SKILLZ of Patchogue is thrilled to announce a weeklong adventure that’s sure to get your child’s heart pumping and mind soaring: Flight School! This tumbling clinic is designed for children between the ages of 3 and 14, offering a unique opportunity for them to roll, cartwheel, and tumble their way to enhanced proprioception, balance, and […]
The Mission & Unique Approach of SKILLZ of Patchogue In an age where education and child development continue to evolve, there’s one institution that stands out from the rest: SKILLZ of Patchogue. Nestled in the heart of Patchogue, New York, SKILLZ is more than just an educational institution. It’s a Child Development Center designed to […]
As parents, we want our children to be happy, healthy, and successful. However, children aged 10 to 14 face a variety of challenges that can make achieving these goals difficult. From academic pressure to peer pressure, children in this age group can experience a wide range of emotional, physical, intellectual, and social challenges that can […]
Martial arts classes at SKILLZ of Patchogue are more than just a good way for kids to learn self-defense. Here are five other reasons why martial arts classes are great for kids: They’ll learn self-discipline. Self-discipline is a key life skill. It helps kids control their emotions and impulses, which in turn makes them less […]
The impact of bullying on a child can be severe, both emotionally and academically. Bullied children may experience sadness, anxiety, and fear and have difficulty concentrating in school. They may also have difficulty sleeping or eating and may have low self-esteem. Bullying can also lead to absenteeism and poor academic performance; in some cases, it […]
The Benefits of SKILLZ Martial Arts Themed child Development Classes for Kids Martial arts are an excellent way for kids to stay active, learn discipline, and develop a range of skills that will benefit them throughout their lives. At SKILLZ of Patchogue, we use age-specific curricula to bring the latest in child development science and […]
The weather is getting nicer by the day, and your child is feeling the call of the wild! Unfortunately, at the same time, school success is becoming more dependent on your child’s ability to focus as reviews and finals are quickly approaching. Mother Nature’s draw on your child’s attention, sometimes called “Spring Fever,” is powerful, […]
3 Steps To Help Your Shy Child Build Confidence One of the top reasons parents bring their children to SKILLZ of Patchogue is to help with building confidence. Parents will often say things like, “My child is shy, so I want to help them with social interactions so they come out of their shell.” While […]
Leaders are readers There are a few common habits that the most successful people keep. One of the most common is that they are voracious readers. The goal of SKILLZ classes is to help kids become the most successful versions of themselves. While our main tool for spurring development is age-specific martial arts training, another […]
“She Has Such An Attitude!” It is very easy to let our emotions define a child. Because we are in a hurry, a child stating their desires suddenly turns into a battle of wills. We are not in the best state of mind, are focused on other things, and before we even realize it, […]
Kids love ninja classes at a SKILLZ child development center. The mix of age-specific martial arts themes and powerful child development lessons makes for a fun yet educational experience. Parents love ninja classes because of the results they see in their children’s physical, intellectual, emotional, and social growth while on the mat. But what happens […]
Check out the SKILLZ of Patchogue TikTok channel to learn about how each part of our martial arts themed child development classes work synergistically to aid with learning. While the kids think they are learning how to be ninjas, each class is chock full of the science and psychology that will allow them to be […]
Have you ever heard of “The Invisible String?” Beautifully written by Patrice Karst and illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff, “The Invisible String” is a phenomenal children’s book! Interwoven from page to page is the theme of the strong, unbreakable bonds we share with our children, whether near or far away. While Patrice and Joanne crafted a […]
Teaching With Purpose Exploring the Role of the Adult in the SKILLZ Learning Environment Take five for just a moment and pause for reflection. Let your mind float back to the carefree days of your youth. Let the rustling of autumn leaves crunch beneath your feet as you smell the crisp, cool air. Let the […]
Have you ever taken a moment to truly admire the art and incredible beauty of watching a child at play? Their fully engaged spirit, drive, imagination, and passion are all completely vested in the mission of the moment. Whether tinkering with their next greatest creations or saving the day as their favorite superhero, children demonstrate […]
SKILLZ of Patchogue is proud to announce that we have been nominated in the Bethpage Federal Credit Union’s 2022 Best of Long Island contest in the category of Education / Learning Centers! Brain Training for Ninjas SKILLZ is a revolutionary concept in age-specific child development training that uses martial arts and other movement modalities as […]
Have you ever tried to ask your 7 to 9-year-old, a question or to make a decision under pressure? Or worse, had them try to tell you a story in a limited amount of time? “So this one time…. You know how like, sometimes, if you like, like sometimes… I mean, yesterday, like this one […]
Pediatric Performance Anxiety: Helping Your Child Try New Things In my role as an instructor for SKILLZ of Patchogue and lead consultant for SKILLZ Worldwide, I have the opportunity to speak with a lot of parents about their concerns for their children. As a parent myself, understand that parenting can be tough at times, especially […]
At what age can kids start karate classes? The simple answer is that most schools begin between ages 3 and 5 years, but SKILLZ of Patchogue classes start as young as 18 months in our Mini SKILLZ mommy and me martial arts program for toddlers. But, there’s more to it than just opening a class […]
Parents everywhere want their children to achieve success. This success is usually measured by a child’s ability to fulfill societal norms. For example, good grades or athletic ability may equate to a perception of success. The constant push to do well in these activities is putting pressure on children, and on parents as well. Kids […]
Coloring has been a favorite activity for kids since kids have been a thing! The first child likely used mud to create wonderful works of pediatric art. The best part is that coloring is also a great tool for spurring development. (Want to download a free martial-arts-themed coloring book for your child? Scroll to the […]
In our Child Development program, the class planners are divided into 6 parts. SKILLZ Class Format: Warm Up & Brain Prep Mat Chat Builds Intellectual Connections Skill-Building Drills & Working Memory Skill-Based Curriculum Cool Down & Memory Storage Game & Emotional Anchoring Each part of the class works to set the student up for the […]
In our SKILLZ child development classes, we use martial arts as a tool to help kids connect with the powerful lessons that give them an unfair developmental advantage. Each activity is specifically designed to target one or more of these areas of development. We use the acronym PIES to describe these aspects of a child’s […]
Over the years, healthy connection levels between parents and children have decreased, leading to more challenging behaviors from children. Today’s modern lifestyle has interfered with the opportunity for the parent-child bond to grow. This vital aspect of a child’s life is essential for their emotional cup to be full, giving them healthy self-worth and self-esteem. […]
Our newest team member, Amie, has some tips to help you discover how to get the most out of the weekend while also serving as an amazing example for your kids. Self Love is something so many parents forget to practice. It’s hard to care for others when your tank is empty, so be sure […]
There are a lot of activities that are available to children these days that will help them build confidence. In fact, confidence is one of the more common requests that we have from parents who bring their children to SKILLZ of Patchogue. Parents want us to help bring the kids out of their shells help […]
Direction of Approach: The SKILLZ Difference A SKILLZ Child Development Center uses certain aspects of martial arts training as a tool or vehicle for helping kids spur physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development. That means a SKILLZ school is a martial arts school….right? (Article continues below the video…) SKILLZ is a fairly new concept in […]
Everybody Loves PIES! People often ask us what exactly a SKILLZ Child Development Center is. And that is one of our favorite questions! When educating children, it is important to consider the ENTIRE child. We do this by focusing on four developmental areas: Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social. We call this the PIES Method. If […]
Usually, we think of motivation in one of two ways: Do it right & you’ll get [reward] Do it wrong & you’ll get [punishment] This is a very simplistic model of motivation, but to be fair, most adults don’t study the psychology of motivation when prepping to become parents. Let’s talk about two basic categories […]
In the old days, it was expected that kids would know to be seen and not heard. Developmental science has come a long way since then, and these days we understand that the concepts of discipline and focus actually take time to learn, and that the perceived lack of focus in younger kids can be […]
Nowadays, it seems that children are only interested in their video games, smartphones, and social media platforms.Parents are frustrated with their children’s lack of motivation for and attention to other activities and are at a loss as to what to do. Therefore, parents often respond by taking devices away and punishing their children. Although this […]
Up until a decade or so ago, there were no martial arts classes for kids. Martial arts classes were taught the same way to everyone, regardless of age. While this level of training was terrific for older kids, or for younger kids who were anomalies (far above the expected stage of development for their age), […]
When we hear the term “school readiness,” the first thing most people think of is children knowing academic basics that will help them meet the demands of the classroom. And while these cognitive skills are essential, teachers feel that skills in the other areas of child development are just as, or more important. Social, emotional, […]
From 18 to 36 months of age, children’s skill development moves very fast. Their brains are growing rapidly, language is blooming, and motor skills are advancing. At the same time, thinking becomes more developed, and their social and emotional capabilities enable them to interact with more people. With that said, this is the ideal age […]
The learning process is vital to the healthy development of a child’s brain and their experiences and interactions largely influence how this happens. This process doesn’t just take place in the classroom but in all areas of the child’s life. Because of this, learning is better approached when it is an active process that triggers […]
Ten to fourteen-year olds are the smartest students in the school. Yes, they are smarter than most adults! They are also physically competent and can excel in most physical challenges that are presented to them. The problem we discovered is they are so focused on what is socially acceptable that they have a hard time […]
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 […]
Introducing the Internationally Acclaimed Basic SKILLZ Program! Five and six-year olds are the most enthusiastic students. They love creativity and problem-solving, which makes them ideal students in the Martial Arts. The problem we discovered is they are so progressive in following tasks, some teachers tend to treat them like their older peers. This is […]
Introducing the Internationally Acclaimed Early SKILLZ Program! Preschool kids between the ages of three and four years old love physical activity, especially anything involving play. They have a rich imagination and a strong desire to be less dependent on their usual caregivers. The challenge we discovered is that many children at this age have a […]
As you know, SKILLZ of Patchogue is committed to bringing you the BEST in Age-Specific childhood development classes! Dwindling are the days of the “dungeon dojo” and authoritative discipline that many who grew up in the martial arts have come to expect. As times change, it is vital to recognize that what once worked in […]
Good behavior is a learning process for children, and we are their roadmap. Children usually behave per their own emotions and impulses. At the same time, being a parent is also a learning process and sometimes we rely on our own emotions and impulses to teach. Usually, that means we divert directly to punishments when […]
Guest post by martial artist, childhood development specialist, and Skillz creator, Melody Johnson Adaptability Adaptability is about how you respond to your child, especially when things do not go as planned. Your child will have a variety of great days, bad days, and everything in between. Here are a few ways you can apply adaptability […]
Guest post by Skillz creator and childhood development expert Melody Johnson. Do you ever feel like you can read your child’s mind? You know what they are going to do or say next because they have had the same reaction before? This is attunement. Improving your attunement skills will allow you to create a more […]
Does your ninja have a hard time making good decisions? That’s OK! Oftentimes, preschool and younger school-aged children may find it difficult to follow the rules. The good news is that they are not doing this on purpose. After years of working with this age group and observing the emotional and social stages of development, […]
As we posted last week on our Facebook Page, “Be the parent your child needs you to be.” Children hardly ever embrace the concept of learning in the same way that we as adults think of the process. As a parent, this can be very frustrating because our primary role is to teach children skills […]
As we posted last week on the SKILLZ of Patchogue Facebook Page, “Setting your child up for daily successes is easier than trying to punish poor behavior.” To help with this, we wanted to share some great tips on the Parent SKILLZ word: PROMPTING. (For a more in-depth look, be sure to watch the video below) […]
Let’s talk about some of the top benefits of practicing Martial Arts! As you know, we are not a “traditional” Martial Arts school. We train our students in Age-Specific aspects of the Martial Arts with an emphasis on child development. This allows us to use systems that integrate science and psychology into our curriculums via […]
Does your 3 to 6-year-old child have a hard time making good decisions? That’s OK! Often times the Early (3-4) and Basic (5-6) SKILLZ ninjas may find it difficult to follow the rules. The good news is that they are not doing this on purpose. After years of working with this age group and observing […]
Summertime is coming to an end, and with that comes all of the back-to-school anxiety and jitters that are common amongst children. Your child may experience common physical effects of anxiety associated with back-to-school time including symptoms from stomachaches to sleeping problems. They will also experience emotional stress from the fear of making new friends, […]
Have you ever noticed your teen’s decision-making patterns change? Or witnessed them make a poor decision that seemed totally out of character? Most adults decisions are processed in the prefrontal cortex, which is in charge of “rational decision making”. Science has proven that during the teenage years the brain is rapidly growing which equates to […]
During the school year, teachers, assistants, and counselors are focused on helping your children learn and grow. But what happens during the summer season when these people are not around? It makes sense that as a parent you would want your child to maintain some level of growth and development over the summer in order […]
We all know that practice makes perfect, right? But sometimes helping your child to practice at home can be a challenge. It can even be frustrating trying to get them to practice their martial arts moves if you aren’t aware of their specific needs and abilities, and it goes beyond just the physical moves. For […]