The Children's Program at Florida Aikikai is a Martial Arts program designed to meet the specific needs of kids aged 5 to 15. Centered on traditional training in the art of Aikido, the program also includes many games, Japanese language and culture activities, meditation, and personal challenges designed to help each child incorporate the lessons of their martial arts learning into their daily lives at home and at school. Offered in a supportive and nurturing environment, our program provides children with the tools and experiences to enrich their lives, building and improving their health, confidence, mental focus, emotional strength, and compassion for others while having fun on the mat.

Studying a martial art has tremendous physical, mental, and emotional benefits. Strength, flexibility, coordination, and stamina are built through exercise, technical training, and stretching. In addition, Aikido's focus on learning to fall to the mat safely through rolling and tumbling helps a child to build a valuable skill that will help keep them safe in other activities and even later in their adult lives. In addition to these physical benefits, children will improve their ability to focus their attention, to remain calm during situations of adversity, and to react quickly and decisively to dangers and threats. They develop self-confidence, courage, and a sense of responsibility for and connection to others. Our school is committed to helping children thrive both as skilled martial arts students, and as responsible, happy human beings. We teach the importance of self-respect and compassion through a curriculum designed to improve the health of mind, body and spirit.

Aikido is based on a philosophy of peace. Students learn how to end physical conflict without causing damage to an opponent through techniques that involve grappling and tumbling. Aikido teaches students how to defend themselves against even a much bigger attacker using minimal force and without wild kicking and punching. Aikido is non-competitive, allowing children to learn at their own pace, and senior students are encouraged to help junior students - promoting team-work and a strong sense of community. Rather than winning trophies for defeating others, our students are rewarded through a colored belt system that reflects their progress and success while always setting new, more challenging goals.

Our energetic and exciting classes are part of a curriculum that incorporates Florida Aikikai's more than 30 years of experience teaching kids with constant innovation and improvement. We teach using a mixture of games, exercises, stretching, meditation, and traditional Aikido practice. Children study basic Japanese, and learn about Japanese culture and arts. Tests are held every two months, with an emphasis on positively celebrating each student's achievements, and cultivating self-discipline and perseverance. Regular events such as summer camp, parties, demonstrations, and seminars offer a chance for children to boost their Aikido skills, and experience Japanese culture first hand - including arts and crafts, making sushi, calligraphy, drawing manga, traditional Japanese games and much more.

Our teaching staff is headed by Chief Instructor Peter Bernath, a 7th degree black belt, technical director of the United States Aikido Federation, and a father of two. Together with his wife Penny Bernath, a 6th degree black belt in Aikido and a doctoral candidate in Early Childhood Education at Nova Southeastern University, he has built Florida Aikikai into one of the country’s most respected martial arts dojos. The other teachers in our Children's Program team are dedicated Aikido students with many years teaching experience on the mat and even more off the mat. They are professional educators and care workers with training in arts, drama, and foreign languages, and several have lived and worked as teachers in Japan.

Children's classes are held during the week and on weekends, and all classes are open to the public. We invite you and your children to come and observe a class, or to step on the mat and take a free trial class. No other martial arts experience is necessary and we have everything you need to get started.