Sierra Girls, Boys & Teens Programs

Sierra Aikido

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Girls, Boys & Teens Programs - Ages 5 to 18

Sierra kids

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Sierra Aikido has a friendly, supportive and enjoyable training environment for children and teens, kindergarten through high school. The bell curve does not apply at Sierra! Every student can do Aikido well with our consistent individual support in inclusive atmosphere.
Sierra offers a variety of programs adapted to children, teens and adults, depending on their ages, interests and needs.
This page provides an overview of information common to all of our children and teen programs, as well as detail about our classes for 2nd through 12th graders. After reviewing this page, please follow the links below to see pages with detail specific to our other kids programs:

2nd through 12th Grades Program

Kindergarten to 3rd Grade Program

Parent-Child Program
The common goal across these programs is to help all our children and teens reach high yet achievable standards in both Aikido and their personal development. We are committed to working one-on-one with our students and track their progress against clear group and personal objectives.

Program Overview

Who Can Participate

Kids of all physical abilities are welcome! No previous experience is needed. In fact, we especially encourage children and teens who have had less physical training than others to join us. Sierra training is always self-paced, so everyone fits in. Aikido has broad appeal. Athletic children and teens enjoy Aikido training, but we've found that kids who are not motivated by sports are especially drawn to the art. Aikido is also well-suited to girls because it relies on leverage through agility and positioning, rather than on upper-body strength.

For Homeschoolers:: Sierra Aikido is whole-heartedly home-school-friendly!

Our Teaching Approach

To engage kids fully and help them internalize their Aikido skills, we incorporate guided Aikido-related play alongside the traditional structured training. Both the play and the Aikido training build the confidence and transferable skills to learn any sport or martial art well. Our indoor environment, with soft mats and learning aids, stimulates a fun physical workout.

We harness the magnetic attraction drawing younger children to older ones to copy and learn from them. Older child and teen volunteers join instructors, creating Aikido games, exercises and a variety of training formats for the younger children. With mixed skill levels on the mat together, everyone gets one-on-one training with experienced partners, as well as with peers.

Kids of all ages gradually learn to manage a significant part of their own training. Frequent opportunities for self-discovery motivate the children and lay the foundation for lifelong self-directed learning. The combination of structured training, self-directed study and play makes the training stress-free and productive.

Getting Started

Visitors and Newcomers always welcome!

Newcomers may join their age group at any time because training is self-paced, with mixed skill levels training together. Visitors are always welcome to come observe or try out a class without obligation. Some like to try a class right away, while others prefer to observe one or two classes first. To participate students can wear loose, comfortable clothing. If desired, we have Aikido uniforms available at cost.

How We Support and Integrate Beginners

Our senpai system always pairs new children and teens with peers so they can make friends from the start. Instructors and experienced teens work one-on-one with beginners within the regular class in a sheltered and safe corner of the mat. With experienced partners, new students make tangible progress in the first session. We help all newcomers make a smooth, comfortable transition to regular training with the rest of the class.

Beginners learn the Aikido falls gradually and safely, starting in a low position on a very soft surface. No one ever has to do any part of the training that he or she is not comfortable attempting. Because we adapt the training to each student's needs, we can always find alternative ways for our members to learn and train. In fact, all our members, adults and children, learn Aikido at their own pace, developing skills and stamina gradually and comfortably.

Class Structure

Training by Age Group

Sierra divides children and teens into four overlapping age groups: K to 3rd grade, 2nd to 6th grade, 6th to 12th grade, and high school teens with adults. Sierra's age-appropriate classes have porous boundaries so that everyone benefits from training with members of different ages and abilities. The mix creates a warm family feeling and a secure learning environment.

Parent Participation

Requirement for K-3rd Grade Children: To ensure the success of the program for our youngest children, we require one of the parents of each child to participate in the class. Parents need not do Aikido training unless they wish to. Instead, parents contribute to the class in ways they find enjoyable. With parents on hand to assist, the instructors and volunteer teens can give consistent, one-on-one attention to every child in a calm, productive environment. The K to 3rd grade Program, page provides more information, including details about parent participation.
Parent-Child Training ( Oyako ): Parents with children 5 to 18 train with their kids, as well as with other adults. Some of our current families have enjoyed Aikido training together for years. Fitness is a family affair! Children and teens are more likely to remain physically active if their parents join them on the mat for Parent-Child classes.

Learning Goals

Children and Teens - 2nd to 12th Grade

Our holistic approach integrates physical, social, emotional and cognitive learning experiences for each student.

Kindergarten - 3rd Grade

More Information

How We Train: Our Staff and Class Structure
Testing and Ranking
Exam FAQ
The First Exam
Fundamentals for 1st Examination
Childrens Class Schedule
Aikido Information Resources ( Index listing only, the library is accessible only by Sierra Aikido's members! )

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