No single martial art is best for every child. Tae Kwon Do, karate and kung fu teach kicks, punches and forms, while judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu teach throws, holds and escapes, so the best fit is the art your child enjoys enough to keep doing, in a class built for their age.
How do the martial arts compare for kids?
Tae Kwon Do, karate and kung fu are striking arts, and judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu are grappling arts, which changes what a child learns and how much contact there is. Here are all five on the same five points.
Tae Kwon Do
- Age to start: Set by each school. At Chung TKD, children start at 2.
- What kids learn: Kicks, including high, jumping and spinning kicks, plus punches, blocks and forms.1
- Contact: A striking art. Sparring is done in protective pads, and how much contact is allowed depends on the rules a school follows.1
- Belts: Colored belts, called geup grades, then black belt, counted in dan.1
- Cost of gear: A uniform, called a dobok, and a belt to start. Sparring pads add to the cost later, and how many pieces a child needs depends on the sparring rules a school follows.1
Karate
- Age to start: Set by each school.
- What kids learn: Punches, kicks and blocks, plus kata, which are set sequences of moves.2
- Contact: A striking art. Sparring is called kumite, and how much contact is allowed depends on the style and the school.2
- Belts: Colored belts, called kyu grades, then black belt, counted in dan. Karate took this system from judo.2
- Cost of gear: A uniform and a belt to start. Sparring gear adds to the cost and varies by school, from gloves and shin or foot pads to head and body protection. Some schools use little beyond a mouthguard and a groin guard.8
Judo
- Age to start: Set by each school.
- What kids learn: Throws, pins and how to fall safely. Judo has no punches or kicks in sparring or competition.3
- Contact: Close contact. Partners grip, throw and pin each other, which is why children learn to fall safely first.3
- Belts: Colored belts in kyu grades, then black belt in dan.3
- Cost of gear: A heavy uniform made to be gripped, and a belt.3 A thicker double-weave uniform generally costs considerably more than a thinner single-weave one of the same quality.9
Brazilian jiu-jitsu
- Age to start: Set by each school. Under federation rules, children can earn its kids' belts from age 4 on.5
- What kids learn: Takedowns, holds and escapes, mostly on the ground, using leverage so a smaller person can defend against a bigger one.4
- Contact: Close contact, mostly on the ground. It is a grappling art, so sparring means holding and escaping rather than striking.4
- Belts: Children have their own belts after white: gray, yellow, orange and green. A student must be 16 to earn the adult blue belt.5
- Cost of gear: A uniform called a gi and a belt, or a rash guard and shorts for no-gi classes.4 A lighter single-weave gi usually costs less than a heavier double-weave one.10
Kung fu
- Age to start: Set by each school.
- What kids learn: Kung fu is a family of Chinese styles, not one art. Many styles teach strikes, kicks and set forms, called taolu.6
- Contact: Depends on the style and the school.
- Belts: No single system. Ranks and their colors vary from school to school.
- Cost of gear: Depends on the style and the school, so ask a school for its gear list before you buy.
What we teach: Chung TKD in New Hyde Park teaches Tae Kwon Do to children ages 2 to 13, in three programs by age: Pee-Wee, Children and Youth. Grandmaster Howard Chung, 9th Dan, has taught Tae Kwon Do since 1970 and opened the school in 1984. Color belts learn the ITF forms, called hyung, and self-defense is part of class.
What will my child call the teacher and the uniform?
Each art has its own words, and your child will hear them from the first class.
- Tae Kwon Do: The teacher is sabumnim, the uniform is a dobok and the school is a dojang.1
- Karate: The teacher is sensei, the uniform is a karategi and the school is a dojo.2
- Judo: The teacher is sensei and the uniform is a judogi.3
- Brazilian jiu-jitsu: A black belt teacher is often called professor or coach,5 and the uniform is a gi.4
- Kung fu: The teacher is sifu, a title rather than a rank.7
Is a striking art or a grappling art better for my child?
Neither is better for every child, so start from what your child already likes to do. A child who loves to kick, jump and run may enjoy a striking art like Tae Kwon Do or karate. A child who loves to wrestle and tumble may enjoy a grappling art like judo or jiu-jitsu. Either way, a class taught for your child's age matters as much as the art.
Which martial art teaches self-defense?
All five teach some self-defense, and each teaches a different part of it. Striking arts work on keeping distance, blocking and getting away. Grappling arts work on escaping a hold and getting back up. At Chung TKD, self-defense is part of class.
What age can a child start a martial art?
It depends more on the school than on the art, because each school sets its own starting age. In Brazilian jiu-jitsu, age 4 is when the federation's belts for children start.5 At Chung TKD, children start at 2 in the Mommy & Me class, the first Pee-Wee class. Our guide to what age kids can start Tae Kwon Do covers each age.
Is Tae Kwon Do or karate better for kids?
Neither is better for every child. Both are striking arts with forms and colored belts, and Tae Kwon Do puts more weight on kicks.1 Our article on Tae Kwon Do vs karate covers what to ask either kind of school.
How do you choose?
Try a class and watch your child. The art that fits is the one they ask to go back to. Our guide to choosing a martial arts school has nine questions to ask any school.
At Chung TKD, every new family starts with two free trial classes, and a parent or guardian stays for them. Children wear something comfortable, sweats or shorts, and the uniform comes when a family signs up.
Questions parents ask
What is the best martial art for kids?
No single art is best for every child. The best fit is the one your child enjoys enough to keep doing, in a class built for their age.
Is Tae Kwon Do or jiu-jitsu better for kids?
Neither is better for every child. Tae Kwon Do is a striking art of kicks, punches and forms, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a grappling art of holds and escapes on the ground.
Is Tae Kwon Do or judo better for kids?
Neither is better for every child. Tae Kwon Do teaches kicks, punches and forms, and judo teaches throws, pins and how to fall safely, with no punches or kicks.
Is Tae Kwon Do or kung fu better for kids?
Neither is better for every child. Tae Kwon Do is one Korean art with colored belts, and kung fu is a family of Chinese styles, so a kung fu class depends on its style and school.
What does martial arts gear cost for a child?
It depends on the art and the school, so ask a school for its gear list before you buy. In Tae Kwon Do and karate, a child starts with a uniform and a belt, and sparring pads add to the cost later. In judo and jiu-jitsu, the uniform is made to be gripped, and a heavier double-weave uniform usually costs more than a lighter single-weave one.
What martial art does Chung TKD teach?
Tae Kwon Do, to children ages 2 to 13, in three programs by age: Pee-Wee, Children and Youth.
How does a child start at Chung TKD?
With two free trial classes. A parent or guardian stays for them.
Sources
1. Taekwondo, Wikipedia.
2. Karate, Wikipedia.
3. Judo, Wikipedia.
4. Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Wikipedia.
5. Brazilian jiu-jitsu ranking system, Wikipedia, on the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation's belts.
6. Chinese martial arts, Wikipedia.
7. Sifu, Wikipedia.
8. Kumite, Wikipedia.
9. Judogi, Wikipedia.
10. Brazilian jiu-jitsu gi, Wikipedia.