For families
How movement grows a child
Ninja Champs uses martial arts and animal play so children practice every area of development — not just “burning energy.” The same 30-minute class is taught three ways, matched to 18 months–3 years, 3–6, and 7–9, so a child can meet typical milestones and stretch past them without being pushed into the next age’s class.
Parent flyerSame class. Three ages.
Warm-up, skill, challenge, cool-down. Little Explorers get one step and a hand nearby. Growing Ninjas get the animal story and a stripe they can name. Rising Ninjas get cleaner form, longer holds, and a turn to lead. Pick an age, then open this week’s plan.
18 months–3 years
Little Explorers
Same 30 minutes: warm-up, one skill, a game, a bow. Activities change every 3–5 minutes.
- One step, then show it. A grown-up stays on the mat.
- Floor play, songs, and animal sounds beat long lines.
- Redirect instead of correcting. Celebrate the try.
- No winners and losers. Parallel play is success.
3–6 years
Growing Ninjas
Same 30 minutes, told as an animal story. Partners, 2–3 step directions, and a stripe they can name.
- Use the character: “Move like Bella,” not a lecture.
- Partner work and cooperative challenges, not races that shame.
- Name effort and persistence, not only a perfect rep.
- Add simple martial arts words a little at a time.
7–9 years
Rising Ninjas
Same 30 minutes with cleaner form, longer holds, combinations, and a turn to lead.
- Cue posture, breath, and landing — then let them self-check.
- Sequences of 3–4 moves. Count quality, not just speed.
- Rotate a student leader. Feedback stays specific and kind.
- Still play-first. No contact sparring in Ninja Champs.
All the areas we train
“Meet” is the honest target for that age. “Stretch” is how class goes a step past it. These are teaching targets, not a medical test. If you are worried about your child’s development, talk with your pediatrician.
Gross motor
Big movements: crawl, walk, jump, climb, land.
Every class is built on animal walks, jumps, and carries. Strength and coordination come from play, not from sitting still to “learn” movement.
Milo’s quick feet, Finn’s power, Leo’s jumps
18 mo–3
Meet. Walk, squat to pick up a toy, crawl a short distance, two-foot hop with help.
Stretch. Start and stop on purpose. Step over a low noodle without a hand.
3–6
Meet. Hop, bear-crawl, and land on two feet. Change direction when the game says so.
Stretch. String three moves together and stick the landing.
7–9
Meet. Repeat a short circuit with decent form and a rest when the shape breaks.
Stretch. Quiet landings, a self-check, and a faster cut without losing posture.
Fine motor and coordination
Hands, eyes, and the two sides of the body working as a team.
Scarves, beanbags, claps, and cross-body marches are coordination practice. Catching and carrying show up inside the games, not as a separate worksheet.
Daisy’s smooth swim, Percy’s copy, Bella’s crown walk
18 mo–3
Meet. Grab a scarf with two hands. Clap, then stomp, as two separate jobs.
Stretch. Toss a scarf and hug it back. Step, then clap.
3–6
Meet. Toss-and-catch a soft object. Cross the midline in a simple march.
Stretch. Clap once before the catch. Keep a beanbag on the head for several steps.
7–9
Meet. Cross-crawl on purpose. Partner toss across a short gap.
Stretch. A 4-count hand-and-foot sequence they can teach to someone else.
Balance and body awareness
Knowing where the body is, and staying upright when the ground gets interesting.
Lines, one-foot freezes, and soft landings train the inner ear, the feet, and the core together. We cue “quiet belly” and “tail arms” so children feel balance instead of being told about it.
Bella’s steady feet, Nori’s soft landings
18 mo–3
Meet. Stand on two feet and freeze for a couple of seconds. Walk a wide line with a finger to hold.
Stretch. Sit to stand without a plop. Three stepping spots with a hand nearby.
3–6
Meet. Heel-to-toe on a line. A short one-foot try.
Stretch. Beanbag crown, a turn on the line, and a reset when they wobble.
7–9
Meet. 10-second one-leg hold and a freeze after a rock or hop.
Stretch. Backward or sideways on the line, and one balance cue they can say out loud.
Thinking and memory
Remember a pattern, ignore a distraction, and do the steps in order.
Copy games, “only move on the hoot,” and station order are memory and attention. The animal story gives the brain a hook so the sequence sticks.
Oliver’s focus, Percy’s echo
18 mo–3
Meet. Follow one cue. Copy one move after they see it.
Stretch. Two-move echo. Point to a sound, then look.
3–6
Meet. Remember a 3-pose sequence. Freeze when the music stops.
Stretch. Ignore a loud fake cue and move only on the real one.
7–9
Meet. Hold a 4-move pattern and perform stations in the order called.
Stretch. Lead the pattern for the class and check a partner’s order.
Language
Words for the body, the skill, and how they feel.
We name the animal, the skill, and one cue every class. Older ninjas introduce themselves. Little ones echo a single word. Home practice uses the same words so families speak the class language.
Every character has a skill word: balance, agility, focus, and the rest
18 mo–3
Meet. Point or approximate the animal name. Follow “stop” and “go.”
Stretch. Say or sign one skill word with the move.
3–6
Meet. Name the character and the skill. Follow a 2–3 step direction.
Stretch. Tell a parent one thing they practiced, in their own words.
7–9
Meet. Use the skill name in a full sentence at the demo.
Stretch. Give one specific cue to a partner (“eyes up,” “soft feet”).
Social and emotional
Be near other children, take a turn, help, and handle a wobble.
Annie’s colony games make helping visible. Leo’s class treats a small try as courage. We do not rank children against each other. Praise names the effort.
Annie’s many hands, Leo’s brave heart
18 mo–3
Meet. Play beside another child. High-five. Recover from a drop without a meltdown spiral — with an adult close.
Stretch. Carry one scarf with a partner. Wait a short turn.
3–6
Meet. Partner for a drill. Celebrate a teammate.
Stretch. Reset together when the beanbag falls, without blame.
7–9
Meet. Share a job in a build or a carry. Speak kindly when someone misses.
Stretch. Lead a round and notice who has not had a turn.
Focus, persistence, courage
Stay with a task, try again, and take a safe risk.
Stripes mark a season of practice, not a single perfect day. “Try again” is Leo’s drill and the culture of the mat. Oliver’s games make attention feel like hunting, not like sitting still as a punishment.
Oliver, Leo, and the stripe path itself
18 mo–3
Meet. Stay with one activity for a few minutes. Try a new step with a person beside them.
Stretch. Come back after a wobble without being carried off the mat.
3–6
Meet. Finish a short challenge. Name “I tried.”
Stretch. Choose to go again after a miss.
7–9
Meet. Hold a focus target while the body moves. Pick a brave-but-possible gap.
Stretch. Compare today to their own first pass, and say what they will practice at home.
Self-control and independence
Quiet feet, a bow, a rest, and doing a job without being carried through it.
Nori’s stealth is self-control you can hear — or not hear. Cooldowns teach stopping. Older ninjas run a station. Little ones practice a bow and a two-hand carry. Independence is the next honest step, not being left alone.
Nori’s shadow step, Finn’s rest, the closing bow
18 mo–3
Meet. Stop when the game stops, with help. Help put one toy away.
Stretch. A few quiet steps. Sit for the bow.
3–6
Meet. Freeze in a game. Follow the cooldown without a new toy.
Stretch. Walk a silent path. Tell you the home challenge in one sentence.
7–9
Meet. Ten quiet steps. Rise from a kneel without a thud.
Stretch. Captain a station count and bow the class out.