Category: kids martial arts

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 […]

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 […]

Elite SKILLZ – Curriculum Overview for the Spring 2021 rotation: Category – Self Defense This is a fun and challenging rotation that will allow the advanced 10 to 14-year-old kids to explore the basics of traditional knife self-defense. The kids will be using rubber training knives as they push their reflexes and speed of processing […]

Over the past five months, schedules have been upended and downtime has taken over. However, as the new school year gets underway, reality is going to show up and we are going to be scrambling to get ourselves and our children back on a productive path. In the book “The 7 Habits of Happy Kids” […]

As we continue through the current pandemic and re-opening efforts present real challenges, school districts everywhere are trying to devise the best plans for children, teachers, and staff to return. While there will be no perfect solution for each family, parents must consider all the information and choose the option that works best for their […]

Our new Life Skillz program starts this week! Each month, kids will participate in weekly age-specific discussions on the character traits that will help them become even more amazing ninjas. We will be starting the series learning all about CHARISMA! (Trouble seeing the image?  Click here for a pdf version of this month’s Life Skillz […]

As the pandemic carries on, our coping skills are starting to unravel. For many people, this has become the ultimate emotional test. As we continue to maintain our distance from each other, not only have our social lives been halted, but our emotional support is wavering as well. And while we have been living this […]

Stress is a significant part of our lives today, and while we all experience it, children and teens have a more difficult time managing it. Academic pressure, social tensions, and family stressors can all impact a young person’s mental well-being. For this reason, parents need to help their children develop coping skills by guiding them […]

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), […]

We live in a competitive world, and most parents would jump at the chance to give their child every advantage imaginable. The world can also be unkind, and, as parents, we feel a need to protect our children from everything possible. And yes, parents are supposed to help and protect their children, but when does […]

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, […]

Healthy brain development is one of the most important aspects of childhood development. More specifically, the first few years of life are a significant time for this because synaptic connections are at a peak level. This early stage is the time when positive and nurturing experiences are vital so that the brain can form strong […]

The development of a child can be fascinating to watch. From infants mirroring movements to toddlers and children mastering high-level developmental skills, the growth they experience in a short time is astounding. And while all skills are essential for children to learn, bilateral coordination is a necessary prerequisite for the development of a variety of […]

The New Year has arrived, and many of us have set lofty resolutions. Anything from working out daily to saving money to losing weight, our society knows how to dream big! However, when we don’t break big dreams down into smaller, achievable goals, failure often ensues. And to make matters worse, our children watch us […]

For many years, a wide array of industries have used uniforms, including schools, the military, sports teams, and workplaces. Uniforms help people distinguish one group or organization from another. While differentiation is one of the main reasons that uniforms are so prevalent, sports teams, the military, and some other organizations have supplemental wardrobes that have […]

Martial arts training is well-known for the benefits it provides to children in the development of physical skills and improved discipline. Parents often enroll their children in martial arts to achieve goals such as these. While the attainment of these goals is possible, parents often have unrealistic expectations of the time it takes for children […]

All parents want the same thing…for their child to be a positive member of society and experience success. And while these are essential, they often come through a push to achieve and be the best in everything. Unfortunately, this often manifests as a comparison to other children. This comparison, however, often leads to stress and […]

Mentoring has been around for many years and has shown to have many positive outcomes for all participants. In SKILLZ Martial Arts, the mentoring program that is implemented is called the STORM Team, or Special Team of Role Models.This is a “near-peer” type mentoring program that is very structured and incorporates a full curriculum and […]

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 […]

We’ve all heard of the main 5 senses: taste, touch, smell, sight, and hearing. However, there are two other, very important, senses that don’t get enough attention. Those are the vestibular sense and proprioception. These two senses are vital in the development of a child but are often overlooked, especially in today’s world. This is […]

As they say, kids will be kids. And yes, children and teens can be unkind to their peers and feelings get hurt. The problem is when these behaviors become common and target the same person repeatedly. This is the point at which the idea “kids being kids” begins to cross the line to bullying. And […]

Age-Specific Martial Arts Curriculum – What It Really Means The term “age-specific” is used very often in education and healthcare. It has a very definite meaning and is used to describe things that are prepared specifically for the age of the child it is targeting. However, this term is often used more loosely, especially in […]

Oppositional Defiant Disorder A Supplemental Resource for Families Coping with Oppositional Defiant Disorder All children act out from time to time. However, children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), as defined by the Child Mind Institute, “have a well-established pattern of behavior problems that are more extreme than their peers.” Children with ODD display aggressive behaviors […]

An athlete is defined by Merriam-Webster as “a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina.” Athletes in specific sports train to be at the top of their game, but how much better of an athlete would they be if they had a well-rounded cross training […]

When we think of human behavior, we often first focus on the problems or deficits that people have and how this affects their achievements, or lack thereof. Rarely is the first thought of what motivates someone and how to utilize that to help them grow and develop. Abraham Maslow’s development of the “Hierarchy of Needs” […]

Realistic Behavioral Expectations What to Expect from 10 to 14-year olds The tween and teen years often feel to parents and teachers like they are back at the “terrible twos” stage. The challenges of working with children at this age can be frustrating. They are very smart but their emotions are all over the place. […]

Realistic Behavioral Expectations What to Expect from 7 to 9 year olds The golden years for children are between the ages of 7 and 9 years old. At this age, children can grasp new information quickly. They start seeing the world in a new and exciting way and, because of this, they are beginning to […]

Realistic Behavioral Expectations What to Expect from 18-36 Months Children between the ages of 18 and 36 months are at an exciting growth period in their lives. Parents and caregivers observe leaps and bounds in the development of these children and are excited to see all their skills progress. However, as with any growth, there […]

What to Expect from 3- and 4-year olds Children between the ages of 3 and 4 are at a very unique growth period in their lives. They are growing at a rapid rate in all areas of development and are discovering new things daily, while also learning how to cope with new challenges. Additionally, they […]

Calculus is a powerful form of mathematical thinking that helps us better understand the world around us. Everyone could benefit from such an understanding.   But….  If a calculus professor came up with the idea to teach kids such powerful lessons, would they start with derivatives? Probably not. They’d start with something like counting, maybe even […]

Goal setting is one of the most highly linked characteristics to success that individuals have. Top athletes and successful people all use goal setting. And while it is a trait that is most often associated with adolescents and adults, younger children can also benefit greatly from beginning this life skill at an early age. Learning […]

Children between the ages of 5 and 6 years are in the “dynamo” stage of development.  They are now at a point where basic skills become the foundation for their continued growth and development. Martial Arts will help them build a more solid foundation for these basic skills, which are essential for continued growth and […]

There are millions of children participating in Martial Arts. That statistic is rapidly growing at 15% per year according to leading child experts.  The reason why is because parent’s across the globe are recognizing all of the amazing benefits that the Martial Arts has to offer their children. Between the ages of 3 and 4, […]

One of the most common questions people ask when calling a martial arts school is: “How much do martial arts classes cost?” Any time one is considering a new venture, the cost is certainly an important consideration.  But, it is important to recognize that martial arts training is more than a commodity to be selected […]

For years, martial arts has gotten a bad reputation because people feel that it encourages violence, especially in children. And yes, it sounds like a paradox that something that teaches “fighting” can actually make people less aggressive. However, what most people don’t know is that martial arts is rooted in nonviolent conflict resolution. As the […]

Jessica wanted to find a way to help her kids, Bella and Joshua, learn about focus and discipline while also having fun and building social relationships. So, she signed them up for martial arts classes in our Early Skillz program. Both Joshua and Bella have since graduated to our Basic Skillz martial arts class for […]

Every day children are faced with increased amounts of pressure to work harder, learn more quickly, and manage their emotions. This is especially true for 10 to 14-year olds due to their intellectual growth during this period. However, this pressure is unhealthy for them and can lead to anxiety and depression. The premise of the […]

When we hear the word “learn” we often think of children sitting in a classroom, at a desk, with a teacher educating students on a particular subject. We rarely ever imagine playing a game as a teaching and learning tool. However, the benefits of utilizing this can span more developmental areas than learning about a […]

  As seasoned Pediatric Ninja Specialists, we have witnessed just about every sort of behavior and outburst from working with hundreds of kids over the years. We have seen it all from playful name calling to angry tantrums. Some things are hard to not take personally, but our experience allows us to put things into […]

When people generally think of “play” they think of fun and games…something simply for amusement and nothing more. However, there is a bigger, and more important, piece that is often overlooked…learning. As Kay Redfield Jamison said, “Children need the freedom and time to play. Play is not a luxury. Play is a necessity.” The same […]

Imagine your child on the field running quicker than ever before, outmaneuvering all opponents, and having the confidence to overcome every obstacle!Today we’d like to talk about the benefits of supplementing youth sports with martial arts training! Before we can, we must overcome the first challenge standing between your child and the achievements listed above. […]

Hey 4GK Families! As I am sure you know, our age-specific martial arts program, SKILLZ, is one of the most popular and widely used children’s curricula on the market. We are able to break down and focus on each child’s individual stage of development to help them progress faster and further! As our students progress […]

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 […]

Game-Based Learning Play is often overlooked as a learning tool for children. Dictionary.com defines play as “engaging in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose.” It is seen as a type of “free time” when nothing else important is happening. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. For 3 […]

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 […]

ENDORPHINS The Key to Effort and Focus in Children and Teens Endorphins are natural chemicals produced in the body to reduce pain and boost happiness. They are most often associated with exercise since the release of these “feel-good” chemicals cause a state of euphoria and is usually known as a “runner’s high.” However, most any […]

Have you ever had a “gut feeling” about something? Have you ever considered that children have these as well? Of course they do! The problem is, they don’t know how to express this to us. They know something doesn’t feel right, so they act out or exhibit a grumpy mood. The good news is, there […]

Oxytocin has been dubbed the “love chemical.” It is the hormone that is released when we feel love and trust in relationships. For most people, they know oxytocin as a significant part of the parent-child bonding process. However, it is also very important in overall human relationships and is considered our “social glue.” The release […]

Our goal at 4GK Martial Arts is to help every ninja become a better version of themselves! We use the latest technology and curriculum backed by years of research and development via our SKILLZ children’s martial arts curriculum to assist us in accomplishing our goal.We are also driven to go above and beyond to open […]

Have you ever wondered why children and teens seem to be so addicted to their smartphones and other devices? Parents are frustrated with their children’s lack of attention and motivation but what do their devices have to do with this? The answer is found in science! Often referred to as the “motivator molecule,” dopamine is […]

Elite SKILLZ – Curriculum Overview for the Spring 2019 rotation: Category – Grappling This is a fun and challenging style of Martial Arts that is meant to challenge those who are used to a strictly “Stand up” style of Martial Arts. It is also meant as a way to reinforce those with a basic or […]

Young martial artists learn many lessons in class that go far beyond kicking and punching.  In fact, many of these skills can be used outside of the martial arts school!  For example, our Basic Skillz ninjas learn about Teamwork in their class, and this is one lesson our ninjas can definitely use at home.  You […]

25 Tips to Help Foster Holiday Gratitude The holiday season can be a frenzied time of shopping, presents, and sugary foods.  It is important that we help our kids navigate the whirlwind of temptation and indulgence by helping them to learn about gratitude, and why we actually celebrate holidays.  A strong sense of gratitude has […]

Happy Holidays! The holidays are quickly approaching and our team at SKILLZ of Patchogue hopes it is the best ever! It is super easy to get lost in the moment and forget to practice our martial arts over the holiday break. But if we can remember to do so, we are better prepared to have […]

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 […]

Let’s talk about Belt Testings! Many styles of martial arts, like karate, Tae Kwon Do, and even kung fu use a set of ranks, and students advance between these ranks by testing.  But what is testing and what is its place in your child’s martial arts adventure? In a SKILLZ school, testing is a celebration […]

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 […]

Everyone likes PIES! This is pretty much a true statement in my opinion! Our staff at Skillz of Patchogue are such huge fans that we take our PIES to the next level! The PIES Method What do we mean when we say “PIES”? P – Physically I – Intellectually E – Emotionally S – Socially […]

We all love to see our kids excel in everything they do. There is no doubt that when kids finally nail their martial arts form, or fly across the mat and break a board, everyone involved shares a sense of accomplishment. BUT it is only a matter of time before our ninjas come across something […]