Children learn and grow in stages. It is hard to pinpoint the exact ages and because some children either accelerate compared to their peers or are growing at a slower pace than normal. Within each age group, children show growth and development in four main categories. The four main categories are Physical, Intellectual, Emotional and Social.
Within each category, children show distinct characteristics that define their stage of development. Seven to nine-year-olds are what most people consider the “Golden Age.” They are proficient in their vocabulary and problem-solving skills, yet they are not at the age where they want complete independence from adults. This makes the teacher-student relationship stronger than ever. The problem we discovered is they still lack core skills, and although they are highly intelligent, they struggle to keep up with students ages 10 and up. The solution we found is to target their stage of development in a manner that adapts to their adventurous attitude and youthful nature while at the same time building skills that set them up for success. With that said a structured program introducing core skill-based training in Martial Arts has proven to be very successful. Here’s an overview of the stages of development of the “Golden Age“:
Physically – they typically have weak fine motor skills therefore proficient technique is not quite there yet. Also, they still tend to stumble when their body is in motion therefore advanced movement is still a little sloppy. We expect them to initially struggle with great technique in their blocks, strikes, kicks, and stances. We also expect them to initially look sloppy when jumping, spinning, switching feet, etc.
The goal of our program is to get them to perform technical blocks, strikes, kicks, and stances while applying power. Also, our goal is to get them to apply speed to motion without looking sloppy.
Intellectually – they are extremely bright, but they typically have a hard time concentrating during distractions. We expect them to initially lose focus if there are other, more “interesting” things going on around them. We also expect them to forget simple commands mainly because they try to “over-think.”
The goal of our Life Skill program is get them to retain simple information without trying to put excessive thought into it, and build the habit of concentrating on the task at hand despite other distractions. The problem we discovered is they still lack core skills, and although they are highly intelligent, they struggle to keep up with students ages 10 and up. The solution we found is to target their stage of development in a manner that adapts to their adventurous attitude and youthful nature while at the same time building skills that set them up for success. With that said, a structured program introducing core skill-based training in Martial Arts has proven to be very successful.
We expect them to have emotional stability for the most part on normal days. We also expect them to initially show excessive fear when put on the spot. Our Life skill coaches will help your child learn to persevere through challenges, especially when they initially feel like giving up. We will also help them face their fears.
Socially – they love to interact with others, especially adults. However, they typically don’t like when something is unfair and will be determined to point it out and be heard. We expect them to initially interrupt us when they think something is wrong. We also expect them to show great determination when trying to get their point across. The goals for our program are to help them know how to address problems and challenges properly without interfering on the overall flow of the class.
The goals for our program are to help them know how to address problems and challenges properly without interfering on the overall flow of the class. By understanding the stages of development of this age group, our team are able to select age-appropriate drills that make up our fun, yet challenging LIFE SKILL classes. This is where our unique Life Skill Martial Arts program can really help a child foster proper growth and development.
If you haven’t already, check out our Life Skill Program! Right now, you can enroll your child into one of our programs and watch their confidence grow, as they become a more disciplined, focused, respectful, and patient version of themself. Check it out here: www.lifeskillma.com
