and several of the children who posed for the pictures.

Book Signing and Party at Redwood Dojo!

If you live in Oakland or the San Francisco Bay Area, stop by Redwood Dojo on Sunday afternoon, December 13, for a book signing, celebration, and martial arts demonstration by students of all ages and ranks. The Kids’ Karate Workbook will be on sale at a special price, and you’ll be able to get it signed by the author, illustrator, and some of the kids who posed for the illustrations. More information, and the address, can be found on the Redwood Dojo website.

And by the way, the book got a review in the Orlando Examiner.com martial arts section. The review includes some sample pages, so you can see what the layout and illustrations are like. It’s worth a look!