KIDS

KIDS CLASSES

Intro to Kids Aikido at Ithaca Aikikai is mixed-age, with an emphasis on teaching leadership skills. Bigger kids help littler kids, and kids who have done more aikido help those who are new. This format leans into what kids are good at. They're great at teaching and helping one another! It also enacts both the challenging, responsibility-taking nature of martial arts training, and the sense of mutual care that is at the heart of good aikido.

Kids joining us for our intro class should expect to be challenged and have fun! Each fun, lively class includes:

Physical conditioning
Paired practice
At least one game
Short open awareness meditation
Participation in the customs and etiquette of the dojo

Kids who are older than 8, have solid etiquette and classroom skills, and have taken a minimum of 20 classes can take Intermediate or all ages classes. Kids can take adult classes at the instructor's discretion.

All kids can opt to take one class a week for $50 monthly dues, or get serious and become full members for $100 a month.

WHAT DO KIDS SAY ABOUT ITHACA AIKIKAI?

Ximena, age 9

I like Aikido a lot because it is very fun! There are a lot of cool and fun things you do there like belt wrestling, learning to do stuff with your bokken, the techniques and a LOT more! I also like it because there are so many nice people there! And some of the things are hard or EXHAUSTING but there’s always someone there to help! Some things look very hard, but turn out to be easy. At first I was very scared, and then I realized that it is very fun. I hope to keep doing Aikido.

Winston, age 10

I'm a 5th grader. I have done martial arts before, but Aikido is different from other martial arts because in Aikido your goal is to work together in the spirit of cooperation instead of violence. Deborah is an amazing teacher who represents Aikido extremely well.

COSTS

Kids memberships (1 class weekly) are $50 a month

Full memberships are $100 a month

All kids must purchase a gi, or training uniform, for $30