Bay Area Kids Autum 24-Hour Gasshuku & Benefit. Kids age 9 and up from all over the Bay Area welcome. Cyndy Hayashi Sensei (6th Dan) headlines, with Robert Kent, Alex Vanderburgh, Brandon WilliamsCraig (all 4th Dan), and Alexi Syssoyev, stage combat expert. 7 classes, 5 instructors, 3 meals, smashing pumpkins, and a sleepover.

This year's event is also a fundraiser for the aikido-inspired The PeaceCamp Initiative, 2008 winner of Ben & Jerry's Peace Pioneer prize. The charity has brought 13 Palestinian and Jewish youth to a sports camp in PA.

more details on the event page

Lia Suzuki Sensei 6th dan - teaching adults and kids at Aikido Kenkyukai Santa Barbara, has an active presence on Facebook that many dojos could learn from. Here's a link to a youtube video playlist of kids aikido videos they've produced: http://bit.ly/8heKL

February 2011 - Suzuki Sensei has an active fundraising drive hoping to allow a number of underprivileged children to get a gi, attend classes, and have a bit of stability in their otherwise chaotic lives. The donations page is here.

Aikido in Fredericksburg hosted a pioneering seminar in 2006 on Teaching Aikido to Children. The program provided "how-to" resources and allowed the 40 or so participants to share best practices. Everyone had a great and inspiring time.Those materials are available from the link on the right.

The sequel events in 2008 and 2010 were professionally videotaped, and a DVD should be forthcoming - we'll keep you posted when it becomes available.

Teaching Materials

Bay Area Kids Spring 24-Hour "Waging Peace" Gasshuku & Benefit. Kids age 9 and up from all over the Bay Area welcome. Kayla Feder Sensei (6th Dan) headlines, with George Bevins, (4th Dan), Robert Kent , Brandon WilliamsCraig, Alex Vanderburgh (all 4th Dan), and Noel Amherd (3rd Dan) instructing. 6 classes, 6 instructors, 3 meals, a samurai movie, and a sleepover.

This year's event is also a fundraiser, supported by Ben & Jerry's - who awarded The PeaceCamp Initiative their 2008 Peace Pioneer prize. Last year's event raised about $1,500 towards bringing Palestinian and Jewish youth to a summer camp in PA

more details on the event page

Camp Susquehannock - a traditional (founded 1905) sports camp, is the only full-spectrum overnight camp we could find (using Google) that offers Aikido as part of its program. 4 week and 3 week sessions. Questions about the Aikido program can be sent to: rk@aikidokids.com

Previous summers saw special demonstrations by Hanna Jiryis, 3rd Dan, and Jamie Zimron, 5th Dan in association with the PeaeCamp Initiative. Aikido students came from as far as California and Israel.

Bay Area Kids Autum 24-Hour Gasshuku & Benefit. Kids age 9 and up from all over the Bay Area welcome. Cyndy Hayashi Sensei (6th Dan) headlines, with Robert Kent, Alex Vanderburgh, Brandon WilliamsCraig (all 4th Dan), and Alexi Syssoyev, stage combat expert. 7 classes, 5 instructors, 3 meals, smashing pumpkins, and a sleepover.

This year's event is also a fundraiser for the aikido-inspired The PeaceCamp Initiative, 2008 winner of Ben & Jerry's Peace Pioneer prize. The charity has brought 13 Palestinian and Jewish youth to a sports camp in PA.

more details on the event page

Aiki Kodomo Kenshukai 2010 – Teaching Aikido to Children / Educators Seminar

The seminar is being organized as a resource for improving the quality and diversity of Aikido education to youth. It is likely that we will have international participation. The seminar will be taught by Aikido instructors and educators from a variety of affiliations and will be open to all Aikidoists.

brochure here

Aikido in Fredericksburg

Spotsylvania, VA

Bay Area Kids Spring 24-Hour "Waging Peace" Gasshuku & Benefit. Kids age 9 and up from all over the Bay Area welcome. Kayla Feder Sensei (6th Dan) headlines, with Jim Alvarez, (5th Dan), Robert Kent (4th Dan), Alex Vanderburgh (4th Dan), and Noel Amherd (3rd Dan) instructing. 7 classes, 5 instructors, 3 meals, the chance for more experienced students to try their hand at live-steel tameshigiri (cutting rolled-up tatami targets), and a sleepover.

This year's event is also a fundraiser, supported by Ben & Jerry's - who awarded The PeaceCamp Initiative their 2008 Peace Pioneer prize. Last year's event raised about $1,500 towards bringing Palestinian and Jewish youth to a summer camp in PA

more details on the event page

Bay Area Kids Autum 24-Hour Gasshuku & Benefit. Kids age 9 and up from all over the Bay Area welcome. Cyndy Hayashi Sensei (6th Dan) headlines, with Robert Kent, Alex Vanderburgh, Mitch Johnson (all 4th Dan), Noel Amherd (3rd Dan), and Manar Azriek (7-time Israeli Woman's Judo Champion) instructing. 7 classes, 6 instructors, 3 meals, smashing pumpkins, and a sleepover.

This year's event is also a fundraiser for the aikido-inspired The PeaceCamp Initiative, 2008 winner of Ben & Jerry's Peace Pioneer prize. The charity was able to bring six Palestinian and Jewish youth to a sports camp in PA this summer.

more details on the event page

2009 Sessions are:

• June 22-26
• July 20-24
• July 27-31
• August 10-14.

Aikido of Berkeley presents Kamp Kokyu, the debut of the San Francisco Bay Area's Aiki Arts Summer Camp for kids. This is a unique opportunity for children aged 7-14 to work together to develop skills that will ground them in confidence and harmony through life's physical and social conflicts and creative challenges.

Download Flyer or Registration Form

Instructors: October 3 (Friday evening training - Sunday afternoon) October 5, 2008

Kids 5-12 - Saturday 10-11:30

Kids 12-17 Sunday 9-10:30

Aiki Kodomo Kenshukai - a Teaching Aikido to Children Workshop,the West Coast follow-up to the wonderful event in Virginia in 2006 - All instructors welcome - flyer here, detailed brochure here.

There will be 2 special classes for kids each day as part of the workshop. All Bay-Area aikido students are encouraged to come and experience some of the best teachers in the country: Kids 5-12 classes are from 10-11:30 on Saturday morning, and Teens (age 12-17) are from 9:00 to 10:30 on Sunday Morning. Details here. Questions about the kids training can be sent to: rk@aikidokids.com

Camp Susquehannock - a traditional (founded 1905) sports camp, is the only full-spectrum overnight camp we could find (using Google) that offers Aikido as part of its program. 4 week and 3 week sessions. Questions about the Aikido program can be sent to: rk@aikidokids.com

This summer saw special demonstrations by Hanna Jiryis, 3rd Dan, and Jamie Zimron, 5th Dan. Aikido students came from as far as California and Israel.

Autumn Annual AikidoKids 24-hour Gasshuku.

Hosted by Aikido West and AikidoKids.com - join instructors Cyndy Hayashi Sensei (6th Dan), Robert Kent, Alex Vanderburgh (both 3rd Dan), Don Penny (Karate 5th Dan, Aikido 1st Dan), and Joel Riggs. Kids (age 9+, but see Gasshuku page for details), Parents, and other Instructors welcome to join us for an Aikido Intensive weekend.

Aikido West

Redwood City, CA

Autumn Annual AikidoKids 24-hour Gasshuku.

Hosted by Aikido West and AikidoKids.com - join instructors Cyndy Hayashi Sensei (6th Dan), Robert Kent, Molly Hale, Alex Vanderburgh (all 3rd Dan), and Don Penny (Karate 5th Dan, Aikido 1st Dan). Kids (age 9+, but see Gasshuku page for details), Parents, and other Instructors welcome to join us for an Aikido Intensive weekend..

Update: A great time was had by all.

Aikido West

Redwood City, CA

4th Annual Bay Area AikidoKids 24-hour Gasshuku

Hosted by Aikido of Berkeley - instructors Kayla Feder Sensei (6th Dan), Robert Kent, Craig O'Connor, Neil Mick (all 3rd Dan), Joel Riggs, and Don Penny (both Sho Dan), led 40 kids and parents from eight Bay Area dojos for an Aikido Intensive weekend.

Pictures Gallery Here

Aikido of Berkeley

Richmond, CA