A three-year life-skills programme for children aged 3 to 7. Taekwon-Do was part of the programme – not the whole programme.
Age
3–7 years
Duration
Three years for the full course
Taekwon-Do
Integrated element and grading syllabus
Local programme
2011–2020 · currently paused
From 2011 to 2020, I ran Taekwon-Do Kids in Tromsø. The programme was developed for children aged 3 to 7, and the complete learning journey was designed to last three years.
It is important to describe the programme accurately: this was not ordinary Taekwon-Do training adapted for small children. It was a broad life-skills course. Taekwon-Do provided movement, technical progression and a clear syllabus, while the gradings tested the Taekwon-Do part of the programme.
Life skills through activity, play and Taekwon-Do.The visual identity of Taekwon-Do Kids in Tromsdalen.
What the children learned
Skills for life – at home, in training and with other people.
The content ranged from safety and relationships to confidence, health and physical development. Taekwon-Do was one of several practical learning arenas.
01
Water and fire
The children learned about water safety, fire safety, warning signs and when to seek help from an adult.
02
Strangers and secrets
They practised how to respond safely to strangers and learned the difference between good and bad secrets.
03
Teamwork and leadership
The programme developed teamwork, responsibility, following instructions, leading others and allowing others to lead.
04
Confidence and bullying
The children built confidence, learned to speak up and ask for help, respond to bullying and avoid bullying others.
05
Nutrition, body and exercise
Food, the body, activity, balance, coordination and physical exercise were made understandable for young children.
06
Taekwon-Do and grading
Taekwon-Do was integrated into the course. Gradings tested the children's progress through the Taekwon-Do syllabus.
How the children learned
Role-play, educational games and practical learning.
Children of this age learn best by doing, trying and acting out situations. Role-play made topics such as safety, strangers, secrets, teamwork and bullying concrete enough for the children to recognise.
Relevant educational games let them practise the same skills without turning the lesson into a lecture. They trained listening, taking roles, teamwork, decision-making, movement and control of their own bodies. Taekwon-Do techniques were woven into the activities and repeated step by step towards grading.
Taekwon-Do seen through the children's own eyes.
Status
Paused – not abandoned.
When the pandemic stopped the activity in 2020, Taekwon-Do Kids was also put on hold. I have not managed to restart it. The main reason is my capacity – not that I stopped believing in the project.
I still want to restart it. But a three-year programme for young children requires continuity. A new start must therefore be good for the children and realistic for me to sustain over time.
