[Scott Hrouda]

Is there such a thing as WMA for children?

I know this sounds a little strange, but hear me out. My son just entered kindergarten (5 years old) and has been bringing home a ton of information from school. One flyer advertising a Karate class boasts "Practical self-defense, well structured curriculum, improves physical fitness, reinforces positive values and increases self-confidence". Doesn't this also apply to WMA schools?

The SCA has been developing fighting programs for children for several years now using hockey helmets and super-padded weapons.

Is there a WMA school that has offered this type of instruction or is planning to (obviously using foam weapons)? Could this be a new revenue stream?

Thoughts?

[Craig Shackleton]

I teach HEMA to kids.

I've done workshops and interactive presentations for years, and had a few kids I know in my adult classes, but last year I started running ongoing lessons on a regular basis.

This fall I am offering kids courses for the public, and two homeschool associations have contracted me to teach their kids, and I'm also teaching a series for a gifted children's "take off" program.

To be honest, although I did not seek this, it's looking like my kids programs are going to seriously outstrip my adult programs.

There are a number of things I do differently with kids than with adults, and there are some things that I don't think work as well for kids. On the whole though, it's perfectly possible to teach them.

I was thinking about this the other day. I am not one of the crowd that believes HEMA will be the next MMA or what have you, but I think that HEMA will change when we start having adult instructors who started as children.

[Scott Hrouda]

[Colt Reeves]

Take a look at this site: http://www.truefork.org/DragonPreservationSociety/

Got a short wee one on his front page. The 4th link down is "longsword for kids": http://www.truefork.org/DragonPreservationSociety/Chibis.php



FYI: He does have a comic that many would say is less than kid-friendly in spots, located in "other sites". It is rather anime flavored and may not be all that adult-friendly either, though I find it interesting when he has his characters engage in philosophy. He seems to alternate from drawing his characters having sex left and right and making bad jokes to asking what-is-the-meaning-of-life type questions and such. Also, he often has them running around with what are obviously Albion swords.

[Bill Grandy]

I've been teaching a youth historical swordsmanship program for about nine years now, starting at ages 9 and up. We have a "two handed sword" program (Liechtenauer longsword) and an Italian rapier program. For longsword, they use shinai, and for the rapier they use epee bladed rapiers.

[Sam Gordon Campbell]

Well, I think it sounds like a great idea!
However, in my experiance (which ain't much, but still), the problem lay in how different each child is. There'll be those who are happy to be there, focus when required, genuinly try and get a lot of fun out of it; but then there is also the chance of getting a child with ADD who will simply not comply with instructions making the whole class either grind to a halt for safety reasons, let alone if they do a runner with the equiptment
I think shinai and aluminium wasters are probably best, as methinks that a padded boffer not only doesn't add to the fact that it is a genuine martial art, but encourages the more, shall we say eager, students to start whacking with no concern.
Now, I'm not saying that they can't, I mean kids will be kids and really they do just want to hit stuff and have fun. But I personaly think no one under, say 10 or 11 years of age (unless they show they're mature enough).

[Bill Grandy]

[Scott Hrouda]

[Michael Edelson]

This is my opinion only and you should take it as such, but speaking from experience (I used to work in a dojang and teach Tae Kwon Do when I was in college, and most of my classes were kids), it is a complete waste of time to teach kids younger than 6 or 7, maybe even 8. It's up to the individual kid, of course, but that's the ballpark rule I've discovered.

[Craig Shackleton]

[Sam Gordon Campbell]

Craig: That is true.
If there's one way I learnt in my younger days it was being forced to sit out (and for a reason nonetheless), made a little example of, then having to watch everyone else having fun and getting to do the cool stuff (like handling armour or weapons) . If I had to use padded/foam/LARP wasters, I'd go these http://www.esford.com/armourylarp.htm
With regards to armour, I think that the example from Sarge in this thread: http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=20819 is a good way to do it. Interactive, parents can help, hands on etc. Either that or cuir bouilli which (with a tweak here and there [like a foam lining for cost reasons]) is authentic and works!

Edit: Just to be clear, what age are we defining? I remember (for example) being 13 and being classed as a child (which annoyed me to no-end). I'm assuming 4-12 winters?

[Craig Shackleton]

Thanks for those links!

Here are the swords I've just ordered today. Similar quality (I think) to some of the ones you posted. I do need some shields for the kids too, which I guess I'll have to look into.

I missed the duct tape armour in the other thread. That's pretty funny, I might ave to do a project like that!

I advertise my classes for 9-15 as "Youth classes" and anything younger is a "Children's class." My age ranges end up being flexible too. But to be honest, most of my kids programs so far have been groups asking me to come teach them, and I just deal with whatever ages they throw at me. I've taught a few five-year-olds, but a lot of kids that young just aren't aware of themselves enough to do it. Of course, I've had teens and adults with the same problem occasionally.

On the whole, most of the kids I have taught in general have been 8-12.

[Sean Manning]

Someone teaches a saber class to older children in Australia. I think they use boffers or modified shinai with fencing masks and gambesons. I wish I could remember his name ... I think he posted once on SFI.