Kids Aikido Classes
Sample Class
Join the longest consecutively running children's Aikido class in Westchester County.Real Life Skills
Improve Relationships
Planting the seeds for peaceful conflict resolution at an early age.
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Why Aikido
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Our Program
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Governor Akita Prefecture: Value of Martial Arts for Kids
All Japan Budo Demonstration 2019
Five of our dojo members participated in the All Japan Budo Demonstration in Akita Prefecture in Japan under Mark Larson Sensei
The Governor gave this letter of thanks.
...In Japan it is required to teach children a Morals class at elementary schools from two years ago...Child abuse has become a major problem in Japan recently. Their parents, who couldn't learn Morals at schools, abuse their children as a discipline. Children harm their parents, insurance scams, corporate scandals...we now need to consider how to live as a good human...
...Budo and Bushido teach how to live well. There is the Yamato-damashi spirit: Honor, Pride, Justice, Courage, Magnanimity, Sympathy and Pity...
...I believe this is a great education, even for adults. The quintessence of Budo is to express a form of gratitude, not to expand its culture. Keep the tradition, seek the real, train your heart...
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Japanese Culture
Goku Homma on Teaching Children
"I have often asked myself, 'How can a person in my position - a fully "made-in-Japan" martial arts instructor who lives and teaches in the United States - provide the best possible method for teaching a traditional Japanese martial art to American children?' I have tried to look at the situation from both a traditional Japanese perspective and a contemporary American perspective..." (page 2 - 3)
"In many years of teaching Aikido for children, I have seen hundreds of children. Regardless of their ages and backgrounds, I have found that once they enter the dojo and participating in class, they all become - children. Children who run around the space, who jump all over, roll around, who get praised, who get scolded, who occasionally get into scuffles with other children, who make up, and again start running around. These children are at play. This play is a true learning place for them because they learn best when engaging in their natural behaviors
Using photos and illustrations it is possible to define what sorts of techniques and skills are used in Aikido. But the real value of Aikido training, I believe, is that it teaches students to deal with the kinds of situations they face in everyday lives..." (Page 7)
Children and the Martial Arts
An Aikido Point of view by Gaku Homma -
Nature of Martial Arts Training
The Nature of Martial Arts Training
Imagine a customer walks up to the counter in a drugstore and asks, "I would like to buy some peace of mind. What isle do you have that on?"
Martial arts training, to be most effective, is about developing peace of mind in the most difficult of circumstances. As everyone knows, peace of mind cannot be found in a bottle. It can only be found in you. But finding it takes effort.
Testimonials
Jose (Age 50)
My two children have now studied aikido 3.5 years as well. Their growth has been tremendous in life and aikido. Their confidence has blossomed. Steve Sensei teaches them philosophy as well even though some of the students are as young as 4 or 6 years old. They hear it over and over and at some level it is getting into their persona...We need to be aware of our surroundings and our environment in life, to slow down our pace. I feel Scarsdale Aikido has offered this to our family.
Jason (Mid 40's)
...I’m in my eighth year of training, as is my son...and my daughter is going on her fifth year. We have all grown immeasurably from our practice of Aikido at Still Mind...Aikido has practical applications in my regular work day, in raising my children, and even in being a volunteer firefighter. Its principles can be applied to all of life, aikido is not simply relegated to being a means of self defense...
