Tae Kwon Do & Preschool Ideas

Obstacle Course

• In Tae Kwon Do obstacle courses are used for preschool aged children to help teach discipline. The kids must learn to wait their turn if faster than others and do what is required to go through the course. Create the course in a square. At each corner there are requirements to pass: a jumping jack at one, two crunches at another, a jump at the third, and a spin at the fourth. Use obstacles for each side. Have the kids crawl through a tube, duck under pool noodles held at shoulder height, step in circles laid down like tires at a military course, and crawl over something soft such as a big teddy bear. If one child doesn't do it right, have him return to the beginning of the obstacle and start over (the spot where he made a mistake, not starting the whole course over). The kids in line behind him will have to back up and wait. The waiting and not cutting corners is what teaches the discipline.

Push-ups

• Teaching preschoolers how to properly perform some exercises can get them excited about doing them every day. They'll be happy to go home and tell their families all about how they learned to do some exercises, especially if they were taught by a real Tae Kwon Do instructor and black belt. One of the most important exercises in martial arts is the push-up, because it works the same muscles used to punch. Have the kids lie on their stomachs and put their hands on the floor about 6 inches from their shoulders. Have them push up onto their toes and straighten their arms. A push-up is bending the elbows and lowering the body all while keeping your back straight. Instruct them to only allow their hands and toes to touch the floor while doing the push-ups. Have a contest to see who can do the most properly.

Showing Respect

• Respect is an important aspect of Tae Kwon Do. Start this activity by talking about things you and your preschoolers do in school that shows respect. These examples could include putting shoes and jackets in the cubbies, greeting your classmates and teachers, and saying things like please and thank you. Then lead them in to how Tae Kwon Do practitioners show respect to their school and their fellow students, which is with a bow. Have everyone stand up and get into attention stance, with feet together and hands by sides. Then slowly bow by bending at the waist and keeping eye contact with the other person. Have the kids partner up and practice a Tae Kwon Do bow.

Shark Game

• The shark game teaches preschoolers dodging techniques and footwork used in Tae Kwon Do sparring. They'll have so much fun playing they'll forget they're learning important skills. You will need a large ball. A yoga ball works well for this game. Have all your preschoolers spread out around the room with a few chosen students to be "sharks" along with you. The sharks surround the players and roll the ball to each other. The fish in the middle must avoid contact with the ball. Advise them not to jump over it as this is dangerous. Stepping out of the way is the easiest and safest way to play. Whoever gets hit must sit out until the last fish is standing.

Teaching Self-Defense

• While you won't be showing a three-to-five year old how to take down an attacker with an arm bar, you can teach kids this age some self-defense techniques. One is the lock hold. Use a pole (flagpole, playground pole) and wrap their arms around it. If you have one at your preschool take them outdoors to practice. Have each child lock her hands together with palms together, right fingers around the inside of the left hand, and left fingers around the outside of the right hand. Have the preschoolers line up in front of the pole to practice while you try to pull each one away. They will learn that they can fend off an attack.

Learning Korean

• Teach your preschoolers how to count to five in Korean since Tae Kwon Do originated in Korea. Most dojangs use Korean as a second language during classes and have a Korean flag. Numbers one through five in Korean is hana, dul, set, net, daseot. Five, or dasoet, is pronounced "daso." The first four are pronounced as they are spelled. Your preschoolers will be proud to learn a new language and show off to their families when they get home.