JUDOKI

JUDOKI - JU=GENTLE DO=WAY KI=LEARNING

 Preschool Judo

Why should my child take part?

In a world where children are encouraged to grow up quickly, we let kids be kids, but in a safe, structured environment which teaches respect, focus and discipline.  In today’s busy age of televisions and computer games, physical activity often takes a back seat .  Judo is fun and exciting and promotes exercise in a positive and healthy way.  Children who have both the confidence and opportunity to take part in active play, are less likely to become overweight and inactive as they grow.

What will my child learn?

Your child will learn the physical ABC’s – Agility, Balance and Co-ordination.  As part of our pre-school program, we teach the correct methods of falling whilst protecting the head and limbs.  There is an emphasis on self discipline, self respect and respect for others.  Your child will learn about good sportsmanship, fair play and body awareness.

“Bunker (1991) reminds us that children acquire self-confidence and self-esteem in part through successful physical activities. As children master and refine basic motor skills, they see themselves as more competent and capable. The preschool child who has mastered the monkey bars and exclaims for all the world to hear, “Hey, look at me!” is feeling good about himself and his accomplishment. Part of the excitement of many physical tasks is the element of risk that accompanies them.” We give children the opportunity to experience the thrill of rapid movement and physical challenges while teaching them the correct techniques to do this safely.  

Judo is more than simply sport, it’s education, it’s discipline, it’s respect, it’s FUN.

What exactly is Judo?

Please see our “What is Judo” page.

Judo Demonstration Testimonials

We recently had a demonstration from Cliff and Sharon from Coffs Coast Judo to perform a Judo demonstration for our preschool children.

"I liked it when we rolled back and tap the ground to keep us safe"  Roxy, 5

"I liked holding Cliff down"  Andrew, 5

"I liked falling like a ball.  That's my favourite part"  Alyssa, 4

"I liked falling backwards and everyone laughed"  Cohan, 5

As we believe rough and tumble play is an important part of childrens' play and development, this display was valuable in teaching children guidelines on safety when engaging in this play.  They were able to demonstrate to the children how to fall safely to protect heads and arms from injury and also reiterated Judo did not involve punching or kicking, only holding.  These holds were performed in a safe manner and Sharon and Cliff demonstrated how they would stop and release their peers when tapped.

Sharon and Cliff presented this demonstration in a fun and engaging way and catered to all childrens' skill and confidence levels.  We look forward to having them back in the near future to continue teaching these skills to us.

Gamumbi Early Childhood

I have known Cliff for several years, and know him as a person of good character.  His son attends our preschool, and earlier this year we invited him to come to show his judo skills to the children. We were well aware that he competes in judo competitions nationally, and that he teaches judo to children and adults, but our main purpose in inviting him was to develop his child’s sense of identity and promote family-centre partnerships. However, Cliff did such a good job, that we invited him back on a different day so that other children didn’t miss out on this valuable experience.

Cliff’s manner with the children is gentle and supportive, while firmly passing on the message that judo is not about hurting people, that there is no kicking or punching, and that it can only be used in classes. He clearly explains what he is doing and why, and easily maintained the children’s attention by using appropriate language, changing activities and involving the children.

He provided an opportunity for those children who chose to do so to have a go at holding him down – something they enjoyed enormously. Children who wanted just to watch were also able to do so, and one nervous child who, at first was very cautious, was soon drawn in to watch all the action.

Cliff’s demonstration started with some information about Japan, a comparison of the Australian and Japanese flags, and greetings in Japanese. He ended with a fun listening game (like ‘Simon Says’ ) using Japanese commands and simple body movements.

I am very pleased to recommend Cliff and his judo demonstration to you.

Possums’ Den