Many kids martial arts schools won’t take children younger than 5. It’s thought that kids that young won’t be able to pay attention, follow instructions, or even understand or remember the martial arts skills.
When we tell parents about our Growing Gorillas classes for 3-4 year olds, they may ask us, Are they too young? Will they even learn jiu jitsu?
To raise a successful child, you have to consider where they are in their development.
This age is the best time to introduce your child to kids martial arts. Not only will they learn jiu jitsu, they will learn skills that make them successful in life.
Your child faces big milestones that are vital to their cognitive, physical, and social and emotional development. Choosing an activity that is designed for child development will help you raise a successful child.
Growing Gorillas uses kids martial arts and jiu jitsu as a vessel for guiding kids through these stages.
So your child isn’t coordinated? Squirms in class? Doesn’t follow instructions? That is the perfect reason to start them in Growing Gorillas!
Physical Development
Development
Motor skills, balance, & central nervous system
Micro Monkey Training
When they’re that little, they’re developing so quickly that they’re big old bobble heads, so their heads are still disproportionately larger than their bodies.
Basic jiu jitsu drills work their motor skills, improves balance, and helps with the growth of the central nervous system as they grow. As they grow, jiu jitsu builds strength and balance.
Development
Follow 3 part commands
Micro Monkey Training
Coaches break down jiu jitsu moves into 3 simple parts, so your child can easily follow them.
This way, your Micro Monkey works at those motor skills and lays a foundation for jiu jitsu.
Cognitive Development
Development
Recall parts of a story & understand the concept.
Micro Monkey Training
Coaches read the story with their students. They will review the questions with the whole class and discuss what the life skill means.
Development
Engaging in Fantasy play.
Micro Monkey Training
They don’t understand the purpose of grappling but do love to play. A game such as Sleeping Crocodile Game uses play-based learning to teach your Micro Monkey Cross Sides Bottom.
Social & Emotional Development
Development
Gain independence from parents.
Micro Monkey Training
Classes are intentionally held in a part of the gym that is removed from the parents. That way, as your Micro Monkey works through the class lessons, they learn how to think on their own.
Development
Children begin to see themselves as a whole person with a body, mind, and feelings. They are so vulnerable and depend on others for safety and protection that they are worried about their own basic needs.
This is also a crucial time in your child’s development where they learn how to cooperate with others, negotiate solutions to conflicts, and be empathetic to others.
Micro Monkey Training
In “Stone Squirrel Freeze Tag” Micros learn how to cooperate with others, by rescuing “frozen” students from getting unstuck.
From Micros To Life
We use jiu jitsu to develop those skills, and they develop them faster than their peer group that isn’t doing jiu jitsu and aren’t doing those agility work.
The Spider Monkeys (ages 5-7) who came up from Micros are leaps and bounds ahead of their peers. They improve faster and are more agile than their peer group who are starting for the first time.
These are just a few of the ways our kids martial arts program supports child development. It’s not just 3-5 year olds either. Growing Gorillas supports child development all the way up to their adolescence.
Whether it’s Kangaroo Hops or Simon Says, Growing Gorillas helps you raise a successful child.