Taekwondo is a Korean martial art becoming more and more popular with children every year. Not only will it teach your children valuable life lessons, but it’s great fun. If you’re looking for a reason to get them involved, look no further than this list of benefits:

It helps kids make friends and build self-confidence

Taekwondo classes for children are often packed with fun, interactive exercises for everyone to get involved in. It helps kids learn, interact and socialise with each other. Due to there being a lot of partner work during lessons, it is often a great place to make new friends and build confidence - especially for children that may be quite shy and don’t thrive in social situations. Being in a fun environment where you are constantly interacting with other kids can really bring kids out of their shells!

It’s a great way to build self-discipline

Taekwondo classes have a set structure. Children learn a variety of complex moves and structures that require focus and training to get the hang of. Some taekwondo classes even implement meditation and breathing exercises, which can work wonders to help kids focus better. The discipline and focus that children can learn in taekwondo are characteristics they can apply to all areas of life.

It’s exercise - and great fun! 

Taekwondo is a full body exercise which works out your muscles, improves your flexibility, and keeps you fit and healthy. It’s a brilliant way to keep your kids active and make sure that they have an outlet to let out all that energy! There is no better feeling than hitting a wooden board and breaking it in two. You can be sure that the kids will be telling all their friends and family about how they accomplished this amazing feat. It's a great boost for their self-esteem and they’ll have a blast while doing it!

It encourages respect and kindness. 

A taekwondo dojo is a serene place to be. Each class has a set structure, with students and teachers alike introducing and conducting themselves with respect in every lesson. Showing respect is a big part of taekwondo, and students show respect to their teacher and their other classmates throughout. There is no showing off or name-calling as in other sports. Instead it is a calm environment where respect is key. This can be carried over to outside the dojo and can be especially useful for young children who can see their role models being respectful and kind, and so are more likely to copy this behaviour themselves.

It encourages goal-setting

Taekwondo works using a belt system to grade the student and how skilled they are. As you get better and better, you do a testing session at the dojo, and if you pass you are moved up to a higher rank. It is very different from the online games children are used to playing, which can give them unrealistic goals and an unrealistic expectation of progressing massively in one day. Taekwondo gives your children the chance to understand the process of getting better at something slowly, setting goals, and gradually moving up the ranks.

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