Games for teaching Youth

Hello Aikiweb!

I have been absent from the site and forums for several years now. I came back looking for some inspiration for my youth classes, but I'm having trouble locating what I want.

There used to be a section, I believe on the WIKI, of games to play and what their rules were. I can't find it. Does anyone know what's happened to that?

Thanks,
WMReed

I don't know about the Wiki section, but this might help you out:
http://www.aikidokids.com/games.html

I know that the Michael Friedl book is highly thought of.

Hi William,

Yes, AikiWeb used to have a wiki section that I've been meaning to revamp. In the mean time, I've attached a PDF of the "Teaching Kids" wiki page that we collected here below -- hope it'll suffice for your needs!

Best,

-- Jun

Lia suzuki Sensei of Aikido Kenkyukai Santa Barbara and Los Angeles has been teaching kids for years here and in Japanshe's got great activities and games and really keeps her classes moving!she'd be great resource

I made up a game that my students always love: "Star Wars".

You get to be a Jedi and do a force push. The rules are that if you get force pushed, you have to fall down in a realistic manner (ukemi). The force push has have concentration behind it (you can't just wave your hands around - you have to point and focus). It only works at close range (not halfway across the dojo).

Usually we do it like a single person randori where the person in the middle is attacked from all sides. It's like randori without technique. The attackers are practicing sensitivity and ukemi skills, while the nage is supposed to stay aware of all directions. There are lots of variations to play with. Do it in slow motion the first time and then increase the speed if everyone can handle it (depending on skill level and discipline level of the kids to be able to follow the above "rules").

It's not ki-waza, it's just an excercise and a game, but I think it teaches some good skills and the kids always like it. I know randori is considered an "expert" level thing in most dojos, but I'd rather challenge my kids than bore them.

Thanks to all!

We often play a game that we call "chiko-tikkertje" in dutch, so there are two volontiers and the others walk around in chiko of course and after a few seconds the volontiers can start chasing others and touch them so they have to sit down at the side and it goes on like that and when there is only one person left, he or she is the winner of the game. We also do a roll to escape but the teacher does't want us to do that often.