Ages 2–3
Pee-Wee
First steps on the mat.
Looking for kids karate? Meet kids Tae Kwon Do.
Chung TKD teaches Tae Kwon Do, a Korean martial art, not karate. Many parents search for it as karate, and the two have a lot in common. Classes are for kids ages 2 to 13 in New Hyde Park, and new families start with two free trial classes.
Tae Kwon Do or karate?
Tae Kwon Do comes from Korea. Karate took shape on the island of Okinawa and later came to mainland Japan. Tae Kwon Do grew in part out of karate.
Both are martial arts of kicks, punches and blocks, practiced in forms, which are set series of moves. Tae Kwon Do is known for its kicks, especially high and jumping kicks.
For a child, the class itself usually matters more than the name of the style. If your child wants to kick, jump and learn a routine, either style can be a good place to start, and a first class will tell you more than any comparison.
For the longer answer, read Tae Kwon Do vs karate: which fits your child?
Sources: Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Tae kwon do”; Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Karate”.
Three classes, by age
Kids Tae Kwon Do for ages 2 to 13.
Chung TKD teaches kids ages 2 to 13 in three age groups. Children start by age and move up as they grow, through nine belt colors from White to Black.
Ages 4–6
Children
Focus, coordination and the first belts.
Ages 7–13
Youth
Forms, sparring and the road to black belt.
What a first class is like
Your child doesn’t need to know any Tae Kwon Do before the first class. Every new student starts in a White belt class for their age. Some children watch for a few minutes first, plenty jump right in, and many nervous ones soon forget their nerves.
No uniform is needed for a first class. Comfortable clothes that allow kicking are fine, and kids train in bare feet on the mat.
It helps to tell your child what will happen. They will bow, copy the teacher and kick a pad, and you can watch from the bench.
For what to wear and what to tell your child, read Getting ready for your child’s first class.
First step
Start with two free trial classes.
Two details. The school calls you back. No account, no card.
Questions parents ask
Is Tae Kwon Do the same as karate?
No. Tae Kwon Do is a Korean martial art, and karate took shape on the Japanese island of Okinawa. Both teach kicks, punches, blocks and forms, and Tae Kwon Do is known for its kicks. Chung TKD teaches Tae Kwon Do.
What age can my child start?
At 2. Children from 2 to 3 start in Mommy & Me, where a parent does the class with their child, then move up to the independent Pee-Wee class at 3½. Children’s classes are for ages 4 to 6 and Youth classes for 7 to 13. Older beginners are placed after a first class.
Can I watch?
Yes. Parents are always welcome to watch, from the first class on, and families have a seat at belt tests.